Piyush Goyal Advocates for Fair Trade Practices at WTO Conference

Piyush Goyal's Call for Equitable Trade

New Delhi: Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, has stressed the necessity for World Trade Organization (WTO) discussions to tackle the imbalances stemming from the Uruguay Round. He highlighted the need for all member nations to have equal chances to enhance their productive capabilities, generate jobs, and engage effectively in international trade.

Goyal asserted that the multilateral trading framework should guarantee that innovation, development, and opportunities are distributed fairly among all members. He reiterated India's dedication to actively participate in ensuring that the WTO remains pivotal in global trade.

Currently attending the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon, Goyal has also engaged with various global leaders during the conference, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

He mentioned, "We discussed the WTOMC14 agenda, the next steps in the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations, and ways to enhance our economic collaboration and trade relations."

Additionally, Goyal met with Canada's International Trade Minister, Maninder Sidhu, to assess the progress of the recently initiated India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations and to identify opportunities for strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties.

In discussions with Todd McClay, New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment, they reviewed the MC14 agenda's progress and the ongoing efforts towards finalizing the recently established India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"We also explored avenues to boost bilateral trade and investment while enhancing cooperation in key sectors of mutual interest," Goyal added.

Furthermore, he met with Omar Hejira, Morocco's Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, to reaffirm their historical partnership and discuss ways to bolster trade and investment cooperation.

Goyal also had discussions with Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.