New Zealand trade minister to attend WTO Ministerial Conference

New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart Monday for Bali, Indonesia to attend the 9th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference running from Dec. 3-6.

At the Conference, Groser will give his support to final efforts to achieve a package of new trade measures.

"We are close to success on the Bali package and I support all efforts by the director general and the key players to broker the final deal," Groser said in a statement on Monday.

"Although the Doha Round negotiations are not making headway, the success of a smaller package of trade facilitation, agriculture and development, and Least Developed Country issues can help restore confidence in the Geneva negotiating process. That's badly needed if we're to keep alive our hopes of an ultimate Doha Round outcome," he said.

"The continuing importance of the World Trade Organization and its negotiating agenda to New Zealand should not be underestimated, " he added.

Following Bali, Groser will travel to Singapore to attend a ministerial meeting of the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations.