WT/MIN(24)/ST/74  
26 February  2024 
(24-1581) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. DR MARTIN KOCHER  
FEDERAL MINISTER OF LABOUR AND ECONOMY  
AUSTRIA  
First and foremost, I would like to convey my deep gratitude to the United Arab Emirates for hosting 
this Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. I may also express my deep appreciation 
to the Chair of this Ministerial Conference, H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for 
Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, whose able leadership will guide us in our work.  
 
I welcome our  Director -General Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala, whom I wish all the best in her demanding 
post. I also owe my thanks to the WTO Secretariat and its skilled staff for the valuable assistance in 
preparing this Ministerial Conference.  
 
This Thirteenth Ministerial C onference is taking place under extraordinary and, in recent times, 
unprecedented circumstances. Only very recently, we have overcome a global pandemic, gravely 
disrupting international trade and supply chains. Today, global trade is endangered by regional  wars, 
again disrupting global trade streams and causing sharply rising energy and food prices as well as 
severe uncertainties regarding future markets and supplies.  
 
Several armed conflicts appear to threaten world peace and global well -being alike. A pos sible 
geo-economic fragmentation along the lines of rivalling  economic areas has also become a real risk, 
ultimately leading to a global loss of wealth and growth and ensuing considerable uncertainties for 
investors and businesses worldwide.  
 
A solid legal  framework allowing for a stable Multilateral Trading System, covering all aspects of 
modern trade and innovative trading modes, is essential. Certainly, global trade needs to benefit all, 
be sustainable and responsible of world climate and the environment . Among these aspects, 
commercial, social and environmental interconnections exist and are to be taken into consideration 
when developing such a solid legal framework further.  
 
Therefore, the WTO must deliver answers to pertinent questions and respond to l egal gaps in the 
rulebook without delay. Five points seem to be predominant:  
 
First, I welcome the accession of Timor -Leste and the Comoros to the WTO. This is an important 
step for all Members, broadly enriching the diversity of the WTO.  
 
Second, concluding the negotiations on Fisheries Subsidies is a logical step to complete the 
MC12  Ministerial Decision on Phase 1 of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and to contribute to 
the preservation and health of our oceans.  
 
Third, global trade can contr ibute to overcome possible challenges arising from future pandemics, 
securing supply chains and abstention from export restrictions, while employing existing legal means 
to enhance technical and medical innovation and guarantee global medical supply. In th is context of 
crisis management, preserving global food security is an additional key  target.  
 
Fourth, the need for a reform of the WTO as a negotiating forum and of its capability to update the 
WTO-rulebook to the needs of the 21st century is obvious. A p riority is the re -institution of the dispute 
settlement system by a binding two -tier, independent and impartial adjudication of trade disputes 
and on the basis of the negative consensus principle.  WT/MIN(24)/ST/ 74 
 
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Fifth, plurilateral initiatives have become a means of exp anding the rulebook for those willing to go 
further and with the aim of multilateralization as soon as possible. No doubt, the ongoing initiatives 
launched at MC11 and encouraged at MC12 respond to current challenges and developments in the 
Multilateral Tr ading System. They are to be finalized without delay.  
 
Climate change is a global challenge and requires global action. Trade can contribute to fighting 
climate change and the WTO is to play a meaningful and active role. The ongoing Trade and 
Environmental  Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD) as well as the dialogue on plastic 
pollution and environmentally sustainable plastic trade are decisive steps towards deeper analysis 
and concrete action. The same applies to the proposed statement on Fossil F uel Subsidy Reform and 
the Recommendation for future work on trade and global environment challenges in the Committee 
on Trade and Environment.  
 
This Ministerial Conference is expected to deliver. Failure to reach consensus on current challenges 
is not aff ordable. The WTO must act as the key governing body within the Multilateral Trading 
System.  
 
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