Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021

by **claud39** Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:24 pm

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021

27 November 2020 08:33 PM

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 1024

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 1024

Mubasher: The Iraqi Ministry of Trade announced today, Friday, the preparation of a plan to join the World Trade Organization, stressing that the accession will contribute to increasing national production and providing job opportunities.

The ministry told the Iraqi News Agency, "INA", today, that it has prepared a plan to join the World Trade Organization, represented by the restructuring of the national committee concerned with accession, as well as the sub-committees emanating from it, to complete the accession files, as well as to expedite the legislation of laws, and prepare draft laws related to the organization's agreements. .

She explained that the draft laws such as the National Product Protection Law, the Consumer Protection Law, the Competition and Monopoly Prevention Law, and the Customs Tariff Law.

She added that joining the organization has positive repercussions in the long run, as Iraq may not directly reap its fruits, but there will be a strong, integrated Iraqi economy capable of competing with the economies of the member states of the organization in general, and the economies of neighboring countries in particular.

And she added, that accession would allow Iraq to enter into fair competition for goods and services with other member states.

She emphasized that this measure will contribute to increasing national production and providing job opportunities for the unemployed, and thus there will be a noticeable increase in per capita income and total output.

She indicated that the Ministry is coordinating with all ministries and private sector entities to complete the files of accession, represented by the completion of the legislative implementation plan, which includes Iraqi laws and draft laws that affect, directly and indirectly, economic activities, and a preliminary draft of this plan has been completed. .

Nominations

https://www.mubasher.info/news/3727811/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B6%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%B9-2021/

by **claud39** Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:38 pm

[size=38]High-level dialogue revisits Arab country accessions and marks 20th anniversary of Oman's accession[/size]
The High-Level Regional Dialogue on Arab Countries' Accessions to the WTO, held from 8-10 November 2020, examined how past and current accession processes have served as a springboard for reform and economic growth in the region. A special session marked the 20th anniversary of Oman's accession to the Organization.

NOVEMBER 8, 2020

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 Acc_8oct20_lg

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 Acc_8oct20_lg

The regional workshop , organized by the WTO Secretariat, in partnership with the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), responded to the growing interest shown by Members and Arab observers of the WTO to advance the accession processes underway in the region.

The workshop provided a platform to improve knowledge of the WTO accession process, accession rules and the status of accessions of Arab countries. It also allowed acceding governments and Article XII Members (those who had become Members of the Organization after 1995) to share their experiences and lessons learned. Participants had the opportunity to discuss the importance of mobilizing support for technical assistance in order to facilitate and accelerate on-going accessions, in collaboration with development partners.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Director General Alan Wolff said the accession process had served as an effective external anchor for domestic reforms and a catalyst for economic growth. This emerges from the latest Annual Report on WTO Accessions , which indicates that Article XII Members have experienced higher growth rates of GDP and trade (exports and imports), as well as increased flows of foreign direct investment inward, in the years following their accession compared to the rest of the world.

DGA Wolff underlined that many acceding Arab governments were fragile and conflict-affected, suffering or having suffered from the social, economic and political consequences of conflicts. They are now facing, like the rest of the world, unprecedented levels of disruption of people's daily lives and economic activities due to COVID-19. In this context, trade will need to play an even more important role to support the recovery of the global economy in the future, Wolff said.

“We need more - not less - global and regional trade integration. Integration into the world economy goes hand in hand with the necessary internal reforms. This is where accession to the WTO makes particularly valuable contributions. Those who have embarked on the reform-driven accession process are likely to experience a faster recovery and greater resilience in the future, ”said CEO Wolff. Read his full speech .

The Chairman and CEO of the FMA Board of Directors, Mr. Al Hamidy, underlined the importance of capacity building in the area of international trade. He confirmed the Fund's willingness to work closely with WTO and IsDB to help Arab countries in the accession process. The Director General of the Dubai Pole and Center of Excellence of IsDB, Mr. Mohammad Al-Saati, addressed areas of collaboration between organizations. He underscored the need for increased collaboration to address the pressing socio-economic challenges facing the region today.

