During the 6th South-South Dialogue on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) and Development, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the potential of the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) to advance trade outcomes in alignment with LDCs' development goals. Nearly 80 representatives from LDCs and their collaborators participated in the gathering to deliberate on trade and development priorities in preparation for MC13 according to a press release.
The WTO announced, "DG Okonjo-Iweala stressed that LDCs' trade priorities form an integral part of broader trade and development discussions, including in the context of WTO reform."
In Lausanne, Switzerland, on September 28th, DG Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the significance of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) trade priorities within the broader context of trade and development dialogues. She recognized the continuous endeavors of development partners and various stakeholders to enhance trade assistance for LDCs, and discussions among members centered on LDC graduation, trade support, and reforms within the WTO. She urged members to prioritize the needs of LDCs, including those in the transition phase as they graduate from LDC status.
“We need to keep examining development-related matters across the spectrum of the WTO — from regular Committee work to trade negotiations to dispute settlement,” said DG Okonjo-Iweala according to a press release.
Development partners of LDCs provided their insights on trade and development issues, along with discussions regarding topics like digital trade, within the framework of the WTO. Ambassador Kadra Ahmed Hassan of Djibouti, Coordinator of the WTO LDC Group, and Ambassador Chenggang Li of China also addressed the opening session according to a press release.
“We hope we can achieve an outcome on LDC graduation by MC13 which would boost the confidence of graduating LDCs in adjusting to changing trading conditions, while also reconfirming the relevance of the multilateral trading system," said Ambassador Kadra Ahmed Hassan of Djibouti according to a press release. "All of us would like the WTO to be more responsive to the needs of its members. We need to continue taking small steps and scaling-up good practices, including in the work of the Sub-Committee on LDCs."