World Trade Organisation prepares to hold its seventh ministerial conference in Geneva

Al-Kait noted that this conference will be different from the previous conferences, mainly because the meeting is not intended as a negotiating session, but rather a regular gathering of ministers to engage in a broader evaluation of the functioning of the multilateral trading system.

The general theme for the discussion shall be 'The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Global Economic Environment'.

Al Kait pointed that the Marrakesh treaty establishing the WTO mandates a regular ministerial conference at least once in two years, however, the last conference was held three and a half years ago in Hong Kong in December 2005.

He also noted that the UAE will participate in the conference through a high-level government delegation headed by H.E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade and representatives from other government departments.

In this context, Mr. Obaid Saif Al-Kindi, Director of the Office of the UAE at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, pointed out that Mr. Pascal Lamy, Secretary General of the WTO, had said that a concerted effort needs to be made by all parties concerned to ensure that the ministerial conferences are held regularly and that the routine meetings should not be confused with the ministerial conferences.

According to Al-Kindi, the next ministerial conference will be based on three pillars: participation, transparency and inclusiveness. The sessions of the conference will be held openly, so that all ministers can participate and discuss about the main topic of the conference.

It should be noted that the WTO ministerial conference, which is stipulated to meet once every two years, is the highest body of the Organisation that is responsible for decision-making. The WTO General Council executes the duties of the ministerial conference.