UAE to host World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference 2024

The United Arab Emirate (UAE) has been selected to host the World Trade Organisation’s 13^th global Ministerial Conference in February 2024. President Sheikh Mohamed made the announcement and said that representatives from 164 countries in the WTO would convene for the trade talks in Abu Dhabi. “We look forward to facilitating constructive dialogue between WTO nations and strengthening international co-operation for a sustainable economic future,” said Sheikh Mohamed (pictured). The Ministerial Conference is usually convened every two years. The WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12-17 June. It was originally meant to be held in Kazakhstan in 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. The UAE won the bid with only competition from Cameroon. The last time the conference was held in the Gulf was in 2001 in Doha. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice-president and ruler of Dubai, also welcomed the news, Tweeting: “We welcome the participating countries, we welcome the World Trade Organisation, and we support all international moves that guarantee the free flow of goods and services between different countries of the world and protect the future of global trade.” It brings together all members of the WTO, all of which are countries or customs unions, and takes decisions on all matters under any of the multilateral trade agreements. The inaugural Ministerial Conference was held in Singapore in 1996 with the aim of global trading nations to address the structure of the mechanisms of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.