The Nigerian Government has suggested the exemption of small-scale fish farmers from the scope of fisheries subsidies discipline under negotiation at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
This was disclosed by Nigeria’s Trade Minister, Adeniyi Adebayo at a virtual meeting of WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) at the Ministerial Level on Fisheries Subsidies on Thursday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
What the Minister said
Adebayo said Nigeria supports the agreement in a bid to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that had resulted in the rapid depletion of global marine fish stocks.
“I assure you of Nigeria’s support to proactively engage with all members toward achieving a balanced outcome in line with our mandate to conclude an agreement to prohibit fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing,’’ Adebayo said.
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He added that such actions would kill off subsidies that contribute to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, citing that it would ensure “appropriate treatment for developing countries and least developed countries should be an integral part of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation.”
He also added that Nigeria would gladly negotiate a newer and more appropriate deal, with differential treatment provisions for developing countries.
“These unsustainable practices have resulted in rapid depletion of global marine fish stocks. After 20 years of negotiations, it is time for us to draw the curtain on the Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations.
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Nigeria would continue to support WTO DG and show requisite flexibilities so we can collectively achieve balanced outcomes consistent with SDG 14.6 and our mandate,” he said.
The meeting was attended by WTO’s Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Negotiating Group on Rules, Amb. Santiago Wills of Colombia, 164 Trade Ministers of WTO members, ambassadors, including Nigeria’s ambassador to WTO, Dr Adamu Abdulahmid.
