India, known for its strong trade background, is now preeminent in the shaping of WTO negotiations on a possible fishing deal. With the WTO preparing for its February 26-29 ministerial conference in the UAE, the main concern remains how to create a global treaty that will solve issues of overfishing and surplus boat cabins in the coastal industry.
The Geneva discussions have just finished with a draft text on the agenda, which will shape the debates during the next meeting. Yet, against the backdrop of the previous scenario, India’s central role in the negotiations became more apparent. Christine McDaniel, an expert on trade, and a leader of the Future Fisheries Management project at the George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, reiterates that India can play a leading role in the negotiation process.
India, its participation suggests a new and a major transformation, and now India is considered as a developer rather than an obstructor in the trade talks. This development adapts an attitude of optimism towards the possibility of reaching a consensus on crucial problems essential for the durable conservation of the global fisheries resources.
As India is leading the movement, there is a new optimism that India at the head of the agenda will lead to real progress towards a fisheries agreement that will be of benefit to all. This reveals how these challenges need teams to work together to find common solutions and impacts the health of marine ecosystems globally.
source-The Hindu
