Page 675 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2024

2/22/24, 2:45 PM Dailyhunt
Al Zeyoudi addresses final WTO General Council ahead of

MC13 in Abu Dhabi

Emirates News Age… . 7d ago
GENEVA, 14th February, 2024 (WAM) -- 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

https://m.dailyhunt.me/news/uae/english/emiratesnewsagencyw-epaper-emirates/al+zeyoudi+addresses+final+wto+general+council+ahead+of+mc13… 1/1