The World Trade Organization ministers reach historic agreements on response to fishing subsidies, food insecurity and Covid-19 vaccines in a landmark bundle of agreements secured through hectic round-the-clock talks.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on member nations to go the extra mile to find convergence on the various issues at stake at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) and to be mindful that time is running out to conclude meaningful agreements.
At one stage, a series of demands from India, which sees itself as the champion of poor farmers and fishermen as well as developing countries, appeared set to paralyse talks but accommodations were found.
The biennial Ministerial Conference of the WTO will be held later this month. The meet will see the trade ministers of all member-nations converging to hash out the nuts and bolts of the global trade ecosystem.