SHOTLIST:
1. Zoom in, WTO headquarters exterior
2. Zoom in, WTO logo at the entrance
3. Pan right, Ambassador Santiago Wills arrives for virtual press conference
4. Med shot, Wills enters room for virtual press conference
5. Tilt up, Wills prepares for virtual press conference
6. Wide shot, Wills and officials prepare for virtual press conference
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Santiago Wills, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the World Trade Organization and Chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations:
“It is now clear that we simply cannot make up the time we ve lost to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring the negotiations to a successful outcome this year. However, the truth is that we did make a lot of progress this year, and for this, the credit goes to all WTO members for maintaining a high level of commitment and determination.”
WTO Misses Opportunity to Reduce Harmful Fisheries Subsidies
GENEVA The Pew Charitable Trusts expressed disappointment Monday that World Trade Organization members failed to meet the United Nations’ 2020 deadline for reaching an agreement to end harmful fisheries subsidies, but noted that countries made significant progress during the negotiations paving the way for a deal in 2021.
The chair of the negotiations, Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, announced Monday that countries will need to continue negotiating in the new year. Although negotiators have been meeting full time since September, they have not yet coalesced around a stabilized text a version of an agreement with which most countries generally concur. A 2021 work plan is under development.
WTO fails to net deal to halt over-fishing
Fresh rounds of meetings on issue will begin on January 18
AFP
December 15, 2020
GENEVA:
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has failed to secure a deal on banning fisheries subsidies that contribute to over-fishing by a year-end deadline, but talks will resume in January, a source said on Monday.
Fresh rounds of meetings on the issue will begin on January 18, a source close to the discussions told AFP. That means a further extension of the discussion that has been going on for nearly 20 years.
Colombian Ambassador Santiago Wills, who has been chairing the negotiations, told an informal meeting on Monday that it would not be possible to conclude the talks before the end of the year as planned, pointing to delays caused by the pandemic, the source said.