The First SATRN Symposium had two main objectives:
- To identify ways in which SADC countries can integrate into the Global Trading System; and
- To identify key issues of interest to the SADC countries in the review of special and differential treatment currently taking place at the WTO
The Symposium brought together researchers from the SADC region, SADC's Geneva and capital based negotiators, regional trade experts and international trade experts from American Enterprise Institute, World Bank, UNCTAD, WTO, and FAO.