Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica chaired a virtual Pacific World Trade Organization Trade Ministers Meeting.

The meeting was held in preparation for the upcoming 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday.

The WTO deals with the global rules of trade between nations.

Kamikamica says the Pacific played an instrumental role in shaping the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in the last Ministerial Conference in Geneva.

The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference, prohibits support for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Under the Agreement, WTO members further agreed to continue negotiations on outstanding issues, to make recommendations by MC13 for additional provisions that will further enhance the disciplines of the Agreement.

Kamikamica says securing strong disciplines on subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing is of utmost importance to Fiji and the Pacific at MC13 in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting also welcomed a presentation from the Director-General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the plans and priorities for MC13, including planned side events.

Fiji’s delegation to MC13 will be led by Kamikamica and will be supported by senior trade officials and Fiji’s Permanent Mission to Geneva, Switzerland.