The fourteenth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (MC14), held in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 26 to 29 March 2026, has concluded. The Kingdom’s delegation was headed by H.E. Mr. Fareed bin Saeed Al-Assail, Deputy Governor of the General Authority for Foreign Trade for International Organizations and Agreements, on behalf of H.E. Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The conference addressed key agenda items, including WTO reform, agriculture, fisheries, development and issues related to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the e-commerce work program, the incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development and E-commerce Agreements, the extension of the TRIPS waiver, and the accession of several countries to the Organization.

During the conference, the Kingdom reaffirmed its full support for WTO reform efforts, including dispute settlement, and emphasized the importance of enhancing food security for developing member countries. It also reiterated its support for core development principles, particularly special and differential treatment for developing and Least Developed Countries, as well as the fundamental pillars of the WTO.

The Kingdom highlighted the importance of facilitating and accelerating accession processes for countries seeking to join the WTO, enabling their integration into global trade and value chains. It also reaffirmed its support for extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions and for advancing the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement within the WTO framework.

On the sidelines of the conference, Mr. Al-Asali held meetings with H.E. Mr. Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister of Agriculture of New Zealand; H.E. Dr.

Kassahun Gofe, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; H.E. Mr. Hadera Abera, State Minister for Foreign Affairs for Political and Economic Diplomacy; H.E. Dr. Stephan Gruber, Deputy Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism of Austria; Mr. Jhony Marta, Special Advisor to the Indonesian Minister of Trade and Head of the Indonesian Delegation; and Mr. Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Secretary of Commerce of India.

He also met with H.E. Mr. Ibrahim bin Hamed Al-Ghamdi, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Cameroon.

Saudi Arabia’s trade volume with WTO member countries reached approximately USD 537 billion, while its exports totaled nearly USD 305 billion in 2024.

It is worth mentioning that the General Authority for Foreign Trade aims to enhance and maximize the Kingdom’s international trade gains and defend its interests in foreign trade, contributing to the growth of the national economy.