By Omar Bah
The Gambia and the United Kingdom deposited their instruments of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 13 December, advancing the tally of formal acceptances to the halfway mark required for entry into force. Seyaka Sonko, Minister of Interior of the Gambia, and Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State (Development and Africa) of the UK, presented the instruments of acceptance to Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The UK also pledged to donate up to GBP 1 million (approximately CHF 1.11 million) to the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism.
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I am delighted to receive the formal acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by the Gambia, the first least-developed country to do so. I also heartily welcome the UK’s formal acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and am grateful for its pledge to the Fisheries Funding Mechanism.”
“The steady influx in formal acceptances of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies from governments across regions and levels of development is a testament to the widespread recognition of the pressing need to protect our oceans. Each new acceptance marks a step forward in our collective efforts to curb harmful fisheries subsidies, preserve marine resources, and safeguard the welfare of the people that depend on them,” DG Okonjo-Iweala said.
The most recent deposits of instruments of acceptance bring the total number of WTO members that have formally accepted the Agreement to 55. This is 50% of what is needed for the Agreement to come into effect (two-thirds of the WTO membership).
Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of the Gambia, said: “It is with outstanding commitment and responsibility that the Gambia joins the international community in accepting the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This Agreement marks a crucial step towards sustainable marine practices and preserving our vital oceanic ecosystems. By addressing the challenges of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and overfished stocks by eliminating harmful subsidies, we protect our marine resources and safeguard our coastal communities’ livelihoods.
As a coastal state, the Gambia recognizes the critical role of sustainable fisheries for our national economy and the well-being of future generations. Our participation in this Agreement is a testament to our dedication to promoting sustainable trade practices and environmental stewardship, in line with our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Minister Mitchell said: “I was delighted to present the Director-General with the UK’s instrument of ratification of the WTO fisheries agreement. It is a landmark agreement — vitally important for the world’s fish, the fishing communities who depend on those fish, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and multilateralism. But the work isn’t finished. We are strongly back the efforts to conclude the second stage of negotiations — to tackle the most harmful subsidies — ahead of the next WTO ministerial conference, MC13.” “And I have been delighted to pledge up to one million pounds to the new WTO fisheries fund, through the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA’s) Blue Planet Fund, to support the effective implementation of this Agreement by developing nations,” he said.
The UK’s total contribution to the various WTO trust funds is CHF 13.54 million. Adopted by consensus at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), held in Geneva on 12-17 June 2022, the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies sets new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful subsidies, which are a critical factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks. In addition, the Agreement recognizes the needs of developing and least-developed countries and establishes a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity building to help them implement the obligations.
