RIYADH, UAE, (WTO) – A World Trade Organisation (WTO) Regional Trade Policy Course kicked off on 13 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the participation of ten government officials from developing and least-developed WTO members and observers from the Arab and Middle Eastern region. The training programme – the first to be organised in partnership with King Saud University – seeks to enhance participants’ understanding of WTO agreements, rules and procedures, while focusing on trade policy issues relevant to the region. The course will run until 5 December.
Throughout the course, experts from the WTO Secretariat, regional institutions and King Saud University will share their expertise on tariff schedules, agriculture, trade remedies, services, intellectual property rights, e-commerce and fisheries subsidies, among other topics. The course will provide an opportunity for increased collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Commending Saudi Arabia’s active participation in the WTO, WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told participants in a video message:
“These regional trade policy courses were set up over 20 years ago to address the realities and interests of member economies across various regions. … We hope that it will also serve as a platform for you to discuss ways to strengthen, reform, and modernize the multilateral trading system – a crucial conversation that your respective representatives are actively pursuing in Geneva, as they work to ensure the organization is fit for purpose in the face of emerging challenges.”
DG Okonjo-Iweala also encouraged all WTO members to ratify the agreement on fisheries subsidies promptly, highlighting its significance for the sustainability of ocean resources.
In his opening address, the president of King Saud University Dr Abdullah Alsalman emphasized how the WTO – as a forum for international cooperation – aligns with “Saudi Vision 2030“, under which the government is implementing initiatives to diversify the country’s economy:
“Our effort to host this WTO initiative is part of our university’s contribution to achieving the goals of “Saudi Vision 2030”. More than ever, this vision seeks to strengthen the nation’s cooperation with the WTO and boost international trade. Saudi Arabia is both a benefactor and a beneficiary of a prosperous and regulated global economy.”
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