Piyush Goyal leads Indian delegation at WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon, calls for inclusive reforms
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led the Indian delegation at the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday in Yaounde, Cameroon.
The two-day conference opened with a ceremonial session chaired by Cameroon’s Trade Minister and attended by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, along with trade ministers and senior representatives from member countries. India was represented at the opening session by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal.
During a ministerial discussion on foundational issues of the WTO, Goyal emphasised the need for reforms in the global trade body to be carried out through a transparent, inclusive, and member-driven process, with development at its core. He underlined the importance of upholding the WTO’s key principles, including non-discrimination, consensus-based decision-making, and equity.
On the sidelines of the conference, Goyal met Cameroon’s Prime Minister Dion Ngute Joseph, where the two leaders discussed bilateral and multilateral issues and explored ways to strengthen India–Cameroon cooperation. He also held talks with WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala, focusing on the conference agenda and key trade issues.
In addition, Goyal conducted bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Netherlands, France, and Ethiopia to discuss avenues for enhancing trade relations.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal also engaged in a series of bilateral discussions with representatives from Chile, Paraguay, the United States, Nepal, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, New Zealand, and the European Union. These meetings focused on the WTO agenda as well as opportunities to deepen bilateral trade ties.
Talks with Chile and Peru included updates on ongoing negotiations for free trade agreements, while discussions with the European Union and New Zealand reviewed progress on recently concluded FTA negotiations.
The first day’s proceedings concluded with a ceremonial reception and gala dinner hosted by the Government of Cameroon, marking the beginning of key deliberations at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference.
