Qatar Participates in WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference

Qatar Participates in WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference

The State of Qatar is participating in the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from June 12 to 15.

The State of Qatar delegation is headed by HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Sultan bin Rashid Al Khater.

His Excellency delivered the statement of the State of Qatar during the opening session of the conference, which affirmed Qatar's commitment to the multilateral trading system, noting that the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization represents a positive step towards developing appropriate solutions to the challenges facing the world.

His Excellency called for the need to build on the positive results that have been achieved since the establishment of the World Trade Organization, in order to support its ability to restore its pivotal role in regulating international trade.

The statement of the State of Qatar stressed the need for development to be the focus of all discussions, in addition to focusing on the role of trade as a tool and a primary driver for it, noting the State of Qatar's commitment to strengthening the laws regulating trade in a way that supports the participation of developing countries, especially the least developed countries, in the international trading system.

The statement indicated that the ongoing negotiations within the framework of the World Trade Organization represent an opportunity to review the organization's laws in line with the current and future trade scene.

The statement pointed to the position of trade in the country and its role as a basic pillar of the national economy, pointing to the State of Qatar's keenness to support the stability of the multilateral trading system and enhance its openness and transparency, pointing out that the developments in the World Trade Organization during the past twenty-five years, which contributed to changing the mechanisms of trade, in light of technological and digital development.

The statement explained that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic demonstrated the ability of countries to withstand in light of the unprecedented fluctuations in the global economy, and the faltering of supply chains, explaining that this crisis showed that international cooperation would enhance the speed and efficiency of the response, stressing the support of the State of Qatar to the mechanisms that enable to strengthen broad international cooperation to address any crises in the future.

The statement also drew attention to the remarkable decline in global fish stocks in recent decades, and its impact in general on efforts to support fisheries, stressing the need to enhance the ability of the World Trade Organization to achieve its goals, especially in the areas of sustainable development identified by the United Nations.

To conclude the statement, the State of Qatar expressed its hope to reach positive results during the 12th Ministerial Conference, in a way that supports the work of the World Trade Organization and consolidates the principles on which the international trade system was built in general.

Within the framework of the conference, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry participated in the meeting held by HE Director-General of the World Trade Organization Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, with their Excellencies, heads of delegations of Arab member countries participating in the Ministerial Conference, where they exchanged views on topics listed on the agenda of the conference, in addition to discussing ways to enhance cooperation between the Arab countries and the organization, and support negotiations to face the challenges witnessed by the multilateral trading system at the global level.

During the meeting, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry stressed the State of Qatar's firm commitment to the principles and agreements of the World Trade Organization, and its support for the efforts of member states in order to preserve their vital role in consolidating the principles of international trade, and the importance of the role played by the organization in supporting the international trade system.

His Excellency also participated in the work of a session on the challenges facing the multilateral trading system, during which the changes in the global economy in the post-Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and ways to support international trade were highlighted.

On the sidelines of the conference, HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry met with HE Minister of Industry and Trade in the Kingdom of Morocco Ryad Mezzour.

During the meeting, they reviewed topics of common interest aimed at enhancing cooperation in the sectors of trade, investment and industry, in addition to exchanging views on the topics on the conference agenda.

The Ministerial Conference is the highest authority in the World Trade Organization to make decisions that are adopted unanimously. The Ministerial Conference, held every two years, brings together all WTO members, including trade ministers and senior officials involved in international trade. 

Source: QNA