Canada’s Minister of International Trade Expresses Gratitude to Abu-Ghazaleh for the 'WTO at the Crossroads' Report

26 Aug 2013  
Your report is very timely. Its recommendations are insightful and are clearly the product of much thought and broad consultation. I am certain that you are aware that a few of the recommendations in the report touch upon fundamental tenets of the organizations. Nonetheless, now is the time for members to reflect on ideas like yours to ensure that the WTO remains at the forefront of trade governance- Honorable Ed Fast
 
OTTAWA-----August 26, 2013---- HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, member of the WTO Panel on Defining the Future of Trade received a thank you letter from the Honorable Edward Fast, Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister of the Asia-Pacific Gateway thanking him for the “WTO at the Crossroads: A report on the imperative of a WTO Reform Agenda.
 
In his letter, the Honorable Fast said:"As Canada is a medium-size trade-dependent country, the WTO is a central pillar of Canadian trade policy. In our view, it is essential to maintain the vitality of this institution, and to support a strong rules-based multilateral trading system."
 
He addressed Abu-Ghazaleh:" Your report is very timely. Its recommendations are insightful and are clearly the product of much thought and broad consultation. I am certain that you are aware that a few of the recommendations in the report touch upon fundamental tenets of the organizations. Nonetheless, now is the time for members to reflect on ideas like yours to ensure that the WTO remains at the forefront of trade governance."
 
According to the letter, the Honorable Fast had forwarded the recommendations to the appropriate officials within his department for further study and analysis.
 
The Honorable Fast stressed in his letter: "Your report is a helpful contribution to our collective efforts to strengthen and renew the WTO."
 
The WTO at the Crossroads imposed by a multitude of challenges resulting from deadlock negotiations after the Doha Round some 12 years ago. The Organization was adversely affected by global trade negotiation trends between some groups of states outside the organization and the prevalent negative image it had in the civil society. Not less significant is the number of member states that has increased to 160.
The recommendations proposed, among other issues, include the consensus or voting system for decision making process, holding the ministerial conference annually, standing towards Doha Round’s decisions, required structural reforms, its approved agenda, proposed items, the role of business sector and civil society in WTO’s ministerial deliberations.
 
Other issues aimed at increasing the efficiency of the Organization and its inclusiveness of all international society sectors, and to move forward in the liberation of trade, particularly the trade of services, which is seen as offering the best opportunity for growth given the new information and communication technologies as a means to facilitate e-commerce.
 
HE Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh was the only Arab selected to the WTO Panel on Defining the Future of Trade.
 
To check the report:
 
 http://tagorg.com/news.aspx?id=10084&group_key=news&keywords=wto+at+the+crossroads&lang=en