Abu Dhabi, 27 February 2024 (TDI): Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 26th signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Abu Dhabi.
The primary goal is to enhance agricultural innovation and research, with specific attention to the development and promotion of various aspects of date palm cultivation and its related industry.
The signing ceremony was observed by H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence of the UAE. Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Prof., General Secretary, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, signed the MOU.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aims to strengthen cooperation and the exchange of expertise between two states.
Additionally, it will provide a platform for Pakistani farmers to increase cultivation of date palm, including the exploration of innovative ideas.
Being one of the pioneers, the UAE will provide technological support to Pakistan to increase date palm cultivation, as Pakistan’s rich topography presents immense potential in this sector.
Pakistan and the UAE enjoy fraternal ties and are engaged in a range of mutually beneficial collaborative projects, including in the realms of political, economic, agricultural, cultural, energy, and defense cooperation.
It is reported that, as per the terms of this MOU, the First Pakistan International Date Palm Festival 2024 will also be organized.
Minister Gohar attends WTO meeting in Abu Dhabi
Dr. Gohar Ejaz, Pakistan’s Caretaker Commerce Minister, attends the 13th high-level ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on February 26th.
Dr. Gohar Ejaz mentioned via his social media handle that MC13 is a great opportunity for multilateral dialogue.
Moreover, he had the privilege of meeting with his counterparts from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, Egypt, Kuwait, South Africa, and Turkey on the sidelines.
The discussions encompass global trade issues against the backdrop of Israel’s conflict in Gaza and other global conflicts.
The WTO’s ministerial conference is set to continue until Thursday.
Over this duration, contemporary issues ranging from trade and the environment to climate change, sustainability, and inclusion will likely be discussed.
After China and the U.S., the UAE ranks as the third most significant trade partner of Pakistan. It is also viewed as an ideal export destination by policymakers in the South Asian country due to its geographical proximity with Pakistan, which reduces transportation and freight charges.
Last month, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth over $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones, and infrastructure at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Also Read: UAE advocates two-state solution for Palestinian People
WTO Chief Foresees Challenges Ahead
Trade ministers convened from around the world for a World Trade Organization meeting on February 26th that aims to set new global commerce rules, yet its chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and delegates sought to curb expectations.
The global regulatory body, in existence for almost thirty- years, shapes rules fundamental to 75% of global commerce. Despite its efforts to secure agreements through consensus, challenges arise as the global economy shows signs of fragmenting into distinct blocs.
Let’s not pretend that any of this will be easy.” Okonjo-Iweala said in her opening speech, describing the atmosphere as “tougher” than the WTO’s last 2022 meeting, citing wars, tensions, and elections as signs that trade growth will undershoot the organization’s own estimate.
She called on ministers to “roll up their sleeves” and complete negotiations, but seemed to rule out any deal in Abu Dhabi on reforming the body’s mothballed appeals court.
We are not there yet,” she said.
Thani Al Zeyoudi, serving as the conference chair and UAE’s foreign trade minister, stated during an opening address that “the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is at a critical juncture; it is confronting many challenges.
“I now ask all of you to show the world that the WTO is alive, well, and fully capable of delivering results that matter to people everywhere,” he added.
India’s Trade Minister Absence Concerns
Delegates expressed concern privately that India’s trade minister, seen as the main holdout on some key issues, including agriculture, was absent on Monday. However, New Delhi stated that he would be in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Negotiators say they remain hopeful for an agreement that could buoy global fish stocks and protect fishermen by banning government subsidies.
During the four-day meeting, certain and attainable outcomes include the addition of two new members, namely Comoros and East Timor, and a deal among around 120 countries to remove development-hampering investment barriers.
Tougher areas are extending a 25-year moratorium on applying tariffs on digital trade, which South Africa and India oppose, and an agreement on agriculture trade rules that has escaped negotiators’s grasp for decades.
Piyush Goyal, the Indian commerce minister, who was attending a textile event in New Delhi on Monday, reiterated India’s insistence on a controversial stand-alone permanent waiver of WTO rules that restrict domestic agriculture subsidies on food items like rice.
“I think this week is really about trying to consolidate progress from two years ago and build on where possible, but I don’t think there’s going to be major new breakthroughs in new areas,” said Simon Conveney, Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, referring to the WTO’s 2022 meeting in Geneva.
The U.S. Trade Representative stated the meeting was a chance to “chart a future path together” and that success should not be measured by the number of deals.
During her meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, a U.S. trade representative raised concern regarding the excessive steel production capacity in China and its repercussions on global markets.
In addition, she highlights the ongoing imbalances caused by China’s state-led, non-market approach to trade policy.
A dedicated student of International Relations at the University of Karachi (UOK), and a passionate explorer of Long-form Journalism. She is keen to understand the changing dynamics of International Affairs and how states use multi-vector foreign policy in a contemporary era to acquire their interest. She is eager to contribute to the discourse on Intricate geopolitical matters. She can be reached at saudha854@gmail.com
