Ministers representing 123 WTO members issued on 25 February a Joint Ministerial Declaration marking the finalization of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement following six years of intense work and negotiations. Ministers also issued a submission asking for the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), taking place in Abu Dhabi on 26-29 February, to incorporate the IFD Agreement into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO. Participants represent three-qua...| www.wto.org
WTO members who are parties to the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement discussed the way forward at a meeting on 19 March, reiterating their aim to incorporate it into the WTO framework as a most-favoured-nation-based plurilateral agreement open to all members. Participants welcomed two members (Democratic Republic of the Congo and Côte d’Ivoire) who joined the Agreement during the 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. Burkina Faso also announced it was joining, bri...| www.wto.org
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UPDATE (FEB 29): THE OFFICIAL VERSION OF THE STATEMENT REPRODUCED BELOW IS FROM INDIA ALONE (WITHOUT SOUTH AFRICA).| tradetakes.substack.com
At the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference, India and South Africa objected to the incorporation of the plurilateral Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement. Given that Article X.9 of the WTO Agreement requires “| tradenotes.substack.com
Peter Ungphakorn has reported a small bit of good news in the world of WTO plurilaterals - with South Africa withdrawing its objections to 54 WTO Members implementing the Services Domestic Regulation Joint Initiative (Services DR JI).| tradenotes.substack.com