The Arab region is one of the regions of the world with the largest number of countries outside the multilateral trading system. Of the 22 members of the Arab League, nine are original Members of the WTO (Kingdom of Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, State of Kuwait, Morocco, Mauritania, Qatar, Tunisia) and eight countries are in the process of accession: Algeria, Comoros, Iraq, Libya, Lebanese Republic, Somalia, Sudan and Syrian Arab Republic. These countries represent more than a third of the 23 accessions in progress. In addition, Palestine has participated in all WTO Ministerial Conferences as an ad hoc observer since 2005.

The past year has been particularly remarkable for the Arab region and the multilateral trading system. Jordan celebrated the 20th anniversary of its accession to the WTO in April and Saudi Arabia will celebrate its 15th anniversary on December 11.

This workshop marked the 20 th anniversary of the accession of the Sultanate of Oman to the WTO. On November 9, 2000, Oman became the 139th Member of the WTO. On this occasion, Qais bin Mohammed Al-Yousef, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment Promotion of the Sultanate of Oman, and Maqbool Ali Sultan, former Minister of Trade and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Oman's accession to the WTO, sent video messages detailing the benefits of WTO accession for Oman and the importance of the multilateral trading system.

A round table was then moderated by Hilda Ali Al-Hinai, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the WTO. Speakers included Ambassador Munir Akram (Pakistan), former Chairman of the Working Party on Oman's WTO Accession; Ambassador Peter Allgeier, former Deputy Trade Representative of the United States and Permanent Representative to the WTO (2005-2009); and Mr. ARIF Hussain, former Director of the Accessions Division at the WTO (1995-2008).

More information on accessions here .

https://www.wto.org/french/news_f/news20_f/acc_08nov20_f.htm

by **claud39** Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:59 pm

Non-LDCs Accessions

Working Party Chair, Ambassador Hilale, meeting with Ambassador Abbas Obaid Al-Fatlawi (Iraq)

Iraq:

The Chairman of the Working Party, Ambassador Omar Hilale (Morocco) visited Geneva from 24 to 26 August to consult with the international trade community over Iraq's accession process. This visit came as a follow up to the phone call with the newly appointed Minister of Trade Dr. Alaa Al-Jibouri in July.

During his visit, Ambassador Hilale met with Iraqi officials (in Geneva and Baghdad), selected WTO Members, development partners (International Trade Centre and the World Bank), and the Secretariat. In his view, there was a strong commitment from Iraq's new political leadership to the accession process, but there was also an urgent need for technical assistance. The submission of a revised MFTR and replies to questions raised by Members was a prerequisite for planning the next Working Party meeting.

Following his visit, Ambassador Hilale provided his assessment of Iraq's accession process with Minister Jubouri. He also shared it with the WTO membership at the meeting of the Informal Group on Accessions on 29 September.

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 A8bf82eb-a3cb-4238-8729-b1d9e417466c

Meeting with Iraqi Officials in Bagdad

https://mailchi.mp/4cc113baeffe/wto-accessions-newsletter-n-102-september-october-2020-5970381?e=9c067e1dee

by **claud39** Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:46 pm

[size=38]Members welcome Iraq's firm intention to resume formal WTO accession negotiations[/size]

NOVEMBER 17, 2017

At an informal meeting of Iraq's Accession Working Party held on November 17, 2017, WTO members welcomed Iraq's declared willingness to restart the WTO accession process after nine years of hiatus. In addition, this meeting gave the Government of Iraq and Members the opportunity to exchange views on the way forward for this formal resumption in the near future.

(temporarily in English)

"We are here with you at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization to assure you that Iraq is fully committed to the process of economic reform and to be part of the global economic system," said Mr Adel Al-Masoodi, Director-General of the Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Ministry of Trade and Vice Chairman of the Iraqi National Committee on Accession to the WTO. "We look forward to opening new horizons for co-operation with the WTO, all international organizations and the international community," he added.

