Trade: Morocco calls in Geneva for dynamic relaunch of south-south cooperation through GSTP

Morocco chaired In Geneva on Thursday the 33rd session of the Committee of Participants of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP),held at a pivotal moment,and comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in global trade.

Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva,Omar Zniber,called for an ambitious relaunch of South-South cooperation at a time the rules-based multilateral trading system faces increasing unilateral measures and a loss of predictability.

“Unpredictability undermines the proper functioning of international trade,” the diplomat stressed in his opening remarks,recalling that “the multilateral system is today under severe strain.”

He invited participating countries to deepen their reflection on the future of the GSTP in preparation for the ministerial meeting scheduled to take place next month in Geneva,on the sidelines of the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The Moroccan delegation,composed of representatives from the Kingdom’s Permanent Mission in Geneva and the Ministry of Industry and Trade,reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to fostering more balanced and solidaristic trade among developing countries.

The delegation underscored that the GSTP is a strategic tool to strengthen regional integration,boost South-South trade,enhance collective economic resilience,and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals,particularly Goal 17 on Partnerships for Development.

Morocco highlighted four priorities for this relaunch: strengthening shared capacities to face global challenges,consolidating regional exchange mechanisms,improving transparency and trade stability among Southern countries,and embedding the GSTP within a complementary and sustainable multilateral framework.

The Kingdom is pursuing an active policy in favor of South-South cooperation,backed by the growing involvement of the private sector and the expansion of its logistical infrastructure (ports,railways,and roads,) which positions Morocco as a strategic platform for trade within the Global South,the delegation emphasized.

The meeting provided an opportunity for participating countries to jointly reflect on concrete mechanisms to transform the GSTP into a genuine driver of economic transformation in the Global South.

As chair of the Committee for the 2025–2026 term,Morocco called for the upcoming ministerial meeting to be a decisive moment to reaffirm political commitment in support of South-South trade.

The GSTP,which entered into force on April 19,1989,brings together 42 members,including Morocco,Argentina,Brazil,Egypt,India,Indonesia,Pakistan,Malaysia,and Thailand. It is the only interregional agreement based on the WTO’s Enabling Clause and administered by UNCTAD. It aims to promote fairer trade among developing countries through tariff concessions,sectoral cooperation,and trade facilitation.