UAE Economy and Planning Minister Shaikha Lubna Al Qassimi has urged the World Trade Organisation to help remove duties from primary aluminium, saying the move would help both developed and developing nations.

“It is a win-win proposal. Duty-free raw materials are essential for the competitiveness of developed countries’ manufacturing businesses, while the same materials are strategic exports for several developing nations,” the UAE news agency Wam quoted the minister as saying.
“This initiative is in the interest of developed and developing nations who are members of the WTO,” Shaikha Lubna told a ministerial WTO conference in Hong Kong.
“For the UAE the elimination of all duties on primary aluminium constitutes a strategic objective,” the news agency said.