GENEVA,Switzerland:AU-ETTIM Commissioner, H.E. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe commits to support the African Group in Geneva, notably the WTO negotiations

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE

Press Release No: 180/2025                                                Date: 30 October 2025
Venue: Geneva, Switzerland

AU-ETTIM Commissioner, H.E. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe commits to support the African Group in Geneva, notably the WTO negotiations

The Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Mining (ETTIM), H.E. Mrs. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, accompanied by the African Union Geneva Head of the Mission, H.E. Dr. Girma Amente Nono, met with the Ambassador of Mozambique to the United Nations Office in Geneva, and the current Coordinator of the African Group for World Trade Organization (WTO) issues, H.E. Ambassador Geraldo Goncalves Miguel Saranga.

They exchanged on the WTO role in the global system of trade rules, trade negotiations and trade agreements, settlement of trade disputes between its members and the WTO support to the needs of developing countries, to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible, among others.

During the meeting, the Chair of the African Group in Geneva presented the state of play of negotiations at the WTO, as well as the positions of the African Group on critical matters such as agriculture, fisheries, special and differentiated treatment, services and WTO reform. The Ambassador of Mozambique added that the African Group is expecting a package decision that will include positive outcomes for the African Continent during the 16th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He indicated that the African Group would have to be well prepared ahead of the WTO Conference, He welcomed the initiative taken by the African Union Mission in Geneva to organize a workshop on 4th December 2025 that will among others define African expectations for the WTO Ministerial meeting.

The AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Mining thanked the Ambassador Geraldo Saranga of Mozambique for the fruitful meeting and for the efforts of the African Group to ensure that African countries speak with one voice in WTO negotiations. She reiterated her willingness and the availability of her department to work more closely with the African Group in Geneva and to provide African negotiators

with analytical documents to guide them in their decision in WTO negotiations. Commissioner Belobe seized this opportunity to announce that there will be a meeting of the African Ministers of Trade before the WTO Ministerial Meeting which will take strategic decisions.

The AU Geneva Mission is in charge among others to coordinate the activities of African members states in the United Nations in Geneva and in the WTO with the view of ensuring a united front for African countries to speak with one voice during international negotiations and adopt Common African Position (CAP).

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head, Media and Information Division and Communication Adviser of the Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: yamboue@africanunion.org | Tel: +251911361185 / +1 3478127195 (WhatsApp)

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