The Vietnamese delegation at the conference (Source: VNA) Buenos Aires (VNA) – The 11th World TradeOrganisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina onDecember 10 with the participation of more than 400 delegates from 164 membercountries.
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Industry andTrade Tran Quoc Khanh, and joined by Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, Head of theVietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisationsin Geneva, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Dang Xuan Dung.
Opening the event, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo lauded thecontributions of member countries in facilitating global trade, especiallyamidst the global economic crisis.
He affirmed the WTO will stick to multilateralism, while calling formembers’ greater flexibility in negotiations for global trade issues.
He also acknowledged there are large differences in negotiations, aswell as the threat of trade protectionism. He stressed the need to improve themultilateral trade system, an important factor for world economic growth andstability.
Azevedo also called for WTO members to strengthen their commitments tothe world trade system, while focusing on developing human resources,protecting the environment and ensuring gender equality and social equality.
At the conference, Argentinean Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie delivered aBuenos Aires Joint Statement, which was signed by 10 countries.
The nearly 180 foreign ministers at the conference will have fourworking days to discuss food security, agriculture development, fisheriessupport, e-commerce and tax on industrial products.
On the sidelines of the event, a number of conferences will also beheld, including a workshop on sustainable trade and development, a businessforum and a WTO parliamentarian conference. The EU and the North Americancommon market (Mercosur) are expected to issue a joint statement on theoutcomes of negotiations for their free trade agreement.-VNA
VNA
