Trade ministers from around the world debated the extension of a ban on e-commerce tariffs as the World Trade Organisation talks entered their final day on Friday.
An extension of a WTO ban on e-commerce tariffs is on the table for discussion after the so-called moratorium on the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions was renewed in 2022 with an understanding that the extension comes with a deadline.
"Members will debate and I don't know where they will come out with it, whether it will be extended, stopped or whatever. Ever since it's been on at the WTO, they've been extending it every year or two and they're discussing how long this is going to continue and what they will do with it, so let's see," said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the WTO.
The four-day WTO talks entail setting new global rules for a range of key trade issues such as fishing subsidies and agriculture. The major progress made so far has been the formal accession of two new members to the Geneva-based body – East Timor and Comoros.
"We are working hard at the WTO for consensus in a way that everybody can come together and make the right trade-offs and compromises. Let's see. It's going reasonably well. But I am always cautious," the WTO chief said.
Also on the agenda during MC13 is the tough issue of reforms to the trade body's dispute settlement system and ways to overcome a four-year impasse on the appointment of new judges to its appellate body.
"I think we will come out with something reasonable. We did a lot of work in Geneva and the original mandate was to restore a fully functional dispute-settlement system by 2024, so we still have the rest of the year to deliver," Ms Okonjo-Iweala said.
Daniel Pruzin, head of the WTO's press section, told The National: "We've made tremendous progress but are obviously running out of time. There will be a check on the state of play amongst the facilitators early this afternoon."
The clock is ticking
On Wednesday, the WTO boss told members at a meeting of heads of delegations (HoDs) that while the clock was ticking, if the delegations kept working hard, a positive MC13 outcome was within reach and ministers should be able to go back home in time on the last day of the conference on Thursday.
The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Trade and MC13 chair Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said that it is time to set aside differences and work together for the common goal.
“This is what consensus, which I know all of you value, is all about," he said.
The minister also hoped that outcomes will be adopted at the formal MC13 closing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, said that WTO member countries may not be able to finish the work on dispute settlement reform at MC13.
But, he added, they should be able to take stock of the meaningful progress that has been made, recognise that more work is needed, and instruct Geneva officials to accelerate their work to achieve a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all by 2024.
Motori Profile
Date started: March 2020
Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa
Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi
Sector: Insurance Sector
Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Safe City Group
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
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Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
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Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Rating: 2/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
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PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
