Morocco reiterated on Sunday its commitment to a fair and balanced multilateral trading system, as embodied by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Kingdom’s position was affirmed by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Morocco in Geneva, Omar Zniber presenting the Kingdom’s declaration during the preparatory meeting Ministerial of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, held in virtual mode.
“The Kingdom of Morocco renews its commitment to a fair and balanced multilateral trading system as embodied by the WTO and which is likely to ensure a fair distribution of the benefits of international trade and guarantee the right to development of developing countries and less developed countries, ”said Ryad Mezzour. The Minister renewed Morocco’s commitment to coordination, consultation and cooperation among Arab States members of the Organization in order to make the voice of the Arab Group heard and to realize its common interests.
He also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s determination to work to complete the processes of accession of other Arab States to the Organization.
The Minister recalled, in this sense, that the Kingdom, which chairs the working groups on the accession of the Republic of Iraq and the Union of the Comoros to the World Trade Organization, is working hard to accelerate and facilitate these two aspects, in order to obtain the expected results as quickly as possible.
Ryad Mezzour noted, moreover, that the WTO is going through a delicate phase which requires hard work and consensus among its members, as well as the flexibility and political commitment necessary to succeed in the current negotiations, with a view to achieving to positive and practical results at the 12th Ministerial Conference.
In this regard, he said, Morocco is working to play a constructive role aimed at bringing together points of view and reaching a consensus on points of contention, while ensuring the preservation of the development dimension. in future agreements in order to guarantee the right of developing countries to promote their economic and trade capacities, he continued.
He insisted, in this regard, on the importance and the need to coordinate the positions of the Arab States members of the Organization, in the perspective of the next ministerial conference, “in order to preserve the interests of our Arab group on on the agenda of the Conference, in particular the ongoing negotiations aimed at reducing the depletion of fishery resources, as well as with regard to the agricultural dossier, in view of the strategic importance of these issues by in relation to achieving food security in our countries. ”
The Minister stressed, on the other hand, that all countries are called upon to “show flexibility and work for the establishment of consensus to overcome the deadlock in which negotiations find themselves at all levels”.
This meeting was sanctioned by the adoption of a final declaration in which Arab ministers reaffirm their commitment to the principles and objectives set out in the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO, and reiterate their commitment to strengthening the multilateral trading system.
They expressed their determination to “work together to ensure that the 12th conference is successful and leads to meaningful and concrete results for all members and to further strengthen the role of the WTO in establishing rules that promote a free, fair, stable, inclusive, non-discriminatory, transparent and open business and investment environment ”.
Arab ministers similarly underline the important role that trade can play in addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and in fostering a strong recovery in the global economy.
They also emphasize the imperative to strengthen global cooperation and coordination to overcome the consequences of the pandemic, advocating for equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, and urging countries to cooperate in this area.
The Arab ministers also stress that the negotiations on fisheries should take into account the provisions relating to special and differential treatment (S&D).
The declaration likewise underlines the need to address all outstanding issues in the agriculture negotiations, in particular those of critical importance to developing and least developed countries.
The ministers also reaffirm the central role of the development dimension in the multilateral trading system.
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