Saturday 28 / March / 2026
Yaoundé: The Sultanate of Oman is participating in the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, hosted in Yaoundé, with wide participation from trade ministers of member states.
The Omani delegation is headed by Pankaj Khimji, Advisor for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion.
The delegation also includes Idris bin Abdul Rahman Al Khanjari, Permanent Representative of Oman to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, and Faisal bin Ali Al-Hinai, Deputy Head of Mission of Oman to the WTO.
The conference is addressing key issues including WTO reform, agriculture, fisheries support, e-commerce, development, and investment facilitation.
Khimji affirmed that Oman’s participation reflects its commitment to strengthening the multilateral trading system and enhancing economic and trade cooperation.
He highlighted the importance of achieving balanced outcomes that address the priorities of developing and least developed countries, particularly amid global economic challenges such as rising conflicts and uncertainty affecting trade and investment.
He also stressed the WTO’s central role in promoting inclusive global trade, reiterating Oman’s commitment to a rules-based system grounded in openness, fairness, and transparency.
Al-Khanjari noted that Oman’s accession to the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement marks a significant step in supporting international efforts to curb harmful subsidies linked to overfishing and to protect marine ecosystems.
He added that Oman looks forward to completing ongoing negotiations to establish comprehensive regulations, alongside continued technical support and capacity-building for developing countries.
He further emphasised the need to intensify efforts in the agricultural sector to achieve balanced results ahead of the next ministerial conference, while ensuring that development remains central to the multilateral trading system.
For his part, the Deputy Head of Mission to the WTO underscored Oman’s support for comprehensive and constructive reform of the organization, including improvements in decision-making processes, development considerations, and equal opportunities.
He highlighted the importance of restoring an effective dispute settlement system and ensuring that reform efforts are transparent and inclusive.
He also reaffirmed Oman’s support for integrating the Investment Facilitation for Development Initiative into the WTO framework, citing its role in enhancing transparency and improving the investment climate, particularly in developing and least developed countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Omani delegation held bilateral meetings with several member states to explore opportunities for expanding trade relations, strengthening economic cooperation, and promoting investment partnerships.
The WTO Ministerial Conference, held at least once every two years, is the organization’s highest decision-making body, addressing key issues related to multilateral trade agreements and reflecting the level of political commitment among member states.
