Agenda
The consultation was held to discuss the WTA business priorities. These draw on the recommendations of the Mexico 2012 B20 Task Force on Trade and Investment, as well as developments in relevant intergovernmental forums such as the outcomes of the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference, the 2012 G20 Summit in Los Cabos, and input from international trade experts.
Conclusions
It
was acknowledged that the WTO, as an intergovernmental organization, must seek
to balance the needs and interests of 157 Members and the myriad of
constituencies that sought to influence them. Business represented an important
constituency as the stakeholders who produced and sold the goods and services
traded daily throughout the world.
Participants emphasized the need to
continue providing input to governments in the lead up to the next the next G20
Summit in Russia in September 2013 and the next WTO Ministerial Conference in
Bali, Indonesia in December 2013.
Selected quotes
“The ICC Business World Trade Agenda has great potential benefits for economies in the Middle East and North Africa. As economies in this region continue to grow, it is becoming increasingly important for countries to diversify their export of goods and services and to further integrate themselves into the global economy.”
Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Chamber and ICC Qatar
“Governments must unblock current
trade negotiations to increase international trade and investment, which are
great potential engines of economic growth and job creation. In the context of the economic crisis, trade and
investment could unleash a debt-free stimulus to the global economy.”
Jean-Guy Carrier, ICC Secretary General, Paris
“The most important development
challenge in the coming decade for the MENA region will be to create enough
jobs for our rapidly growing work force. Countries within the MENA region are
starting to transition from the old economic model, driven by the public
sector, to a new more sustainable model that is more reliant on trade and
private investment, promising to support faster growth and job creation.”
Ms Dina Abo Onoq, Chair of the ICC Banking Commission, Saudi Arabia
"Qatar Chamber is proud to support
the ICC Business World Trade Agenda initiative. Business
strongly believes that advancing global trade negotiations is crucial for
further economic development in this region.”
Shiekh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Chamber and ICC Qatar