Dates Fixed for 2026 Ministerial Conference in Cameroon
December 16, 2024 – Geneva – The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced that the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) will be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from December 15-17, 2026.
The decision was taken during a virtual meeting of the WTO’s General Council, the organization’s highest decision-making body. Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, expressed his country’s honor to host the event and pledged to ensure its success.
MC13 will be the first Ministerial Conference held in Africa since the WTO was established in 1995. It will bring together trade ministers from all 164 WTO member countries to discuss key issues facing the global trading system.
The theme of MC13 has not yet been announced, but the conference is expected to focus on a range of topics, including:
- The future of the WTO, including its role in promoting sustainable development and inclusive trade, and the need for reform
- The implementation of the WTO’s existing agreements, including the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
- New issues, such as e-commerce, data governance, and the role of trade in addressing climate change
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the decision to hold MC13 in Cameroon and expressed her confidence that the conference would be a success.
“Cameroon is a vibrant and dynamic country with a commitment to trade and development,” said Okonjo-Iweala. “I am confident that the government of Cameroon will host a successful and productive Ministerial Conference.”
The WTO Ministerial Conference is held every two years and is the highest-level meeting of the organization. It provides an opportunity for trade ministers to discuss and negotiate on key trade issues, and to set the direction of the WTO’s work programme.
Dates fixed for 2026 Ministerial Conference in Cameroon
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