NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 25 — Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano is leading the Kenyan Delegation to the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened to review trade policies.
MC13 set to kick off in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates from Monday will focus on crucial trade-related policies that are of key interest to Kenya, the ministry said on Sunday.
The forum set to conclude on Thursday will include discussions on agriculture, subsidies for the fisheries sector, trade and sustainable development, digital trade and reforms to the existing multilateral trading system.
“The Cabinet Secretary has been appointed to facilitate agriculture negotiations at MC13, one of the longstanding trade policy issues at the WTO,” the ministry stated.
“Members of this caucus are working towards addressing challenges that will address contemporary challenges in agriculture sector such as food security and trade related distortions,” Miano’s press office explained.
Market-oriented agricultural trading system
The Ministry of Trade further said the outcome will deliver a fairer, more, equitable and market-oriented agricultural trading system, ending hunger and improving nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture and food systems and promoting the adoption of resilient agricultural practices that enhance productivity and production.
“This is in fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 of the United Nations. Of particular focus will be securing the interests of small-scale food and agriculture producers in developing countries,” the ministry noted.
To achieve her interests, Kenya will be participate in a number of deliberations on existing frameworks including regional groups at the Ministerial level such as the African Ministers of Trade meeting; the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group Ministerial Meeting and the Second Meeting of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate.
Miano will also participate in Ministerial conversations on Trade and Sustainable Development, including Trade and Industrial Policy and Policy Space for Industrial Development and Ministerial Conversation on Trade and Inclusion.
At the bilateral level the Cabinet Secretary will hold consultations with a number of Ministers of Trade from several countries with a view to enhancing bilateral trade relations between them and Kenya.
The Ministry of Trade termed the success of MC13 as key to highlighting the importance of the multilateral trading system in addressing the interests of members — Kenya included — as they relate to trade and sustainable development.
