The federal government has joined other countries to adopt the 10 ministerial resolutions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on food security, e-commerce among others.
Trade ministers from member countries adopted these at the 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, which ended at the weekend.
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Speaking, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum, who led the Nigerian delegation, said it was important for Nigeria to synergise with other countries of the world to promote economic prosperity.
She also reiterated Nigeria’s position on agricultural trade reform, especially with respect to the key areas of domestic support, market access, Public Stock Holding (PSH) for food security and the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) for developing countries.
She called on trade ministers “to develop an institutional framework that would foster discussions towards the delivery of outcomes that would address the needs of members while adhering to WTO principles of transparency, inclusiveness, fairness and equity within the balance of the rights and obligations of all members under the covered agreements.”
She also stated that the resolutions adopted include a 20-year agreement on fisheries subsidies, trips agreement, emergency waiver response to food insecurity, world food programme, food purchases exemption from export prohibitions or restriction, WTO response to the COVID-19 pandemic and preparedness for future pandemics.
The minister said the federal government adopted decisions such as a work programme on electronic commerce, e-commerce moratorium, confab outcome document, decisions on trips non-violation and situation complaints, among others.