DDG Ellard noted that WTO members adopted several important decisions at MC13, particularly in relation to development. They also achieved significant progress in several other areas, including fisheries subsidies, dispute settlement reform and agriculture. Members have identified four immediate priorities for future work, she added.

First, there is considerable momentum for concluding the second wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations, with many members identifying the July General Council meeting as the target for completing the talks, she said. She also stressed it is imperative for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to enter into force as soon as possible. She called on APEC members that have not deposited their instruments of acceptance to do so quickly so that the Agreement can start delivering ocean sustainability.

Second, DDG Ellard noted that members have widely supported the appointment of Ambassador Dwarka-Canabady of Mauritius to facilitate the negotiations on dispute settlement reform. This sets members on the right path to achieve the objective of a fully functioning dispute settlement system by the end of this year, she added.

Third, with respect to agriculture reform, DDG Ellard stressed that although an outcome eluded members at MC13, important progress was made. Noting that the Chair of the negotiations has been consulting members on how to take the work forward, she encouraged ministers to keep an open mind on both the substance of the negotiations and the process for breaking the deadlock in the talks.

Finally, DDG Ellard said that members must find a way to incorporate the outcomes of plurilateral initiatives into the WTO rulebook. With respect to the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, which was concluded by 125 members, including 89 developing members, she underlined the importance of developing economies making themselves more attractive to sustainable investment.

Beyond these immediate priorities, DDG Ellard outlined other potential areas for WTO reform and improving the functioning of the Organization, such as addressing the profound shifts taking place in the global economic power balance, the role of trade in addressing climate change, and decision-making in the WTO.

At a meeting of ministers responsible for gender issues on 17 May, DDG Ellard outlined the WTO's efforts to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth, including by fostering the full and equal participation of women in the economy. In particular, she noted that the MC13 Ministerial Declaration recognizes that women's participation in trade contributes to economic growth and sustainable development.

She added that at MC13, the WTO and the International Trade Centre launched a US$ 50 million Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, which will help women-led businesses in developing economies and LDCs adopt digital technologies and expand the online presence of their enterprises. She also drew attention to the work of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, which brings together 130 WTO members, and the WTO Gender Research Hub, launched to help WTO members design better-informed policies related to trade and gender.

“This work and these accomplishments at the WTO demonstrate a growing recognition that to achieve prosperous economies and well-functioning societies, we need to think not only about economic growth but also who benefits from this growth and how,” DDG Ellard concluded.