Trade ministers from 47 countries, including India, China and several African nations, have asked the WTO members to redouble efforts to conclude pending issues of the long-stalled Doha Round. On the first day of the WTO ministerial meeting in Nairobi, the 47 nations said, they recognise that a comprehensive conclusion of the Doha Developmental Agenda with economically meaningful and balanced outcomes will provide impetus to global trade liberalisation and facilitation.<br/><br/>The statement assumes significance as developed countries have stated that they do not want to move ahead with the Doha Round, negotiations which started in 2001.<br/><br/>Besides India and China, the statement was signed by trade ministers of South Africa, Venezuela, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco and Zambia, among others.<br/><br/>Backed by several developing countries, India is strongly pitching for finding a permanent solution to the food security issue and a mechanism to protect poor farmers from surge in imports at the WTO meeting of 162 trade ministers, which kick started yesterday.<br/><br/>Speaking at the opening session of the WTO meeting, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasised on the importance of the pending issues of the Doha Round. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Kenyan President statement has given a very powerful opening to the meeting.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, supporting India and other nations' demand for a permanent solution on food security at the WTO, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food Hilal Elver said public stockholding programme is the first line of defense against price shocks in the developing world.

Trade ministers from 47 countries, including India, China and several African nations, have asked the WTO members to redouble efforts to conclude pending issues of the long-stalled Doha Round. On the first day of the WTO ministerial meeting in Nairobi, the 47 nations said, they recognise that a comprehensive conclusion of the Doha Developmental Agenda with economically meaningful and balanced outcomes will provide impetus to global trade liberalisation and facilitation.<br/><br/> The statement assumes significance as developed countries have stated that they do not want to move ahead with the Doha Round, negotiations which started in 2001.<br/><br/> Besides India and China, the statement was signed by trade ministers of South Africa, Venezuela, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco and Zambia, among others.<br/> Backed by several developing countries, India is strongly<br/>pitching for finding a permanent solution to the food security issue and a mechanism to protect poor farmers from surge in imports at the WTO meeting of 162 trade ministers, which kick started yesterday.<br/><br/> Speaking at the opening session of the WTO meeting, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasised on the importance of the pending issues of the Doha Round. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Kenyan President statement has given a very powerful opening to the meeting.<br/>Meanwhile, supporting India and other nations' demand for a permanent solution on food security at the WTO, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food Hilal Elver said public stockholding programme is the first line of defense against price shocks in the developing world.