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Business Reporter

FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade Minister, Dr Frederick Shava, is in Geneva, Switzerland, where he is attending the 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The Ministerial Conference (MC12) began on Sunday and ends on Wednesday at WTO headquarters in Geneva. 

During the meeting, ministers from across the world have the opportunity to review the functioning of the multi-lateral trading system. 

“Minister Shava began his engagements by attending the G-33 Ministerial Meeting, which is a group of developing and least developed countries that coordinate WTO agric negotiations,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in an update.

Agriculture plays a critical role for G33 members and most of the member countries have a large number of small-holder farmers whose livelihoods depend on agriculture.

Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

“Lack of progress in concluding the agricultural negotiations negates the developmental agenda of most G33 members in responding to the food insecurity and other challenges faced by their people that include high prices on food and agricultural products and inputs.”

According to the WTO, the conference is being co-hosted by Kazakhstan and chaired by Mr Timur Suleimenov, deputy chief of staff of Kazakhstan’s presidency. 

Kazakhstan was originally scheduled to host MC12 in June 2020 but the conference was postponed following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Mr Timur Suleimenov

The opening session of the conference began at 3pm on Sunday and at the end of this session, pre-recorded and written statements submitted by ministers and heads of delegation were noted.