Capacity  building  is  also  going  on  seriously  using  the  WTO  and  EPA  training  programmes.  The   Ministry   has   also   sponsored   a   staff   to   Switzerland   to   specialize   in   multilateral   trade   law.   Training   of   staff   in   the   area   of   trade   contingency   measures   has   also   been   done   by   the   Ministry.   These   Experts   will   support   the   Tariff   Advisory   Board.   The   Ministry   in   November   plans   to   organize  a  training  course  for  relevant  staff  of  the  MOTI/PSI/PSD,  MDAs  and  the  private  sector.     The   Trade   Information   Center   has   been   strengthened   with   the   establishment   of   a   website   which   provides   information   on   technical   and   phyto-­‐sanitary   barriers   to   trade.   However,   this   was  done  through  a  project  and  now  that  the  project  has  ended  it  is  becoming  difficult  to  host   and   manage   the   site.   Currently,   plans   are   underway   to   redesign   the   site   to   make   it   more   effective.   The   existence   of   the   center   has   also   been   published   whiles   the   center   has   ordered   various   publications   to   enhance   its   collection.   In   the   area   of   product   development,   the   GEPC   has   contracted   a   consultant   to   help   people   in   artifact   industry   to   develop   new   products.   Capacities   have   also   been   developed   for   horticulturalist   especially   those   in   the   pineapple   industry  to  enable  them  go  into  the  production  of  new  varieties.  These  policies  have  led  to  an   increase   in   Non-­‐traditional   exports   from   US$   892   million   in   2006   to   US$   1165   million   and   to     US$  661  million  as  at  the  end  of  June  2008    an  shown  in  Table  4.6.       Table  4.6:  Value  of  Non-­‐  Traditional  Exports  (in  million  US  dollars)   Year   2000   2001   Value   400.56   459   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   504   588   705   777   892   1165   661*   Source  :  GEPC,  *-­‐  figure  is  up  to  June  2008     Discussions   with   the   relevant   agencies   indicate   that   Ghana   is   fully   implementing   the   ETLS.   However,   majority   of   the   countries   are   not   giving   the   preference.   Burkina   Faso   and   Cote   d’   Ivoire   appear   to   be   the   only   countries   that   give   preference   to   Ghana.   One   reason   for   this   84    

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