The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on WTO members to adopt a constructive approach towards progressing key issues on the trade agenda, including agriculture, fisheries subsidies, development, and dispute settlement reform.

Speaking in her capacity as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee at a General Council meeting, Okonjo-Iweala stressed the importance of focusing on achievable outcomes in the upcoming discussions.

In her opening remarks, Okonjo-Iweala highlighted positive developments in agriculture talks, referring to the recent Trade Negotiations Committee meeting on 10th October, where discussions centred around advancing agricultural negotiations. She announced plans for further engagement with Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, the General Council chair, and Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy of Trkiye, chair of the agriculture negotiations, to address key questions raised and develop a process for moving forward. ‘This negotiation has been sta
lled for over two decades,’ she stated, emphasising the urgency of resolving these issues.

On fisheries subsidies, Okonjo-Iweala expressed optimism about the ongoing acceptance process for the 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, noting that only 25 more acceptances are required to enable its enforcement. She also indicated that members are approaching a consensus on the second part of the Agreement, which aims to curb subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. ‘While a few matters still need attention, we are close to achieving a complete agreement,’ she said, underscoring the need for a coordinated push to finalise the deal.

Source: Emirates News Agency