Over the weekend, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, participated in the G7 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Osaka, Japan, the second such meeting this year.
Minister Ng reiterated Canada's support for the trade and investment priorities of Japan's current G7 presidency, including strengthening global economic security and resilience and fostering inclusive and sustainable global prosperity.
Minister Ng and her international counterparts discussed solutions to strengthen global supply chains and build a green and sustainable future at a meeting on supply chain resiliency. She underscored Canada's international leadership in critical minerals, particularly as one of the world's largest producers of minerals and metals to support the transition to clean energy.
Minister Ng and her G7 counterparts also discussed initiatives to address economic coercion and unfair trading practices. She emphasized that Canada will continue to work closely with other like-minded countries to identify and deter economic coercion and to promote a rules-based international order.
At the conclusion of the G7 Trade Ministers' Meeting, Minister Ng, along with other G7 members, endorsed a joint statement on their commitment to maintaining a free and fair trading system based on the rule of law, and to enhance economic resilience and economic security. Members committed to supporting a strong outcome at the upcoming 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, which includes making progress on WTO reform. As the global economic impacts of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine remain significant, Canada and other members reiterated their support for Ukraine's recovery through trade. Minister Ng also highlighted the introduction of new legislation to implement the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Minister Ng held bilateral meetings with Yoko Kamikawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative to discuss shared trade priorities and to highlight Canada's commitment to international rules-based trade. Minister Ng also spoke with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization on WTO reform priorities and Rebecca Miano, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, about the increased engagement between Canada and Kenya over the past year, and Kenya's role in the Ottawa Group on WTO reform.
