Online Desk: The four-day 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will take place from February 26 to 29, 2024 at Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ministers from across the world will attend to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system and to take action on the future work of the WTO.

An eight-member Bangladesh delegation, led by State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu, will attend the conference.

This 13th edition of the ministerial conference bears much significance to Bangladesh as the country will be graduating from the LDCs to a developing nation by 2026. Such high-level ministerial conference of WTO usually takes place in every two years.

In this edition of the conference, issues like subsidies in agriculture and fisheries sectors, intellectual property rights related facilities, e-commerce and food security across the globe would get special focus.

Talking to BSS, Senior Secretary of Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that Bangladesh always wants to play an important role in protecting the interests of the LDCs and other developing nations.

“We’re not focusing on any specific issue for Bangladesh in this conference. But, we want that the duty-free market facilities, intellectual property rights and other trade facilities remain intact for few more years in the post LDC graduation period,” he added.

Tapan said Bangladesh also wants to see that the technical facilities including training of the officials as LDC member country, facilities in dispute settlement remain intact for few more years beyond the LDC graduation.

“Bangladesh will play a strong role in this regard,” he added.

The Senior Commerce Secretary also informed that Bangladesh is giving priority on providing subsidy in the fisheries sector during the post LDC graduation period.