Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stressed the importance of pursuing WTO reforms transparently and inclusively at the 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaounde, Cameroon. He highlighted the core principles of non-discrimination, consensus-based decision-making, and equity. Goyal also engaged in discussions with Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute on enhancing India-Cameroon cooperation and key WTO principles.
During the conference, Goyal met with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to address the MC14 agenda and held separate discussions with counterparts from the Netherlands, France, and Ethiopia to assess bilateral trade relations. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal also conducted bilateral meetings with officials from various countries, including Chile, Paraguay, the US, and the European Union parliamentarians.
The 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) commenced on March 26 in Yaounde, chaired by Cameroon’s Trade Minister, and will run until March 29. The event saw the participation of WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and trade ministers from member countries, focusing on the MC14 agenda and opportunities for strengthening bilateral trade ties.
India reiterated its commitment to non-discrimination as a fundamental WTO principle, as outlined in the Marrakesh Agreement. The country emphasized the necessity of a development-centric agenda, including a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security and effective provisions for developing and least developed countries. India also advocated for the restoration of a fully functional dispute settlement mechanism.
