[03/February/2010]

SANA'A, Feb. 03 (Saba)- Minister of Industry and Trade Yahya al-Mutawakil announced on Wednesday the signing of a bilateral agreement with Canada for Yemen to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The signing of the agreement came following a three-year negotiation to be set the fourth one beside the European Union, China, and Australia within the framework of Yemen bilateral negotiations to finalize accession requirements.

The agreement, singed Wednesday in Geneva, includes tables of commitments setting ceilings of customs tariffs of goods items which negotiations revolved over within the commercial ties between the two countries.

The agreement was signed by Yemen ambassador to the European Headquarters of the UN Organizations Ibrahim al-Adoufi and the Canadian ambassador to the WTO John Gero.

The minister considered this signed agreement an important addition to obtain the full membership of the WTO end of the current year.

AM/AM