Cambodia Raises WTO Membership To 148

Cambodia became the WTO’s 148th member on 13 October 2004, almost 10 years after it first applied and just over a year after its membership package was approved at the Cancun Ministerial Conference.

After Nepal joined on 23 April 2004, Cambodia is now the second least-developed country to join the WTO through the full working party negotiation process. It brings the current number of least-developed countries in the WTO to 32.

Cambodia applied to join the WTO in December 1994.

Another 26 countries are negotiating membership (listed from oldest to most recent application): Algeria, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Ukraine, Sudan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Seychelles, Tonga, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Andorra, Laos, Samoa, Lebanese Republic, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bhutan, Cape Verde, Yemen, Serbia and Montenegro, Bahamas, Tajikistan, Ethiopia, Vanuatu and Libya.

Eight are least-developed: Bhutan, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Laos, Samoa, Sudan, Vanuatu and Yemen.

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