Hon. Baboucarr O. Joof, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, represented The Gambia at this crucial meeting where he reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening multilateralism and ensuring the voices of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are heard.
Our message was clear: The multilateral trading system must work for ALL countries, not just a privileged few.
Key priorities we highlighted:
Making development the core of trade negotiations Investing in LDC productive capacities through Aid for Trade Bridging the digital divide and supporting e-commerce readiness Strengthening South-South cooperation and regional value chains like AfCFTA
While the multilateral system has promised much, LDCs continue to face barriers: non-tariff obstacles, punitive rules of origin, technical capacity gaps, and a widening digital divide.
The time for rhetoric is over. The time for renewal is now.
The Gambia stands ready to work with our G77 partners to build a fairer, more inclusive global trading system that truly serves the development needs of the Global South.
