The Road to MC13: Pre-WTO MC13 Civil Society Webinar

The World Trade organization’s (WTO) Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (MC13) will be held from 26 to 29 February 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The WTO is a multilateral organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by various of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.

The Ministerial Conference of the WTO meets every two years to make important decisions about existing trade agreements. The Ministerial Conference holds the authority to make decisions on any aspects of all multilateral agreements made under the WTO.

Given the importance of trade is as a driver of economic growth and development, its is imperative that the voices of African countries and the Global South are heard in the multilateral trade negotiations.

MC13 will build on the achievements of the previous Ministerial Conference (MC12). Thus, the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference will address several pending issues. Among the issues and priorities which are on the table for discussion and negotiation are; Reform of the WTO including the dispute settlement system, Fisheries Subsidies; advancing talks on agriculture; addressing climate change among others. However, the biggest challenge facing the WTO is to deliver on the development agenda and address development related issues which have been on the agenda for a long time in order to maintain the belief and trust of developing countries in the WTO.

Recognizing this, it is paramount that Civil Society actors appreciate these issues to enable them to engage at the respective national, regional and global levels.

In light of the above, SEATINI Uganda and Third World Network Africa (TWN-A) under the auspices of the Africa Trade Network (ATN) are organizing a pre- WTO MC13 Civil Society Webinar on 8th February 2024 to gather and debate views on this important process.

Specific Objectives

• Obtain an update on key negotiation issues and priorities ahead of MC13.
• Discuss the recent challenges in the World Trade Organisation particularly the budding plurilateral trade arrangements and their implications on the Multilateral Trading System.
• Discuss and develop a common civil society advocacy agenda for MC13.

Expected outcomes

• CSOs increasingly scrutinize and appreciate the key negotiation priorities and issues at the MC 13 and beyond.
• Recommendations developed to address the challenges of the budding plurilateral trade arrangements at the WTO.
• Stakeholder engagement and advocacy strategy for participation in the MC13 developed.

Date: 8th January 2024

Time: 03:00 PM EAT

Register here: https://bit.ly/42uyorS