The Honourable Hugh Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation today July 15, 2021, participated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) 41st Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) for Fisheries Subsidies, held virtually. The TNC was chaired by the WTO’s Director General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The main objectives of the TNC meeting were to garner political guidance and support by engaging Ministers to affirm their commitment to conclude the fisheries subsidies negotiations ahead of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in early December 2021; and to highlight additional concerns particularly from Developing and Least Developed Countries.
Minister Todd in his capacity as CARICOM’s Spokesperson on WTO matters delivered a statement on behalf of Guyana and the Caribbean Community during which he highlighted some key areas of concern and interest to Guyana and the Region, aimed at protecting the fisheries sector. These include the need for the disciplines being negotiated to target countries engaged in subsidizing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing; the need for a Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) carve-out for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) and the need for an exemption to be granted to artisanal and small scale fishing beyond the territorial seas to include the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).
During the meeting, Member States expressed the common goal of having a balanced and qualitative agreement that would guarantee a global sustainable fisheries industry. There were 108 interventions representing the views of 128 members and regional groupings.
The Negotiation of a Fisheries Subsides Agreement is pursuant to the mandate of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6 and the outcome of the WTO 11th Ministerial Conference of 2017.
July 15, 2021
