The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged members of the global trade body to adopt a spirit of compromise and engage in genuine negotiation to overcome differences and reach agreements on several critical issues.
She was speaking the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) preparatory to a General Council meeting scheduled for July 22nd and 23rd.
As Chair of the TNC, Okonjo-Iweala also emphasized to them the need to move from reflection and brainstorming to action.
“Now is the time to walk the talk and move from reflection and brainstorming to action. To not only take but also be prepared to give. To compromise, be flexible and open-minded. To reach out to others, to understand their concerns, and to find mutually agreeable ways forward.
“There is engagement, but engagement is not necessarily negotiation,” she added.
She also reiterated the importance of remaining faithful to the organization’s negotiating DNA, a critical factor in the WTO’s ability to stay resilient and responsive in a changing world.
Before the Director-General’s speech, members of the TNC meeting heard reports from the chairs of negotiations on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, agriculture, development, and fisheries.
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