Geneva, January 26, 2024 — Cabo Verde, the island nation with a substantial maritime area, has officially joined the global efforts to promote sustainable fisheries by depositing its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Ambassador Clara Manuela da Luz Delgado Jesus presented the instrument to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on January 26.
Expressing her delight, DG Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the crucial role coastal fisheries play in Cabo Verde, constituting the backbone of food security, livelihoods, and the national economy. With 80 percent of the population residing along the coast, the waters are integral to the nation’s well-being. The Director-General looks forward to witnessing the positive impact of the Agreement on Cabo Verde’s coastal communities and hopes more WTO members will follow suit, pushing the Agreement closer to entering into force.
Ambassador Delgado highlighted Cabo Verde’s vested interest in the healthy management of ocean fisheries resources, given its status as an ocean state. The WTO Protocol on Fisheries Subsidies aligns with Cabo Verde’s commitment to reinforcing measures for the protection and preservation of fisheries. Delgado expressed optimism about the Protocol’s contribution to this cause and conveyed Cabo Verde’s instrument of acceptance with hopes for its early entry into force.
With Cabo Verde’s acceptance, the total number of WTO members formally accepting the Agreement reaches 56, representing 51 percent of what is needed for the Agreement to come into effect (two-thirds of the WTO membership).
The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, adopted at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference in June 2022, establishes binding, multilateral rules to address harmful subsidies contributing to the depletion of global fish stocks. Notably, the Agreement prioritizes the needs of developing and least-developed countries, incorporating provisions for technical assistance and capacity building. It explicitly prohibits support for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, bans support for fishing overfished stocks, and ends subsidies for fishing on the unregulated high seas.
In addition to the acceptance milestone, WTO members agreed at MC12 to continue negotiations on outstanding issues. Recommendations for additional provisions that enhance the disciplines of the Agreement are anticipated by MC13, scheduled for February 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Cabo Verde’s commitment marks a significant step toward a more sustainable and responsible approach to global fisheries management.
