Ahead of ministerial conference: Cameroon, UK discuss WTO reform, digital trade.

The Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, held talks with the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Matt Woods, during an audience in Yaounde on March 10. 

The British diplomat was accompanied by the Trade Affairs Officer at the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representation to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Ariane Vincent.

According to information made public by the Ministry of Trade, the meeting focused on preparations for the global trade conference, which will bring together ministers and senior officials from WTO member states.

The ministry revealed that discussions examined key priorities expected to dominate negotiations at the ministerial gathering, as well as the organisational efforts undertaken by Cameroon to host the international event.

At the start of the meeting, the British High Commissioner, Matt Woods, is said to have commended the efforts made by the Cameroonian authorities to ensure the success of the conference. 

The ministry furthered that the High Commissioner acknowledged the logistical, security and protocol arrangements put in place in Yaounde, noting that the preparations had drawn attention from the United Kingdom and other international partners.

According to the ministry, the British delegation also outlined several issues expected to be central to discussions during the ministerial conference. Ariane Vincent highlighted the issue of reforming the World Trade Organisation as one of the major subjects of interest for the United Kingdom. 

According to the delegation, several WTO members consider reforms necessary to modernise the organisation’s structures and decision-making mechanisms in order to better reflect the realities of global trade in the twenty-first century.

The Ministry of Trade disclosed that development concerns were also raised during the exchange, with the British representatives presenting the issue as a cross-cutting theme in ongoing discussions among WTO members. 

The ministry revealed two additional dossiers were also presented as significant elements of the upcoming negotiations. The first concerns the plurilateral Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, AFID, which aims to establish a transparent and predictable framework to facilitate international investment flows. The agreement is the result of extended negotiations among participating countries seeking to improve the global investment climate.

The second issue relates to the moratorium on electronic commerce. Introduced in 1998 and renewed at each WTO Ministerial Conference, the moratorium prevents member states from imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions. 

Its future remains under debate, with industrialised countries generally supporting its continuation, while several developing countries are seeking the option to impose taxes on digital trade.

According to the ministry, the audience concluded with both sides registering broad alignment on the key issues at stake at MC14, against a backdrop of mounting international pressure to strengthen multilateral trade rules and advance a more inclusive and balanced global trading system.

The article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3730 of Friday March 13, 2026