ABU DHABI — The WTO has played an important role in providing “stability, transparency and predictability for international trade,” contributing to “raising living standards, improving employment opportunities and enabling the expansion of trade in goods and services” around the world, said Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Chair of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13).
His remarks came as the conference celebrated the accessions of the Comoros and Timor-Leste, both classified as least-developed countries.
The Presidents of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, and Timor-Leste, José Manuel Ramos-Horta, signed their respective Protocols of Accession to the WTO alongside WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Following this, both governments will seek ratification from their legislative bodies.
According to WTO rules, Comoros and Timor-Leste will officially join the WTO 30 days after submitting their instruments of acceptance for the Protocol.
Dr. Al Zeyoudi said, “The decisions on the accession of Comoros—an island LDC in Africa—and Timor-Leste—an island LDC in Asia—reflect global confidence in the WTO and the multilateral trading system. I am convinced that their future WTO membership will provide stable and predictable economic engagement frameworks with other countries, which will enhance trade, growth, and prosperity.”
The MC13 opening ceremony also marked a significant moment for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, with eight members submitting their acceptance instruments. This act moves the groundbreaking agreement for ocean sustainability closer to enforcement at an unprecedented rate.
Ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Malaysia, Norway, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Togo, and Türkiye presented their instruments to Director-General Okonjo-Iweala.
Dr Al Zeyoudi added, “This demonstrates your governments’ dedication to our oceans’ sustainability and to ensuring that outcomes negotiated multilaterally at the WTO are not only agreed upon but also implemented. As an early ratifier, the United Arab Emirates applauds these new ratifications as a reaffirmation of our collective commitment.”
