Sudan resumes efforts to join the WTO : minister
October 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s minister of international cooperation Kamal Hassan Ali has revealed that his government is undertaking fresh efforts to resume the multilateral negotiations in order to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ali, who was speaking at a joint workshop organized by his ministry and the World Trade Center (WTC) in Geneva, disclosed the Sudanese government is seeking to appoint a negotiator to push forward the membership process.
To join, candidate countries have to offer to cut tariffs and change their laws to guarantee the rights of importers and exporters under WTO rules.
The Sudanese minister pointed to ongoing efforts to achieve the national economic development goals in the various services sectors in order to maximize the benefits of the economic liberalization policy.
He thanked the WTC representative for providing the technical support to the workshop which discussed a study prepared by the Egyptian expert Mohsin Hilal on the policies and performances of the services sector in Sudan and the requirements for joining the WTO.
“We hope that the deliberations of the workshop produce practical recommendations that contributes to developing the services sector in Sudan” he added .
For his part, the state minister of commerce al-Sadiq Mohamed Ali stressed the importance of joining the WTO, pointing that his ministry would provide the necessary support to the international cooperation ministry to complete the membership process.
Last January, the then minister of commerce Osman Omer al-Shareef Sharif pointed out that Sudan is a WTO monitored state since 20 years ago but has yet to obtain membership, attributing this situation to political reasons.
But the expert at WTO in Geneva Fadl Mohiydeen Tahir told Sudan Tribune previously that authorities in Sudan suffer several problems and lack transparency in addition to a misconception they have that major powers are impeding Sudan’s accession to the WTO.
He noted that the West, including the United States affirmed their support for the accession of least developed countries to the organisation, pointing out that Sudan prevented itself from taking advantage of opportunities and support from international organizations.
(ST)