Fiji’s efforts to curb global harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing was boosted today with the deposit at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) headquarters in Geneva of its instruments of acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
Fiji’s envoy to the WTO in Geneva, Ambassador Luke Daunivalu presented the Government of Fiji’s instrument of acceptance of the Agreement to the Director-General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.
Fiji’s ratification of the global agreement demonstrates its commitment to sustainability and safeguarding of its marine resources by prohibiting subsidies to overfished stocks and IUU fishing.
Ambassador Daunivalu said that “Fiji’s acceptance underscores its commitment in line with SDG14.6 to eliminating subsidies that contribute to IUU fishing and overfished stocks. It is also the fulfilment of an undertaking made by the Coalition Government as presented by Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Manoa Kamikamica to the WTO membership and to DG Dr Iweala during Fiji’s fourth Trade Policy Review in July this year.”
The deposit of Fiji’s instrument of acceptance makes it the first from the Pacific region to do so. It is expected that other Pacific WTO members will follow suit in the coming months.
While congratulating and receiving Fiji’s instrument of acceptance, DG Dr Iweala said “we are absolutely delighted that Fiji has presented its acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, it is the first for the Pacific Island developing nation to do so and we are confident it will not be the last. We hope that this action will encourage all other members that have not yet deposited to do so and we are delighted that Fiji took this important step in the margins of our Senior Officials Meeting.”
A total of 52 countries have now deposited their instruments of acceptance which is nearly half of what is needed for the Agreement to enter into force.
The Agreement was adopted by consensus at the WTO 12th Ministerial Conference held in Geneva on 12 – 17 June 2022 where Fiji and the Pacific were instrumental in concluding the Agreement.
The Agreement sets a new binding multilateral rules to curb harmful subsidies which directly contribute to the depletion of the world’s fish stocks.
The Agreement also recognises the need of developing countries like Fiji and establishes a Fish Fund to provide technical assistance and capacity building to aid their implementation obligations.
