Colleague Ministers;

Director Governance and Engagement;

Senior Trade and Fisheries Officials;

Representatives of Regional Fisheries Organisations;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Bula Vinaka and welcome to this Virtual Pacific ACP WTO Trade Ministers Meeting, where we are once again meeting to prepare for the WTO Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) that was postponed from last November. With the COVID-19 pandemic moving towards being deemed as endemic, the MC12 will now take place as scheduled, in Geneva, from 12 to 15 June – which is less than two weeks from now.

To start, let me thank the Director Governance, as well as the WTO Director General for their welcome remarks which provided the state of play in the negotiations and set the scene for the discussions today. Both the SG and DG have highlighted the key challenges currently faced by the multilateral trading system with the MC12 taking place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current geopolitical situation, resulting in the issue of food security rising to the fore. As empathised by SG and DG in their remarks, work is intensifying in Geneva, particularly on the five priority areas that are expected to be delivered at MC12, namely:

i) an Agreement on fisheries subsidies;

ii) a WTO response to COVID-19;

iii) a Roadmap on future negotiations for Agriculture reform, plus a decision on the exemption of World Food Programme (WFP) from export restrictions imposed by Members;

iv) a standalone Declaration on food security; and

v) WTO Reform.

Colleague Ministers, trade remains an important path for our small island developing countries to achieve sustainable economic development. The expected outcomes of the Ministerial Conference could provide the very tools and solutions we need to respond to, as well as support our recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current food crisis.

Colleague Ministers, today’s agenda will focus on three main components, namely the:

vi) Format and Draft Programme for MC12;

vii) Key issues for the Pacific ACP States at MC12; and

viii) Pacific Group Statement for MC12.

I wish to encourage all of you to engage constructively in furnishing our positions on key issues for MC12, as well as endorsing our Pacific Group Statement to be circulated at MC12.

I wish to reiterate that the issues discussed today are still evolving and further updates on the state of play of negotiation will be provided at our Pacific WTO Ministerial Briefing, to be convened in Geneva on 11 June, from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

With these few remarks, I wish to thank you all for your attention.

Vinaka Vakalevu. Thank you very much.