Ambassador Mouayed Saleh, Permanent Representative of Iraq in Geneva, also spoke on behalf of the Iraqi delegation. He said that Iraq is at the beginning of a long and complex WTO accession process "which will take years", but he highlighted the firm and unequivocal will of the government and the people of Iraq to move forward and become an integral part of the international economic and trading system, following a very difficult time in Iraq's recent history. Indeed, Ambassador Saleh underlined that the main reason that Iraq's formal accession process had fallen dormant had been the need for Iraq to focus on improving the security situation in the country in recent years.

The Iraqi delegation in Geneva included other high-level officials from the Ministry of Trade, the Council of Ministers, the State Commission for Customs, the Ministry of Planning, and the Central Bank of Iraq.

The Chairperson of the Working Party, Ambassador Omar Hilale of Morocco, stressed the importance of Iraq's accession to the WTO. He explained that "the accession of Iraq is important for the WTO and the multilateral trading system at large. Iraq is one of the largest economies still outside that system. It is one of the most populous states in the Middle East with over 35 million people. It has a large and diverse economy with a GDP of roughly USD 167 billion. It lies at the crossroads of the Middle East, and is home to countless historic and cultural treasures. Given its regional and, indeed, global strategic importance, it is thus appropriate that Iraq should take its place among the members of the organization whose rules govern over 98% of global trade."

Over 20 members took the floor to commend Iraq's progress in reactivating a process that will serve as a platform from which to launch and deepen domestic reforms that can help Iraq attract foreign investment, diversify the economy and improve the business environment, while benefitting members with greater and more predictable access to Iraqi markets and promoting peace and stability. They expressed their shared hope that Iraq will become a full WTO member as soon as reasonably possible.

Iraq also described, and members stressed the importance of, the concrete progress that Iraq has made in preparing a full set of updated negotiation inputs with a view to restarting the formal Working Party process in the near term, including a revised Memorandum of the Foreign Trade Regime (which will be finalized by the end of the year), an updated Legislative Action Plan, other accession documents and initial market access offers on goods and services. In this context, the Chairperson encouraged members to continue providing Iraq with the necessary technical assistance and support in order to sustain this positive momentum.

"The Working Party is encouraged by the political commitment demonstrated by the Government of Iraq to resume its accession process and the technical progress being made. I would also like to thank members for their support and words of encouragement directed to Iraq, in particular, for their readiness to engage with Iraq, once all the necessary negotiating inputs are on the table in the near term. The focus now is to translate these words into concrete action by holding the third meeting of the Working Party in 2018," the Chairperson said.

Background

The Working Party on the accession of Iraq was established in December 2004. Nine months later, in September 2005, Iraq circulated the Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime, which was reviewed together with the initial set of questions and answers by the Working Party at its first meeting in May 2007.

The examination of Iraq's trade regime continued in a second meeting in April 2008 on the basis of the second round of questions and answers, together with additional negotiating inputs including a Legislative Action Plan, checklists for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade, a questionnaire on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) and agricultural supporting tables.

No activity had taken place at the level of the Working Party since the second meeting.

Next steps

The Chairperson stated that if Iraq submits all the necessary updated negotiating inputs in the timeline envisioned, the third formal meeting of the Working Party could be convened in 2018.

More

Learn how to become a WTO member here.

https://www.wto.org/french/news_f/news17_f/acc_irq_17nov17_f.htm

by **claud39** Fri Dec 04, 2020 10:51 am

Morocco reactivates Iraq's WTO accession dossier in Geneva

August 27, 2020

Geneva - Ambassador Omar Hilale, Chairman of the Working Group on Iraq's Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), conducted a series of meetings with stakeholders in Geneva this week in Geneva. the WTO in order to reactivate the dossier of Iraq's integration into this Organization.

