Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the importance of consensus-based decision-making and addressing structural imbalances in global trade during discussions at the 14th Ministerial Conference in Cameroon. Goyal, leading the Indian delegation, emphasized that consensus is crucial for the WTO’s legitimacy and warned against undermining members’ sovereign rights.
He also stressed the need to rebuild trust among WTO members to overcome current challenges and called for a thorough assessment of the underlying causes. India emphasized the importance of transparent, inclusive, and member-driven discussions to maintain the strength of the multilateral trading system.
India underlined the necessity of addressing asymmetries originating from past agreements like the Uruguay Round and focusing on unresolved issues such as food security, public stockholding, special safeguard mechanism, and cotton before introducing new topics. The country raised concerns about the dysfunction of the WTO’s dispute settlement system, emphasizing the significance of effective adjudication for enforcing rules without disproportionately affecting smaller economies.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, speaking on WTO Reform and Transparency at the Ministerial Plenary Session, reiterated India’s backing for a time-bound restart of reform efforts with clear milestones based on evidence and member engagement. Additionally, Minister Goyal engaged in bilateral meetings with counterparts from several countries to discuss the MC14 agenda and enhance bilateral trade relations.
The 14th Ministerial Conference, which commenced on March 26, is scheduled to conclude on March 29.
