Russia expects conference in Abu Dhabi to prove WTO’s viability — Minister

Russia expects that the 13th WTO Ministerial conference will demonstrate the viability of the international regulator, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said in his address to the forum that takes place in Abu Dhabi, Azernews reports, citing TASS.

"I hope that the conference will prove that the WTO is still viable, and will pave a way to our meaningful work after this event. Despite our disagreements, we will all benefit if the WTO will not just work, but work a lot," he said.

The Ministerial conference is the WTO’s supreme managing body, and it usually takes place once in every two years. The 13th forum opened in Abu Dhabi on Monday under the presidency of UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

The participants will focus on discussion of the WTO reform and the perspectives of overcoming the collapse of the Appellate Body. Other agenda points include the extension of a moratorium on application of customs duty to electronic data transmission, the preparation of an agreement on electronic trade and the agreement on streamlining of investments for development, the program of future negotiations on agriculture, and the second agreement on fishery subsidies.