A case study for the project ‘Capacity, Change and Performance’
P. Rourke (CTPL), ECDPM Discussion Paper 57O, 2006. Countries large and small consider membership in the WTO as part of a long-term strategy of domestic economic reform and greater openness to the international economy. Donors, therefore, have an interest in providing long-term trade-related capacity development assistance to equip local experts and institutions with the knowledge and tools for effective implementation and enforcement of WTO obligations. The question from a capacity development perspective is: what is the best strategy for combining short-term technical support and longer-term capacity development assistance to promote a sustainable approach in a particular country? This paper examines the effectiveness of a ten-year strategy adopted by the Canada-based Centre for Trade Policy and Law (CTPL), CIDA, the Russian government, and local partners to develop a critical mass of experts within and outside government structures to support the short- and long-term interests of Russia as a member of the WTO. The study concludes that the driving force for change and positive capacity development was the project’s strategic management approach and its focus on building a self-financing think tank that would serve as the focal point for a broad-based public-private sector trade policy and law community.