The 13th edition of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13), held from February 26th to March 2nd, marks a significant stride in global trade governance. The agreements reached during this conference aim to promote more equitable trade practices, particularly benefiting Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and set the stage for future negotiations within the WTO framework.

The “Abu Dhabi Declaration” lays the groundwork for enhanced global supply chain access for LDCs by instituting special and preferential treatment measures for sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT). This addresses a significant hurdle for LDCs, as 90% of non-tariff trade barriers originate from these measures.

The conference also tackled a longstanding mandate by approving changes to special and differential treatment provisions. These changes aim to make the provisions more precise, effective, and operational, providing additional support to developing countries in the global trading system.

During the conference, the moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions was extended for an additional two years. This extension ensures tariff-free digital product and service trade until the next ministerial conference. A similar extension was granted for the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints related to the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

A similar extension was granted for the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints related to the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani Al-Zeyoudi hailed the Abu Dhabi Declaration as a major milestone. “It has been a momentous week for Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and global trade. I would like to thank the delegations from every member for their diligence and dedication to the negotiation and for their ceaseless efforts in making the global trading system more robust, more efficient and, most importantly, more accessible,” he said. 

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the WTO’s pivotal role as a cornerstone for stability and resilience in today’s challenging economic and geopolitical landscape. She underscored the significance of trade in enhancing livelihoods and driving economic growth, stressing the importance of sustained collaboration among member nations.

The Innovation By Design Summit is in Doha on April 24. Attendance at the summit is by invitation only. Delegates can register here to receive their exclusive invite.