10.12. The representative of Angola extended his thanks the Secretariat, on behalf of the LDC Group, for having organized the LDC Symposium in November 2012. The workshop had enabled LDC delegations to take stock of the necessity to conduct a needs assessment for the purpose of identifying their individual priorities for technical and financial assistance in order to facilitate the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement. He further highlighted two issues: firstly the difficulties encountered by developed countries in responding to the needs identified; and secondly, the predictability of funding for LDC Members that had not as yet conducted or completed their needs assessment. The majority of LDCs, had yet to formulate their needs due to a lack of financial resources. He drew attention to the inability of some development partners to provide technical assistance on account of certain LDCs' having failed to identify their needs, despite the availability of resources. He considered that the topic should be further discussed in the Council, with a view to seeking a compromise solution, and ensuring predictability of funding, so that those identified needs were met.
