Kazakh government, WTO sign agreement on holding XII WTO ministerial conference

AKIPRESS.COM - In the framework of the visit of the Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov to Geneva, an Agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the World Trade Organization on the XII WTO Ministerial Conference was signed, the press service of the Prime Minister said.
The conference is scheduled for June 8-11, 2020, in Nur-Sultan.
WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo congratulated Kazakhstan on being elected as chair of the XII Ministerial Conference and reaffirmed the WTO's readiness for close cooperation in preparation for the global event in the field of international trade held by our country.
Minister Sultanov also met with the Ambassadors of key WTO member countries to discuss possible substantive outcomes of the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference. During the meeting, he noted that today the multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges in the form of protectionism and unilateral trade measures. In this regard, the minister called on the countries to work actively together to make important decisions in 2020 in Nur-Sultan, which will allow the WTO to fully meet current challenges and needs.
It is expected that the main negotiating areas on the agenda of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference will be the reform of the WTO, new global rules in the field of regulation of services, investment promotion and electronic commerce, as well as negotiations on fisheries subsidies.
Kazakhstan is a supporter of the idea of ​​reforming the WTO and adheres to the position that the reforms should provide uniform competitive conditions for international trade for all WTO member countries.