Ambassador Eldiyor Toshmatov of Uzbekistan, along with other dignitaries, recently participated in an exchange with the Informal Group of Acceding Governments (IGAG). This marked the second interaction with the group since November 2021. The event followed MC13, where the accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste were significant outcomes for the World Trade Organization (WTO) Membership.
"After witnessing the beautiful and inspiring accession ceremonies in the presence of the Presidents of Comoros and Timor-Leste in Abu Dhabi, Members are keen to support more accessions, and so am I," said a participant at the meeting. The gathering aimed to discuss how best the Secretariat can aid accession efforts.
The delegation thanked Ambassador Toshmatov and Uzbekistan for uniting all governments who aspire to join the WTO family but also face similar challenges concerning the accession process. At MC13, this Group issued a Ministerial statement that set a basis for its engagement with Members.
The Annual Report on WTO Accessions presented to the General Council highlighted that accession activity has significantly increased over recent months. In 2023 and until MC13, Working Party meetings more than doubled from previous years. Countries like Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan had their Working Parties meet last year while others like Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, and Iraq are set to resume work after years of inactivity.
Other processes are also becoming active such as Turkmenistan preparing for launching its Working Party process in 2024. "I have been told that the WTO Membership has not witnessed so many active accessions in more than a decade," added another participant.
The surge in activities necessitates better management, planning, and coordination by Working Party Chairpersons and Secretariat. Efforts are underway to direct requisite resources to support accessions, especially technical assistance and capacity building to Acceding Governments.
While acknowledging that accession processes are often lengthy and complex, the speaker emphasized that strong political will and tailored support can expedite the process. The recent accessions of Comoros and Timor-Leste serve as examples of this.
In conclusion, the speaker stated, "Accessions serve as a very important reminder to all of us about the core values of the multilateral trading system. In challenging times, it is very inspiring to see so many governments actively pursuing accession and putting in the hard work to become part of this family."