Pakistan pushes WTO reforms at MC14

Pakistan's delegation, led by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, participated in multilateral discussions and reform sessions at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Yaounde, Cameroon.

According to a statement issued on Saturday, Kayani presented Pakistan's position during WTO reform breakout sessions covering foundational issues, decision-making, development and a level playing field. He stressed the need to strengthen a rule-based global trading system through inclusivity, flexibility, transparency and trust-building to address emerging challenges.

He also addressed a late-night plenary session on WTO reform, outlining Pakistan's stance on the Facilitator's report and safeguarding the country's vital trade interests. Other members echoed similar concerns during the session.

Serving as Minister-Facilitator for Agriculture at the conference, Kayani held bilateral meetings on the sidelines with ministers and senior officials from the United Kingdom, Turkiye, Japan and Cotton-4 countries, along with representatives from the United States, Brazil, China, the European Union, Cameroon, Mozambique, Canada and Argentina.

During these engagements, he emphasised cooperation to send a positive signal to farmers and growers of member states seeking predictability and fairness in agricultural trade, production, and food and livelihood security. He also acknowledged the constructive engagement of counterparts in building convergence on the draft outcome and encouraging broader support among members.