Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to WTO Presented the Credentials to the Director-General of WTO

Geneva, July 1, 2024 – Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO and International Economic Organizations Asset Irgaliyev presented his credentials to the WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In the conversation, N. Okonjo-Iweala highly appreciated the reforms carried out by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on economic liberalization aimed at strengthening fair competition, protecting freedom of entrepreneurship and reducing state participation in the economy.

In turn, the Permanent Representative Kazakhstan A. Irgaliyev noted that since its accession to the WTO in 2015, Kazakhstan has consistently and actively supported a predictable multilateral trading system.

For instance, Kazakhstan had previously chaired the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment, and since 2018 our country is chairing the WTO Special Session of the Council for Trade in Services. Kazakhstan is further committed to facilitating the accession of Central Asian countries to the WTO and representing the trade interests of landlocked developing countries. Moreover, last year, Kazakhstan implemented its Trade Facilitation Commitment at 100%.

Additionally, during this meeting, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Asset Irgaliyev, also handed over the instrument of Kazakhstan’s acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to the WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

This agreement contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 of the United Nations, which aims to reduce harmful fisheries subsidies. It is important to note that subsidies for the development of aquaculture and inland fisheries are excluded from this agreement.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the importance of Kazakhstan’s accession to this agreement and noted that Kazakhstan, as a landlocked developing country, makes a significant contribution to achieving the UN goal of reducing harmful fisheries subsidies.

Overall, Kazakhstan became the 78th WTO member to support the fisheries subsidies agreement. This agreement will automatically enter into force when two-thirds of WTO members, i.e., 109 out of 164 countries, adopt it. Fisheries subsidies are not provided in Kazakhstan, therefore, this agreement does not contradict the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan regarding fisheries subsidies.

For reference: This WTO Agreement does not apply to the Caspian Sea, given its status as a landlocked body of water with no access to the world's oceans and therefore not subject to international maritime conventions. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth, possessing a unique legal status, not considered either a sea or a lake.