According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the afternoon of September 10, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan had an important meeting with General Director of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the organization's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on the afternoon of September 8, 2025, sending a strong message affirming Vietnam's steadfast support and positive contributions to the multilateral trade system.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan shared updated information on Vietnam's commitments and actions, demonstrating his role as an active and responsible WTO member.
One of the important highlights is that Vietnam has completed the procedures for ratifying the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement (phase 1). Vietnam is one of three important WTO members that will help officially take effect this Agreement on September 15, 2025. This is a meaningful step forward, not only contributing to protecting global aquatic resources but also affirming Vietnam's commitment to sustainable development in trade.
In addition, Vietnam is also taking proactive steps in participating in other important initiatives at WTO. The Vietnamese Government has officially approved the participation in the Interim Inter-Parties Inter-Parent Arbitration Agreement (MPIA), a flexible mechanism to maintain and promote WTO dispute resolution activities in the context of complicated reform negotiations on dispute resolution.
For the e-commerce initiative, Vietnam is in the process of completing domestic procedures to participate soon, opening up opportunities for businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, to access international markets.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan emphasized that Vietnam comprehensively supports the WTO reform process to improve the functions of the organization, especially the early restoration of the full mechanism for dispute resolution.
Vietnam highly appreciated the results achieved at the 13th Ministers' Conference (MC13) and pledged to actively cooperate with other WTO members to prepare for the 14th Ministers' Conference (MC14) scheduled to take place in Cameroon from March 26-29, 2026, towards substantial results.
General Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala expressed his joy and appreciated Vietnam's substantial contributions to the common activities of the WTO. She welcomed the completion of Vietnam's ratification of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement and will honor Vietnam at the World Trade Council meeting on September 15, 2025 as an event marking the entry into force of the Agreement.
Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also acknowledged Vietnam's initiative when the Prime Minister approved the participation in MPIA, considering this a "hot" news and a very positive step for Vietnam.
She said that the Vietnamese economy is continuing to function well, despite the context of trade tensions, and is an example of dynamism in the multilateral trading system. She also expressed her appreciation for the Vietnamese delegation in Geneva for their efforts and effective contributions in the past.
Ms. Ngozi also expressed interest in talks on countervailing tariffs between the United States and countries, including Vietnam, due to the impact of this issue on the foundational principles of the WTO. She hopes that Vietnam will continue to share information and express a strong stance in supporting the multilateral trade system.
In response, the Deputy Minister thanked the General Director for his attention and shared Vietnam's consistent stance on respecting the WTO, ensuring that the negotiation process does not affect the interests of other members and is in accordance with WTO regulations, including transparent notification to the organization.
The Deputy Minister also shared information about the particularly important activities that Vietnam is preparing for next year, including actively preparing for the 3rd Trade Policy Review (TPR) Session, scheduled to take place in November 2026. This is an important mechanism for WTO members to better understand each other's trade policies.
