NEW DELHI: In an effort to augment inter-regional trade, the Indian Chair of the World Trade Organization Chairs Programme (WTO-WCP) hosted a meeting of Asian and African Chairs on the theme ‘Fostering Resilient and Responsible Trade for Changing Global Order.’
India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced today that the meeting explored the necessity of aligning regional and multilateral trade strategies for coherent global norms.
It underscored the ‘critical need for robust climate action that accommodates the unique challenges faced by developing countries.’
The meeting stressed the importance of addressing barriers to trade using digital tools to ensure inclusivity and equal opportunities for all nations and stakeholders in international trade, the press release said.
The WTO’s Deputy Director General, Xiangchen Zhang, India’s Permanent Representative to the WTO, Senthil Pandian and several of his Asian and European counterparts attended the meeting.
The Indian Chair of WTO-WCP is Rakesh Mohan
Joshi, who is also Vice Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry here.
The IIFT, along with the Centre for Trade and Investment Law and the Centre for WTO Studies administers the Indian Chair of WTO-WCP.
The Ministry said the meeting ‘provided an opportunity for WTO chairholders, scholars, trade experts and policymakers from across Asia and Africa to discuss ways and means of fostering resilient and responsible trade in a dynamic global economy.’
Its thematic sessions dealt with regional aspects in international trade law, green industrial policies, critical minerals for a clean energy future, the WTO dispute settlement system and sustainable climate actions, the press release said.
Source: Emirates News Agency
