Egypt elected to chair African group at WTO agricultural negotiations

CAIRO - 2 April 2018: Minister of Trade and Industry Tarek Kabil said the African group at the World Trade Organization has unanimously elected Egypt through its trade representation office in the permanent diplomatic mission in Geneva to be a liaison point for the group at the organization's agricultural negotiations.

In a statement released on Monday, Kabil said the decision comes in view of the leading role played by Egypt in the African continent and in line with the Egyptian government's strategy which places African interests and causes on top of its priorities at the political and economic levels.

He also said the election crowns Egypt's important role in leading the African group at the WTO's talks.

Kabil also asserted Egypt's full backing for the African interests as part of a multilateral trade system, adding that such choice reflected the confidence of the African leaders in Egypt especially in view of the recent changes in the multilateral trade system and the tendency of the developed countries to opt for protective trade measures.