Important WTO meeting to be held in UAE during the Global Trade Development Week 2015

In advance of the World Trade Organisations (WTO) next Ministerial Meeting, Global Trade Development Week (GTDW) will host a roundtable for discussion of WTO issues

Abu Dhabi – 26th April 2015 – Reform of the global trading system will be high on the agenda at an important meeting of WTO’s leading envoys, to be held in the UAE during Global Trade Development Week, Oct 28th 2015. Organised in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Economy, the roundtable meeting will be led by WTO’s Director of Trade and Development, Mr. Shishir Priyadarshi, and will have participation from envoys and Ambassadors who will represent their nations at the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Talks being held in Nairobi in December this year. 

Titled ‘Strengthening trade led development: Prospects and challenges for WTO’s Nairobi Ministerial Conference’, the WTO roundtable will be a highlight of Global Trade Development Week which is organised under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy.  GTDW 2015 will bring together 1000 trade leaders from government and the private sector coming to Dubai from over 100 countries, to discuss solutions to advance the development of international trade. 

H.E. Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary for Foreign Trade and Industry, UAE Minister of Economy said, “by supporting this WTO Roundtable, the UAE affirms our commitment to the importance of a multilateral trading system within the framework of the WTO. We hope the WTO meeting in UAE will help set the tone for the Nairobi Ministerial Conference. A positive outcome of the Doha Round will facilitate international trade and be hugely beneficial to the UAE, the region and the global economy in general.”

Mr Shishir Priyadarshi said, “We look forward to the GTDW providing a platform for further discussionson the WTO Doha Round, which has the potential to change the course of world trade, especially for developing countries. The Doha Round aims to achieve major reform of the international trading system, including by lowering trade barriers and reforming global trade rules - ideals that run at the core of GTDW”.  

The GTDW presents an opportune platform to bring together nations participating in the Doha Round.  Firstly in its timeliness, with the Nairobi meetings being just over a month away. As a result, in October, the Doha agreement will be high on the global news agenda. The UAE setting of GTDW provides a convenient geographical location accessible to many.  More importantly, the central aim of GTDW’s agenda to deepen understanding about trends in trade, trade policy issues and the multilateral trading system, especially for developing countries, presents an ideal opportunity to discuss issues related to the global trading system.

GTDW is the world largest trade facilitation event and features a series of specialized trade summits that link key sectors. GTDW will be held in Ritz Carlton DIFC from 27th to 29th October.