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- METI State Minister Kozuki Attends WTO-related (Ottawa Group) Ministerial Meeting via Video Conference
METI State Minister Kozuki Attends WTO-related (Ottawa Group) Ministerial Meeting via Video Conference
February 2, 2024
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, a WTO-related (Ottawa Group) Ministerial Meeting, consisting of like-minded WTO members, was held via video conference, and Mr. Kozuki Ryosuke, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, attended it. Participants of the meeting exchanged views on overall approaches to the expected outcomes of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) and the reform of the dispute settlement (DS) system, and they confirmed that participating countries will continue their close collaboration.
1. Overview of the meeting
On Thursday, February 1, a Ministerial Meeting of the Ottawa Group on WTO Reform was held, chaired by Canada. Mr. Kozuki Ryosuke, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Mr. Tsuji Kiyoto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended the meeting as representatives of Japan. At the meeting, participants exchanged views on overall approaches to the expected outcomes of the MC13 and the reform of the DS system. The Ottawa Group was inaugurated in 2018, bringing together like-minded WTO members* proactive in WTO reform. Since the spread of COVID-19, the group has continued to advance discussions among the like-minded members, including compiling proposals on approaches to secure access to medical supplies.
2. Highlights of the speeches
- At the beginning of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WTO Director-General, explained the state of play of the discussions which are actively conducted in Geneva in preparation for MC13 to be held in late February of 2024.
- State Minister Kozuki stressed the importance of realizing positive outcome at the MC13 regarding dispute settlement reform in order to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all WTO members by 2024, a goal agreed at the MC12, and he stated the need to continue to hold further discussions for this purpose.
Division in Charge
Multilateral Trade System Department, Trade Policy Bureau