The Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry, Rebecca Miano, will head the Kenyan delegation to the 13th ministerial conference (mc13) of the World Trade Organiation to tackle longstanding trade policy challenges within the WTO framework.
The conference which will take place in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates from 26th to 29th February will see Kenya market its strategy in the elevation of small-scale food and agriculture producers in developing countries.
A statement from the trade ministry says that the MC13 will focus on crucial trade-related policies that are of key interest to Kenya and that will include, agriculture, subsidies for the fisheries sector, trade and sustainable development, digital trade and reforms to the existing multilateral trading system.
“The outcome is expected to deliver a fairer, more, equitable and market-oriented agricultural trading system, ending hunger and improving nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture and food systems and promoting the adoption of resilient agricultural practices that enhance productivity and production,” read the statement.
In the conference Kenya will be participating in a number of deliberations on existing frameworks including regional groups at the ministerial level such as the African Ministers of Trade meeting; the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group Ministerial Meeting and the Second Meeting of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate.
Additionally, the Cabinet Secretary will actively participate in ministerial conversations on trade and stainable development, including Trade and Industrial Policy and Policy Space for Industrial Development and Ministerial Conversation on Trade and Inclusion.
At the bilateral level the Cabinet Secretary will hold consultations with a number of Ministers of Trade from several countries with a view to enhancing bilateral trade relations between them and Kenya.
The success of MC13 will underscore the importance of the multilateral trading system in addressing the interests of members—Kenya included—as they relate to trade and sustainable development.