   
  
WT/MIN(24)/ST/120  
26 February  2024 
(24-1680) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY RT HON. MS KEMI BADENOCH MP  
SECRETARY OF STATE  
UNITED KINGDOM  
Free, fair, inclusive trade is the surest path to prosperity the world has ever known.  
   
It spurs growth.  
  
Creates jobs.   
  
Enables communities, and whole countries, to lift themselves out of poverty.  
 
In the last 30 years, we have borne witness to the transformational power of free trade.  
 
We've seen States like Viet  Nam, Bangladesh, and Ghana use trade -enhancing reforms to 
revolutioni ze their economies.  
 
And since the fall of the Berlin Wall, developing countries have nearly doubled their share of global 
exports.  
 
It's no coincidence that more than a billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty over the 
same period.  
 
This is why the U nited Kingdom  has sought to extend the benefits of free trade even further.  
 
Through our Developing Countries Trading Scheme, we are cutting tariffs and simplifying rules of 
origin to help economies grow.  
 
Alongside our Economic Partnership Agreements, th e United Kingdom  now offers duty -free – or 
nearly duty -free trade – to more than 90 developing countries.  
 
We want to now build on this momentum at MC13. To find solutions that help every WTO Member 
feel the full benefits of free, fair, open trade.   
 
That includes making the Investment Facilitation for Development Joint Initiative a reality, driving 
greater inv estment into developing states and delivering global welfare gains of at least $250 billion 
in the process.   
 
We are also joining the chorus of WTO Members welcoming Timor -Leste and Comoros into our ranks; 
two developing economies who will benefit greatly from accession.  
 
Our delegation is working hard to build consensus in other vital areas, too, such as fisheries and 
e-commerce.  
 
The U nited Kingdom  wants to see an agreement that protects our oceans and delivers sustainable 
fisheries – which are so vital t o coastal communities around the world.  
 WT/MIN(24)/ST/120  
 
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  And in the digital economy, we are joining the 120 plus WTO Members calling for a renewal of the 
e-commerce moratorium. Tariff -free digital trade is good for business, good for consumers, and 
good for the global ex change of ideas and services.  
 
That's why I believe that now is our moment to take our discussions on extension through to 
conclusion.  
 
We also want to see progress on agriculture where the U nited Kingdom  has been pursuing small but 
meaningful changes to  WTO rules - changes we know will have a big impact. This is especially the 
case for agricultural export restrictions, which often exacerbate food insecurity in poorer nations.  
 
Of course, there is no shying away from the fact that MC13 takes place agains t a backdrop of global 
instability.  
 
We continue to see extreme weather, drought, and climate change challenging farming 
communities; the effects most intensely felt in poorer parts of the world.  
 
Meanwhile, international shipping in the Red Sea has been undermined by unprovoked 
Houthi  attacks.  
 
And, of course, this month marks two years since Putin launched his brutal invasion of Ukraine, 
inflicting death and destruction on civilians and causing untold disruption to global supply chains.  
 
In dealing with all these significant pressures, we must stand united in upholding rules -based trade.  
 
We must work together in securing an open, fair, multilateral trading system with the WTO at its 
heart . An agile WTO that can rise to the challenges we face today and seize the economic 
opportunities of tomorrow – whether that 's in our race to net zero or in our fast -evolving digital 
economy.  
 
We also want to empower Members in better upholding trade rules.  
 
That means putting in place a fully functioning Dispute Se ttlement System.  
 
The current impasse has allowed unfair trading practices to evade the high levels of scrutiny and 
challenge we all expect.   
  
That in turn is destabili zing an already fragile global economy.   
 
I hope that Ministers will join me in redoub ling our efforts to find a lasting solution on 
Dispute  Settlement by the end of this year, injecting both confidence and stability into the global 
trading system.   
 
The U nited Kingdom  is grateful to all Members who are working constructively in this endeavour.  
 
And we look forward to working in partnership with you this week to strengthen rules -based, 
values -driven free trade.  
 
Together, we will continue to unlock prosperity not just in our nations but i n nations around the 
world.  
 
__________  