Antigua and Barbuda remains hopeful that a recent meeting of trade officials at the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) will have the political backing to achieve the
desired outcomes at the 13th Ministerial Conference, to be held in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates, from 26 to 29 February 2024.
Antigua and Barbuda was represented through its delegation to the World Trade
Organization including Permanent Representative, Ambassador Colin Murdoch,
and Director of International Trade and WTO Delegate, Joy-Marie King.
King said the two-day meeting of senior trade officials concluded with
encouraging signs that negotiators in Geneva will eventually lead to an agreement
on several key issues.
According to King, “The meeting aimed to take stock of the progress on
international trade issues on the negotiating agenda- such as agriculture and food
security, dispute settlement reform, the e-commerce work programme, and
moratorium; phase two of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, and development
issues in addition to deliberating on pressing international issues.”
King further indicated that senior officials had the opportunity to engage each other
through various configurations, including plenary meetings of the full membership,
breakout sessions on specific issues- international trade and industrial policy and
international trade and environmental sustainability, bilateral talks, group
coordination meetings, and consultations with the chairs or facilitators of
negotiations.
In her submission to the WTO membership, Director King highlighted several
priority areas for the OECS and Antigua and Barbuda, including but not limited to,
the great need for the urgent and full restoration of the institution’s binding dispute
settlement system as it is the cornerstone to maintaining a rules-based global
trading system. Further, the dispute settlement system is an indispensable
mechanism to help the smallest, poorest, and most vulnerable members to better
navigate the uneven power dynamics of global trade.”
The engagement concluded with a session on the way forward, including a
concluding summary from the General Council Chair and the Director-General.
Joy-Marie King is a certified expert in the areas of commercial diplomacy,
international trade, policy negotiations, and sustainable development.
