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With less than 6 weeks to go, preparations for the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference are entering their final phase. Both the Secretariat and the Qatari Authorities are dedicated to ensure a successful conference which became apparent again during a recent visit to Geneva of the Qatar Minister of Finance, Economy and Commerce, H.E. Sheikh Youssef Hussein Kamal.

Further to his efforts to meet and exchange views with NGOs, the Director-General has used this opportunity to organize an informal gathering between the minister and several NGO representatives on Wednesday 26 September. The meeting allowed participants to discuss with Minister Kamal, who will be the host government chairman of the conference, matters related to NGO presence, activities and facilities in Doha. Many expressed appreciation to the minister for his willingness to meet with them and used the opportunity to seek further clarification of the available facilities and arrangements for NGOs in Doha. Both the minister and the Director-General re-iterated earlier assurances that NGOs attending Doha will receive all the necessary support for their activities. In this respect, NGOs were asked to keep the Secretariat and the Qatari authorities informed about their intentions. This would allow for better assistance and efficient preparations.