The World Trade Organization opened a high-level ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi on Monday, with calls for consensus.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Abu Dhabi meet, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on trade ministers “to reach consensus on MC13 decisions” this week.
Okonjo-Iweala noted that; “Looking around, uncertainty and instability are everywhere,” the WTO chief said, adding that the world is in an “even tougher place today” compared to two years ago when WTO trade ministers last met.
“Amid growing economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, we must collectively ensure that the WTO is fit to respond to the challenges of today,” she added.
The WTO’s 13th ministerial conference (MC13), scheduled to run until Thursday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the first in two years.
WTO is hoping for progress, particularly in fishing, agriculture, and electronic commerce.
