Divisions lead to delay in MC14 final day

Developed and advanced developing countries were again at loggerheads to reach a compromise on some key issues on a deal during the final day of the 14th ministerial conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
As a result, until our going to press at 10:00pm in Dhaka (5:00pm in Yaoundé), it was not clear whether a ministerial declaration would be there finally.
The MC14 kicked off in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, on Thursday last and scheduled to end on
Sunday. Before entering into the final day, trade ministers and senior negotiators had participated in a series of meetings on the third day (Saturday) to address key issues.
The hectic sessions focused on fisheries subsidies, Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) agreement, e-commerce work programme and moratorium, agriculture, and development, including issues relevant to least-developed countries (LDCs).
Though WTO members praised the entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (Fish-1), they are yet to reach consensus on adopting the second phase of the agreement nicknamed Fish-2. In Fish-2, WTO members are trying to agree on disciplines on subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing.
WTO reform is, however, at the top of the agenda in MC14 and divisions persist on advancing the reform measures in various areas. A "draft Yaounde Ministerial Declaration on WTO Reform", released in the third day for consultation, stated that trade ministers present at the meeting instruct their officials to intensify their work with a view to "providing concrete and substantive recommendations for action by MC15.

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