Vanuatu in South Pacific to Joint WTO on 24 August

Vanuatu will join the WTO as a full-fledged member on 24 August 2012, becoming the 157th member of the WTO.

“In 30 days, Vanuatu will take a seat at the WTO family table. Its WTO membership will facilitate Vanuatu’s integration in the global economy. This is crucial for a least-developed country such as Vanuatu, since trade can be an engine for growth and poverty reduction. Vanuatu will benefit from a predictable and stable basis for development,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy.

Five other Pacific Island countries — Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa, which acceded on 10 May 2012 — are already WTO members.