The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on India to take the lead among developing nations as talks on WTO reform intensify.
Speaking to reporters in Paris before a key mini-ministerial meeting, she said India’s leadership is crucial for shaping the agenda for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC-14) in Cameroon next year.
“For MC-14, we need India as a leader. India is a leading country and is doing well. So, India needs to open the way for other developing countries,” the WTO DG stated.
She stressed the need to include India’s core concerns, such as agriculture, in the broader reform efforts.
The WTO chief also sought India’s backing for the Investment Facilitation for Development agreement. Ninety of the 126 participating WTO members support the deal.
“We want India to support this because so many developing countries would like to move forward,” she said.
She noted that India’s concerns, particularly on agriculture, deserve attention.
“We need to listen to what India’s issues are and try to be as supportive as we possibly can,” she added.
The Director-General highlighted that the WTO faces unprecedented disruption. However, she described this as an opportunity to implement meaningful WTO reform.
“Most members believe the WTO is a valuable organisation, but it must be repositioned,” she said.
She urged members to table their grievances. “Let developing countries like India, the US, and African nations bring forward what they dislike. Let’s collect those and reform accordingly,” she said.
The 14th Ministerial Conference, to be held from 26–29 March 2026 in Cameroon, will test the WTO’s ability to reconcile differences between developed and developing members.
The WTO chief’s comments came during a mini-ministerial meeting hosted by Australia on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.
Trade ministers from 25 countries, including India, are attending.
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