New Delhi: WTO Ministerial Meeting to focus on developing countries; resolve deadlocks

Delegations from Developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are meeting in New Delhi from May 13 to May 14, 2019, to discuss the multilateral trading system, said a government statement. Some of the participating countries are China, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, and more.

Anup Wadhawan, Commerce secretary, addressed the inaugural session by stating that the challenges to the multilateral rules-based trading system include unilateral measures and counter-measures, deadlock in key areas of negotiations, and the impasse in the Appellate Body.

The Appellate Body is a standing body of seven persons that hears appeals from reports issued by panels in disputes brought by WTO members.

Thus, the objectives of the two-day meet are to find a solution to the ongoing impasse in this body, and address issues of importance and priority for developing countries including LDCs in the reform agenda.

Among other objectives are finding a solution to reinvigorate negotiating agenda on issues of critical importance for developing countries, and ensure effective S&D (special and differential treatment) for all developing countries, the commerce ministry said.

Wadhawan continued, “The logjam in the Appellate Body is a serious threat to the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO and the implementation function of the organisation. The fundamentals of the system are being tested through a tide of protectionism around the world vitiating the global economic environment.  The situation does not bode well for developing countries, including the LDCs.”

The government statement said the harm caused by the collapse of the Appellate Body will be felt more in developing countries, including LDCs, who need the protection of the rules-based system more than developed countries.

The statement read: ‘India believes that developing countries need to work together to protect their interests in the WTO negotiations through preservation of the core fundamental principles of the WTO. The two-day meet gives an opportunity to the participating countries of developing a shared WTO reform proposal on issues of priority and interest for developing countries. This will help in building a common narrative on issues of importance for Developing Countries including LDCs.’

(Source: PIB)

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