The Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting (CTMM) will be held at Marlborough House in London on June 5 and 6, 2023. It will be preceded by The Senior Trade Officials Meeting which will take place at the same venue on June 2 and 3.
The 2023 Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting will provide opportunities for the Ministers to assess the growth of Commonwealth trade and investment since the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), exploring ways that they can work together to boost intra-Commonwealth trade, and offer suggestions for the future in advance of the 2024 CHOGM.
The Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze will preside over this conference.
Ministers will reflect on the progress made so far and choose practical and efficient initiatives to carry out the CHOGM in Samoa in October 2024.
Prior to the World Trade Organization’s 13th Ministerial Conference, which will be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024, ministers will also take stock of the state of the multilateral trade system.
On January 17 and 18, 2023, senior trade officials from across the Commonwealth virtually convened to discuss preparations for the June 2023 Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting (CTMM).
Senior Trade Officials were informed during the meeting that the meeting would center on the major economic difficulties that all Commonwealth countries face, including the role that trade can play in fostering an inclusive digital transition, a sustainable future, and climate action.
The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, said during the Senior Trade Officials Meeting:
“As we convene today, we can have faith that the advantages of Commonwealth membership in terms of trade and investment are legitimate. Even though we aren’t a recognized economic bloc, the average cost of trade between Commonwealth members is 21% lower than it is with non-members.
She said, “At the CHOGM for the Commonwealth in 2022, Heads instructed that Trade Ministers meet by June of this year. This Senior Officials conference is the first stage in preparing for that crucial conference and producing results that will encourage trade and investment among our 56 nations member nations. It is a crucial opportunity for us to work together, to continue to reap the rewards of intra-Commonwealth trade and investment, and to create a common road to prosperity that is even more robust.
Antoine Kajangwe, Director-General of Trade and Investment of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda, presided over the Senior Trade Officials Meeting.
Permanent Secretary Richard Niwenshuti of Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry made the following statements during the inaugural remarks:
The driving force behind the dramatic change in our communities is trade and investment… Leaders outlined a clear trade and investment agenda at the CHOGM in Kigali, one that aims to connect, innovate, and change the lives of Commonwealth residents.
Until [the next] CHOGM in Samoa, he continued, “This meeting of the senior trade officials provides the first opportunity to reflect on our shared targets and objectives, reflecting on how to revitalize our cooperation on matters pertaining to trade and investment for the next 18 months.”
By conducting research on trade policy to advance members’ interests in trade and development, enhancing members’ global trade competitiveness, and encouraging members to share best practices and experiences on trade and investment, the Commonwealth Secretariat continues to assist member countries through its trade programs.
