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sector an opportunity to get involved through an unprecedented number of
side events to be held in conjunction to the main event.

Notably, the conference aims to build upon the progress of the M12
conference, held in Geneva in June 2022. The M12 saw substantive
breakthroughs on a variety of topics critical to global trade, including fisheries
subsidies, food insecurity, and e-commerce.

Al Zeyoudi noted that the conference is expected to be attended by ministers
and deputy ministers from WTO member states, in addition to certain
Presidents and Prime Ministers.

"We're going to have a few funds which will be announced by the WTO,
especially in inclusion of trade, which will be announced on Sunday. On
Monday, many of the negotiations and discussions on topics that have been
disputed will take place. There will be a huge focus on the key topics that

we're pushing forward on," Al Zeyoudi told reporters.

The Minister also emphasised the extension of the e-commerce moratorium

as topic of focus for the MC13. He said the temporary agreement to forgo
applying duties on digital products transmitted electronically had helped push
development and trade liberty over the last ten years, but added that he could
also see how it had caused financial losses for certain countries.

"The moratorium is another big topic. It's either yes or no when it comes to
this topic; negotiations will continue," he said.

Al Zeyoudi also spoke about the difficult and complicated process of reforming

the WTO, as well as coming to agreements on fisheries subsides and
agricultural trade but was optimistic that break throughs could be made.

"Reform is a very complex topic. You can't just switch from one direction to
the other, and that's why for the last few months, we have had ambassadors

working on building the publications which we'll be discussing," he said.

Other focus areas of MC13 include improving the ability of developing

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