The meetings come after Mr. Hilal's telephone interview last month with Alaa Ahmed Hassan Al-Jibouri, Iraq's new trade minister, during which the two sides agreed to revitalize negotiations to speed up the process of accession to Iraq. the Republic of Iraq to the WTO.

Thus, Mr Hilale spoke with the Director General of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo. He also had a working session with the Deputy Director General in charge of accessions, Alan Wolff as well as with Maika Oshikawa, Director of the Accessions Division.

In this sense, Mr. Wolf is committed to working to raise awareness among WTO States in order to facilitate the process of Iraq's accession.

In addition, Mr Hilale held bilateral meetings with Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives in Geneva, from the main countries involved in this process, in particular, the European Union, Switzerland, Russia, China and Saudi Arabia as as coordinator of the Arab Group. He also had a fruitful telephone conversation with the United States representative in Washington.

The various interlocutors of Mr Hilale unanimously thanked and praised Morocco's tireless efforts to relaunch Iraq's accession process to the WTO, in the difficult context of Covid-19.

In this context, the Moroccan diplomat had a virtual working session in Baghdad, with Adel Al Masoudi, Director General of External Economic Relations at the Ministry of Commerce and head of the delegation in charge of negotiations. This meeting was an opportunity for the Iraqi side to reaffirm its commitment to redouble its efforts to prepare all the documents required for accession.

To this end, the Iraqi side requested technical assistance for the various ministerial departments concerned in order to form an efficient negotiating team which will allow Iraq to better negotiate its interests during this process, which will be long and laborious. This virtual working session was complemented by coordination meetings that were held with the Iraqi mission and with Abbas Kadhim Obaid, the Iraqi ambassador in Geneva.

In order to mobilize the necessary financial contributions for technical assistance, training and capacity building requested by the Iraqi authorities, Mr. Hilale had a virtual working session with representatives of the World Bank in Baghdad and Beirut. In addition, during a meeting with the director of technical assistance of the International Shopping Center, the Chairman of the Working Group pleaded in favor of intensifying technical support for the benefit of the Iraqi delegation.

The relaunch of the process of Iraq's accession to the WTO comes in a favorable context, reinforced by encouraging signals, after the formation of the new Iraqi government headed by Mustapha Al Kadimi. The latter expressed his ambitions of openness to its regional and international environment. Indeed, Mr. Al Kadimi aims to fight against corruption, and to initiate several reforms in the country, in particular at the level of the justice system as well as the implementation of the economic transition necessary to no longer rely mainly on oil. as the main resource of Iraq's Gross National Product, with emphasis on the diversification of its income through the strengthening of the agricultural, livestock, agro-industry and trade sectors.

On the eve of these preliminary discussions led by Mr. Hilale in Geneva, the World Bank published a Report on the economic situation of Iraq. This Report confirms the importance of Iraq's accession to the WTO, which will help complete several reforms through binding international commitments and allow Iraq to benefit from a multilateral, transparent, predictable and rules.

https://www.mapnews.ma/fr/actualites/monde/le-maroc-r%C3%A9active-%C3%A0-gen%C3%A8ve-le-dossier-daccession-de-l%E2%80 % 99irak-% C3% A0-l% E2% 80% 99omc

by **claud39** Fri Dec 04, 2020 11:25 am

[size=30]Geneva: Morocco reactivates Iraq's WTO accession dossier[/size]

August 27, 2020

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 Omar_hilale-onu-e1547198172336-730x410

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 Omar_hilale-onu-e1547198172336-730x410

Morocco is working hard for Iraq to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Thus, and in order to reactivate the dossier of Iraq's integration into the organization, Ambassador Omar Hilale, Chairman of the Accession Working Group, conducted a series of meetings in Geneva this week. with stakeholders within the WTO.

The meetings come after Omar Hilal's telephone interview last month with Alaa Ahmed Hassan Al-Jibouri, Iraq's new trade minister, during which the two parties agreed to revitalize negotiations to speed up the process of accession to Iraq. the Republic of Iraq to the WTO.

