WT/MIN(24)/ST/61  
26 February  2024 
(24-1554) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR ESPEN BARTH EIDE  
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS  
NORWAY  
It is not easy being an optimist these days. Armed conflicts in the Ukraine, Gaza and beyond. 
Persistent poverty. Food insecurity. Nature loss. Climate crisis.  
But there is good news as well.  
We – understood as the global community of nations – have the tools and the power to act. In fact, 
we have proven that we are able to get things done.  
At MC12 we took the first step towards disciplining subsidies that contribute to the depletion of our 
marine resources.  
A few months later, the UN nature summit conclu ded the agreement of the Kunming -Montreal Global 
Biodiversity Framework.  
Last spring, an agreement was reached on a High Seas Treaty, paving the way for closer cooperation 
to improve ocean health.  
A little more than two months ago in Dubai, here in the U nited Arab Emirates and under the able 
leadership of Dr  Sultan Al Jaber, we agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in our energy 
systems. This is no little commitment. This is really about a systemic change of everything. Mankind 
is still able to make  these decisions and we need to implement them.  
Let us be inspired by what we have recently achieved, only in a couple of years.  
Here at MC13 we have a historic opportunity to conclude what we started at MC12, but also to take 
in all the impulses from the  nature agreement and the climate agreement that was recently signed.  
We are close to an agreement on fisheries subsidies that addresses all of SDG 14.6. What we have 
before us is not perfect, but let us not make perfect the enemy of the good.  
Subsidies contribute to overfishing. No agreement means no restrictions, meaning that the depletion 
of our common resources will continue.  
This is an agreement about more than fish. It is about sustainability and people. All those people 
who depend on marine resour ces for their livelihood and as a source of food.  
We must not waste this opportunity.  
At MC12 we delivered a strong message on food security. We must continue to address the various 
aspects of this challenge, in particular for net food -importing developin g countries and least 
developed countries.  WT/MIN(24)/ST/61  
 
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  A well -functioning trading system is necessary for food security. But countries also need to maintain 
an adequate level of domestic production. It is a matter of finding the right balance.  
Agriculture in my home c ountry, Norway, struggles with a short growing season, a difficult climate 
and limited farmland scattered in small patches. Support for – and protection of – our agricultural 
sector remains crucial to safeguard non -trade concerns such as domestic food secu rity, rural 
development, and increasingly important environmental concerns.  
We will, as always, engage constructively with other Member s. We are ready to work on the basis 
of a balanced work programme that does not prejudge the outcome of negotiations.  
At MC12 we agreed to start a reform process. A lot has been achieved through a collaborative 
bottom -up process to make this Organization  more efficient. Let us keep up the good work!  
Our highest priority is to restore a fully functional dispute settlement sys tem. Thirty years ago, we 
created something special: A set of multilateral rules, enforceable through a dispute settlement 
mechanism, respected by all Member s. We can do it again. Let us ensure that our good cooperation 
over the last year gets us across th e finish line as soon as possible.  
Another priority is to strengthen the deliberative function of the WTO. I welcome the opportunity to 
address some of the most pressing issues of our time here at MC13: trade and climate, and trade 
and inclusion. We need to have these conversations in an open and constructive manner.  
Trade is an enabler of development. That notion is embedded in this Organization . We hope MC13 
will prove to be a constructive contribution in that regard. Fisheries subsidies, food security and 
reform are all relevant to development.  
In addition, we hope for positive results on issues of particular interest to LDCs and other low -income 
Member s. We are delighted to note the conclusion of the agreement on investment facilitation for 
development. And finally, we welcome Comoros and Timor -Leste as new Member s of the WTO.  
It is within our power to make use of the opportunity that MC13 represents. To safeguard the 
rules-based trading system anchored in the WTO. For the sake of social and economic development. 
For environmental sustainability. For our generation and future generations.  
Addressing global challenges requires global cooperation. A stab le world order requires common 
rules that are implemented and respected.  
The alternative to the rule of law is not an option. We need an efficient and relevant WTO now more 
than ever.  
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