Minister Cardona attends the 6th Annual Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting

Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses Chris Cardona attended the Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting in London. The highlevel event brought together trade ministers from 53 Commonwealth countries to discuss major trade issues, with a special focus on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.

This flagship initiative, launched at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, aims to boost intra-Commonwealth trade to $2trn by 2030, by strengthening five key areas of connectivity: digital, physical, regulatory, supply side and business-to-business connectivity.

During the meeting, ministers reviewed the progress achieved to date and decided on tangible and effective actions to implement in the lead up to the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in June 2020 in Rwanda.

Ministers also took stock of the state of the multilateral trading system leading up to the World Trade Organisation’s 12th Ministerial Conference. Notwithstanding the diverse economic interests represented during the meeting, all representatives agreed that the Commonwealth can play an increasingly strategic role as a champion of free trade, advocating for a transparent, inclusive, fair and open rulesbased multilateral trading system.

In his statement, Minister Cardona said that countries should consider building on the distinctive nature of Commonwealth connection and cooperation to tackle the pressures on international trade. “The challenges may seem daunting, but our governments know that through coordination and with the right policies in place the prizes can be brought within reach. Collective strategic action can unlock promising opportunities for all members of our diverse and geographically widespread family of 53 Commonwealth countries.”