16 to 18 November 2022, Nadi, Fiji: The Forum Island Countries (FIC), World Trade
Organisation (WTO) members met for the first time since the Ministerial Conference
(MC12) of the World Trade Organization held in June 2022, Geneva. Fisheries, Legal
and Trade Senior Officials met on the first two days of the event for a capacity-
building workshop to sensitize them with detailed understanding of the Agreement
on Fisheries Subsidies (FSA), one of the few Agreements reached at MC12.
The Ministerial Session on 18 November allowed Forum Island Countries WTO
Ministers and Heads of Delegations, as well as Australia and New Zealand to
deliberate on the ratification processes at the national level, implementation plans as
well as the second wave of negotiations.
The WTO Director General (DG), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her first visit to the
region since becoming the head of the Organisation joined the Ministerial Roundtable
attended by Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tonga and Vanuatu. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stated in her remarks that she wanted to hear
from the Pacific the challenges they faced for the ratification process, but more
importantly the aspirations of the Pacific going into MC13, given the work that
remains for a substantial (comprehensive) Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
DG Okonjo-Iweala’s visit to the Pacific also provided an opportunity for the Signing of
a Memorandum of Understanding between the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
and WTO which is being renewed for the fourth time. The MOU provides for
continued partnership between the two organisations on the WTO technical
assistance programmes for the region delivered through PIFS.
Samoa’s delegation to the High Level Fisheries Meetings was led by Tilafono David
Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, joined by
HE Toleafoa Nella Tavita-Levy, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Samoa
to the U.N.O.G based in Geneva, and Senior Officials from the Office of the Attorney
General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries.