The Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, will lead the Kenyan Delegation to the 13th
Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will take place in Abu
Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates from 26th to 29th February.
MC13 will focus on crucial trade-related policies that are of key interest to Kenya and that will include,
agriculture, subsidies for the fisheries sector, trade and sustainable development, digital trade and reforms to
the existing multilateral trading system.
The Cabinet Secretary has been appointed to facilitate agriculture negotiations at MC13, one of the
longstanding trade policy issues at the WTO. Members of this caucus are working towards addressing
challenges that will address contemporary challenges in agriculture sector such as food security and trade
related distortions. The outcome is expected to deliver a fairer, more, equitable and market-oriented
agricultural trading system, ending hunger and improving nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture and
food systems and promoting the adoption of resilient agricultural practices that enhance productivity and
production.
This is in fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 of the United Nations. Of particular focus
will be securing the interests of small-scale food and agriculture producers in developing countries;
To achieve her interests, Kenya will be participate in a number of deliberations on existing frameworks
including regional groups at the Ministerial level such as the African Ministers of Trade meeting; the African,
Caribbean, and Pacific Group Ministerial Meeting and the Second Meeting of the Coalition of Trade
Ministers on Climate.
Additionally, the Cabinet Secretary will actively participate in Ministerial conversations on Trade and
Sustainable Development, including Trade and Industrial Policy and Policy Space for
Industrial Development and Ministerial Conversation on Trade and Inclusion.
At the bilateral level the Cabinet Secretary will hold consultations with a number of Ministers of Trade from
several countries with a view to enhancing bilateral trade relations between them and Kenya.
The success of MC13 will underscore the importance of the multilateral trading system in addressing the
interests of members—Kenya included—as they relate to trade and sustainable development.
