Japan is contributing CHF 55,934 in 2023 to help cover the expenses of officials from least-developed countries (LDCs) in order to facilitate their in-person participation in the second wave of negotiations to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The contribution is provided by Japan to the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Trust Fund that was created in May 2019 at the request of the WTO’s LDC members.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste on 2 October at the WTO. They discussed the next steps needed to realize Timor-Leste’s ambition to become a member of the WTO at the 13th Ministerial Conference, which will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi in late February 2024. President Ramos-Horta and the Director-General committed to work towards accomplishing this important objective for both Timor-Leste and the WTO, building on their previous discussions.
