UAE To Host World Trade Organization's 13th Ministerial Conference In 2024

The UAE will host the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference next year.

President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced on Monday that the country had been selected to host the event in February 2024, which will be attended by representatives from 164 countries in the WTO.

"We look forward to facilitating constructive dialogue between WTO nations and strengthening international cooperation for a sustainable economic future," he wrote on Twitter.

In a separate tweet, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also celebrated the news, writing, "We welcome the participating countries, we welcome the World Trade Organization, and we support all international moves that guarantee the free flow of goods and services between different countries of the world and protect the future of global trade."

The WTO Ministerial Conference is held once every two years, and tackles issues that shape the immediate future of global trade. The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi next year will be one of the most significant in WTO history, as world leaders are expected to introduce reforms that will usher in a new wave of measures that will protect the organization as the world's upholder of the multilateral trading system.

Foreign Trade Minister Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said the WTO has shaped the history of the UAE and next year's conference will be the country's chance to shape the future of world trade.

"In 2024, the UAE will host the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference and lead discussions on multilateralism, digital trade and inclusive development—and confirm our role as a global trading hub," he tweeted.

The 12th Ministerial Conference took place on June 12-17 at the WTO's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The event was originally scheduled in Kazakhstan in 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. During the conference, ministers from across the world reviewed the functioning of the multilateral trading system and reiterated their commitment to safeguard the global trade body.

Meanwhile, the 13th Ministerial Conference will be a significant one for the Gulf. The last time the conference was held in the region was in 2001 in Doha, Qatar, which resulted in the WTO approving China as the 143rd member of the organization.