WTO Mini-ministerial Meeting of developing Countries

As an outcome of the WTO Ministerial Meeting of Developing Countries organized in New Delhi on the 13th and 14th of May, a joint declaration was issued yesterday by 17 countries including India and China on working collectively to strengthen the WTO for promoting development and inclusivity. Among the 24 invited countries, 22 participated and 17 countries signed a joint declaration issued after the meet. The remaining five countries – Turkey, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Brazil and Guatemala – did not sign the declaration for technical or other undisclosed reasons.

By way of the Joint Declaration, countries agreed to consult on various issues of common interest to developing Members, including comprehensive and effective disciplines on fisheries subsidies with appropriate and effective Special & Differential Treatment provisions, imbalances and inequities created by the Agreement on Agriculture for developing Members. WTO members were also urged to expedite the process of accession of new Members since the ongoing impasse weakens the dispute settlement system and threatens to completely paralyze it by December 2019.

Click here to read the press release.