BY VICTORIA ONU, ABUJA
DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that the WTO will work with Nigeria to help deliver support directly with its resources in technical assistance, training and quality upgrade.
She said the Organisation would do this, working with other institutions in unlocking some of the bottlenecks confronting the country.
Okonjo-Iweala, who is in the country on a four-day visit, said the WTO’s role was to support investments and infrastructure through technical assistance.
Noting that the organisation was not a Financial institution, she said “it works with Financial institutions.”
“It is one of the economic institutions that was created with the World Bank and the International Monitory Fund, IMF. These are three powerful institutions that, working together, can deliver a lot,” she said.
The WTO boss expressed hope that Nigeria would take a very active supportive role in helping her deliver on some of the mandates.
“The WTO faces many challenges and also needs its own reforms to deliver results. The organization has not delivered a multilateral round of negotiations in quite a number of years and we have the unique opportunity of delivering the fishery subsidy negotiations.
“The dispute settlement system that is paralyzed, we have to discuss with all members, including the United States, on how to make this work again, because the rules based organisation cannot continue to make rules if the dispute settlement system does not work.”
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, who congratulated Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment, hinted the DG on some of the country’s expectations regarding engagements in the ongoing negotiations and discussions.
Adebayo said, “On the ongoing agriculture negotiation, Nigeria expects balance and equitable outcome that addresses structural causes of food and livelihood insecurity in Net Food Importing Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries.
“On the Fishery Subsidy Negotiations, we look forward to outcomes that result in reduction in over fishing and unsustainable fishing practices with effective differential treatment that allows a sustainable development of developing countries.”
The Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Maryam Katagum, urged the WTO DG not to forget the commitment to sustain and enhance the ongoing dialogue and action on ‘women in trade’, as a firm believer in the power of trade to lift developing countries, including Nigeria, out of poverty.
