The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) officially started on Monday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with delegations from 175 countries, including the Kingdom of Morocco, headed by Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour along with Morocco’s Ambassador to the UAE Ahmed Tazi.
Founded in 1995, the WTO regulates worldwide trade laws through its semi-annual ministerial gatherings, at which ministers and senior officials evaluate and revise policies impacting global commerce.
The conference focuses on cooperation to achieve a more effective, sustainable, and inclusive trade system, and serves as a forum for WTO members, observers, private sector officials, NGOs, and civil society representatives to discuss issues of common concern.
Building on the progress made during the previous MC 12 in Geneva in June 2022, at which significant strides were made in areas such as fishing subsidies, food security, and e-commerce, MC13, seeks to enhance lesser developed countries’ access to the global trade system, intellectual property, and WTO dispute settlement mechanisms. MC 13 runs until Thursday.