DG Okonjo-Iweala: “Essential to adopt a fresh approach” in ongoing WTO negotiations

Speaking in her capacity as Chair of the TNC, DG Okonjo-Iweala noted the strong support expressed by world leaders for the WTO and the multilateral trading system during her recent meetings abroad.  Nevertheless, she said, these leaders “expect us to deliver results, not deadlock, not stalemate.”

“We should not waste this political capital that is so supportive of us by showing that we are unable to make use of this precious commodity. We have to deliver results for the people and for the leaders who have sent us here to do the work.”

The Director-General said that, as members continue the negotiations, “it is essential that we adopt a fresh approach — both in terms of substance, process and also attitude.”

“We must focus on delivering outcomes wherever and whenever possible. Negotiating in the 2020s requires a more dynamic approach, one where each area is considered on its own merits, allowing us to make progress across the board.”

Reports from negotiating chairs

Members received updates from the chairs of the ongoing WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, trade and development, the establishment of a multilateral system of notification and registration of geographical indications for wines and spirits, and trade and environment.

Reporting in his capacity as the Chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson (Iceland) said that despite intensive work over recent months to conclude a “second wave” agreement on fisheries subsidies by the end of the year, the negotiations have reached a stalemate.

Ambassador Gunnarsson noted that on 29 November he circulated a revised text on Additional Provisions on Fisheries Subsidies (TN/RL/W/285) to facilitate a possible conclusion of negotiations at the upcoming 16-17 General Council meeting. 

While many noted that the draft text did not fully address all their interests and needs, “they recognized that it is the product of years of negotiations in which all members' positions have been tried and tested. Therefore, they see the document … with some final tweaks and adjustments as allowing us to bring our negotiations to a conclusion.”

“For at least two members, however, document W/285 falls far short of an acceptable outcome and is not appropriately balanced,” the Chair added. “So, in short, save for any last-minute solution, it seems to me that … the negotiations have reached a stalemate even though nearly all members can support the current text as a basis for conclusion.” His full report is available here.

Reporting in his capacity as Chair of the agriculture negotiations, Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy (Türkiye) provided a written statement noting that recent discussions have focused on process, in particular whether a facilitator-led process should accompany engagement by members among themselves on issues of interest. Despite efforts to find a compromise, members were not in a position to agree on a way forward, he said.

“It is my considered opinion, in light of the discussions in recent weeks including at our last CoA-SS, that we should demonstrate pragmatism and not spend an inordinate amount of time on the process forward, but rather move on and commit to engage substantively in early 2025,” he told members.

Ambassador Acarsoy welcomed efforts by the African Group and the Cairns Group of members to work together and try to formulate a comprehensive package of modalities for agricultural reform.  These efforts “constitute for me a model of what members should do … Unfortunately, attempts to repeat a similar process on other topics has not been successful so far,” he said.

Reporting in her capacity as Chair of the negotiations on trade and development, Ambassador Kadra Hassan (Djibouti) noted that work was continuing on the implementation of the MC13 Ministerial Declaration with regards to special and differential treatment under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade. Members also continued to be engaged on the proposals from the G90 group of developing and least developed country (LDC) members regarding special and differential treatment under various WTO agreements.

The year 2025 “will be a pivotal year for continuing to make progress on this work” and “will be instrumental for our preparations for MC14 in order to be able to make recommendations for Ministers to consider,” Ambassador Hassan said.

Ambassador Alfredo Suescum (Panama), Chair of the negotiations on the multilateral register for wines and spirits, noted that substantive negotiations have not taken place on this issue for over a decade and, at the most recent meeting on the issue in September, no concrete contributions or pathways for progress were offered by members.

Ambassador Eunice M. Tembo Luambia (Zambia), Chair of the negotiations on trade and environment, also noted a reluctance by delegations to engage during her first informal meeting with members as Chair.

Around 30 delegations then took the floor, some speaking on behalf of groups of members, to comment on the report of the Director-General and the reports of the negotiating Chairs.

In concluding remarks, the Chair of the General Council, Ambassador Petter Ølberg (Norway), said the stalemates on fisheries subsidies and agriculture were quite different.  On the former, 95% of the membership was ready to accept the latest draft text whereas on agriculture members are not even able to agree on a process. 

He urged members to enjoy their upcoming winter break because when they come back, he warned, they will be pulled out of their comfort zone. “We have to do things differently, we cannot continue like this,” he said. “We need some kind of a new approach.”

In her concluding remarks, DG Okonjo-Iweala underlined that members “have come a long way” on the second wave of negotiations on fisheries subsidies.  While acknowledging that a large majority of members want to push for a conclusion by the 16-17 December General Council meeting, she suggested that those members who still have hesitations about the draft text be given more time to consider the matter and be heard.

With regards to agriculture, the Director-General said “people don't want to negotiate on process” and suggested that the Chair of the negotiations see whether a proposed hybrid approach — reconciling divergent views that acknowledges members' priorities while not pre-empting future outcomes — be a way to move the negotiations forward.

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