Prof 𝐊𝐚𝐡 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 c𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭-𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩

Aug 6, 2025, 10:35 AM 2 min read

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad is pleased to announce that H.E. Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of The Gambia to the Swiss Confederation and Permanent Representative to the UN Offices in Geneva, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Switzerland has been appointed Coordinator of the WTO Group of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs), and concurrently elected as an LDC representative on the Executive Board (EOB) for Phase III (2025–2031) of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF).

The WTO LDC Group is the formal negotiating coalition of the WTO’s 37 least-developed country members, tasked with advancing their collective interests across the multilateral trade agenda from rules of origin to e-commerce and post-graduation support. As Coordinator, Ambassador Kah will lead the Group’s technical and ministerial preparations in the lead-up to the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, and facilitate dialogue with partners, including other developing-country coalitions and donor economies.

Ambassador Kah’s simultaneous election to the EIF Executive Board places him at the centre of the WTO-hosted Aid-for-Trade programme’s new Phase III, scheduled to launch in October 2025 and run through 2031. Phase III aims to mobilise USD 200 million in catalytic financing for trade-capacity projects in LDCs, building on new donor commitments announced last month.

WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the developments, noting that early pledges for Phase III demonstrate “the momentum to bring this vision to life,” and stressing the need for “stable and predictable support” for LDCs.