GENEVA/JAKARTA, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Trade ministers from around the world are set to convene in Abu Dhabi later this month for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 13th ministerial conference (MC13), scheduled for February 26-29. While there is potential for finalizing a significant fisheries agreement reached in 2022, other major agreements may remain out of reach due to various challenges.
The WTO’s last major conference in Geneva marked progress with deals on fisheries, Covid vaccine patents, and calls for reforming the trade body. However, the upcoming meeting faces hurdles, including geopolitical tensions and concerns about the US elections’ impact on global trade.
Diplomats and trade experts express mixed expectations for the conference. Some remain cautiously optimistic about achieving certain agreements, though they acknowledge the difficulties of reaching consensus within the WTO framework. The organization requires full consensus to conclude deals, complicating the negotiation process.
A key focus of the MC13 is the completion of a historic agreement to ban harmful fisheries subsidies, a goal after more than two decades of discussions. The initial phase of this agreement addressed illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing but did not fully tackle subsidies contributing to overfishing. The upcoming negotiations aim to address these broader issues, with observers hopeful for a successful outcome.
Aside from fisheries, the conference will revisit food security discussions, with countries like India and China advocating for the permanent adoption of measures allowing public stockpiles of food, a proposal met with opposition due to concerns about potential market disruptions.
The Abu Dhabi meeting is also seen as a critical opportunity for WTO reform ahead of the US elections. The Trump administration’s previous stance towards the WTO adds to the urgency of these reforms, including debates over the definition of developing countries and the impasse in the WTO’s dispute settlement system.
Despite the anticipation for progress, significant challenges remain, particularly in reforming the WTO’s appeal court, halted since December 2019 due to blocked judge appointments. Diplomats note substantial obstacles to reaching consensus, especially in an election year, highlighting the complex interplay of global trade dynamics and domestic politics.
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