In this sense, the representative of Morocco at the United Nations met with the Director General of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo. Likewise, Omar Hilal had a working session with the Deputy Director General in charge of accessions, Alan Wolff, who in this sense undertook to work to raise awareness among WTO States in order to facilitate the process of accession of Iraq, as well as with Maika Oshikawa, Director of the Accessions Division.

On the other hand, Hilal, as coordinator of the Arab group, held bilateral meetings with the ambassadors and Permanent Representatives in Geneva, of the main countries involved in this process, in particular, the European Union, Switzerland, Russia, China and Saudi Arabia. He also had a fruitful telephone conversation with the United States representative in Washington.

From Baghdad, the Moroccan diplomat also had a virtual working session with Adel Al Masoudi, Director General of External Economic Relations at the Ministry of Commerce and head of the delegation in charge of negotiations. An interview which was an opportunity for the Iraqi side to reaffirm its commitment to redouble its efforts to prepare all the documents required for accession.

The latter has also requested technical assistance for the various ministerial departments concerned in order to form an efficient negotiating team that will allow Iraq to better negotiate its interests during this process, which will be long and laborious. This virtual working session was complemented by coordination meetings that were held with the Iraqi mission and with Abbas Kadhim Obaid, the Iraqi ambassador in Geneva.

In order to mobilize the necessary financial contributions for technical assistance, training and capacity building requested by the Iraqi authorities, Omar Hilal had a virtual working session with representatives of the World Bank in Baghdad and Beirut. In addition, during a meeting with the director of technical assistance of the International Shopping Center, the Chairman of the Working Group pleaded in favor of intensifying technical support for the benefit of the Iraqi delegation.

In addition, and in this Covid-19 health crisis which is currently shaking the world, the various interlocutors of the representative of Morocco, unanimously thanked and praised the Kingdom's efforts to relaunch the process of accession to Morocco. Iraq at the WTO.

https://fr.hespress.com/162364-geneve-le-maroc-reactive-le-dossier-daccession-de-lirak-a-lomc.html

by **claud39** Sun Dec 27, 2020 7:06 pm

[size=38]WTO launches first regional online trade policy course for Arab States and the Middle East[/size]
Sixteen officials from nine WTO Members and observers attend the first regional online trade policy course for Arab countries and the Middle East, which takes place from December 7 to March 25, 2021. The objective is to strengthen their skills in various aspects of trade and the work of the WTO.

(temporarily in English)

Iraq is preparing a plan to join the World Trade Organization in early 2021 Logo_fr

The WTO members and observers represented are Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

The course is organized by the WTO's Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) and was opened by its Director, Bridget Chilala, who welcomed the high number of women among the participants — 12 out of 16 — which is “the highest registered for a trade policy course for this region”.

Ms Chilala said that this course will allow participants to improve their capacity to work on international trade issues and strengthen their networks of contacts with colleagues and WTO experts. It will cover the legal side of the WTO Agreements as well as the economic implications of these rules and disciplines for the participants' countries, thus giving the participants the skills needed for shaping their countries' trade policies. The challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic bring an opportunity “to collectively remind ourselves of the foundations on which the multilateral trading system was built”, she added.

The course aims to reproduce most of the training components offered by face-to-face regional trade policy courses. It provides intermediate-level training (known as “level 2” in the WTO progressive learning strategy) and is specifically designed for government officials working on trade-related issues who have already undertaken basic WTO training.

The curriculum covers the WTO Agreements, the Organization's rules and procedures and trade policy issues related to the Arab and Middle Eastern region. The course will consist of self-learning, interactive case studies and exercises and live face-to-face webinars by WTO experts and trade-policy academics and practitioners from the region. The course will also provide for several round tables addressing contemporary multilateral and regional trade issues. Participants will be evaluated through weekly exams.

https://www.wto.org/french/news_f/news20_f/tech_16dec20_f.htm