Al Zeyoudi addresses final WTO General Council ahead of MC13 in Abu Dhabi

General Council

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, participated in the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva today, the final meeting before the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi of which he is Chair.

The General Council, the highest decision-making body of the WTO outside of the Ministerial Conference, offered ambassadors and permanent representatives a last opportunity to formally negotiate on the major issues ahead of MC13.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi commended the delegates on their hard work to date, and encouraged them to demonstrate the same flexibility and consensus in the run up to MC13, which takes place in the UAE capital between 26-29 February.

He remarked, “The 13th Ministerial Conference is an important opportunity to review and refine the rules of international trade and ensure that supply chains remain open, agile and resilient. It is important that we come together, think creatively and collaboratively, and work to reconcile our national positions with the long-term promise of a sustainable and inclusive global trading system.”

Statements at the General Council revealed that while all delegations shared a commitment to the rules-based trading system, there were still a number of gaps between nations that will need to be bridged ahead of MC13. Acknowledging these differences and the hard work required to achieve consensus against a backdrop of broader tensions in international trade, His Excellency expressed his hope that delegations will continue to seek out areas of agreement and common ground. He stressed that the upcoming Ministerial Conference was part of a continuum, and encouraged delegations to take the long view, ensuring that outcomes at MC13 built on those of MC12, and set the stage for MC14 and beyond.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is comprised of 164 Member States and is the only multilateral organization overseeing the rules of trade between nations, dedicated to enabling member states to use trade as a means to raise living standards, create jobs, and improve people’s lives across the world. The Ministerial Conference, which meets biannually, is the topmost decision-making body of the World Trade Organisation.