Trade in services is gaining importance globally and it is important for countries to be able to benefit from that growth. Services can provide the basis for a more sustainable and diversified economy offering employment to many. However, services are intangible and difficult to measure which weakens the information basis for trade policy and negotiations.

On request by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU, in French UEMOA), UNCTAD has developed a Trade in Services Statistics (TiSSTAT) information system to facilitate the collection and processing of statistics on international trade in services. The project has also developed survey methods and tools and WAEMU member states have collected data on trade in services with the support of the project. The new information system is now installed in the countries.

To this end, UNCTAD is organizing in close collaboration with the WAEMU Commission, from 15 to 18 November 2022 in Cotonou, Benin, a regional training workshop on the TiSSTAT application for the WAEMU member states and the Commission. The workshop will discuss feedback and test the different functionalities of the system with countries’ experts.