Groser to attend 8th WTO Ministerial Conference

Trade Minister Tim Groser will travel to Geneva this week to attend the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 8th Ministerial Conference.

The 15-17 December conference will consider how to best maintain a robust, rules-based multilateral trading system, further work on trade and development, and how to advance the stalled Doha Round.

“Obviously this has been a difficult year for the Doha negotiations. The Conference is an opportunity to inject fresh thinking on how to make progress in 2012,” Mr Groser says.

“Members will be emphasising the critical role that the WTO has played in keeping global markets open during recent economic turbulence. I’ll be looking at how New Zealand can support the on-going work of the WTO and the efforts to conclude the Doha Round.”

“I’m also expecting to welcome four new Members into the WTO: Russia, Montenegro, Samoa, and Vanuatu.”

While in Geneva, Mr Groser will attend a meeting of the Cairns group of agricultural exporters, and will be meeting with key trading partners.