Kyrgyzstan takes part in meeting of heads of delegations of WTO member countries online

Bishkek, Apr. 21, 2020 / Kabar /. Kyrgyzstan took part in a meeting of heads of delegations of WTO member countries, organized in virtual mode through an online platform, the press service of the Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. During the meeting, WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo presented a general picture of current trends in world trade amid the negative economic consequences of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the WTO director general said that world trade relations were severely disrupted due to a sharp aggravation of the incidence rate worldwide. According to Azevedo, WTO economists estimate that in 2020 world trade will sharply decline in every continent of the world, covering almost all sectors of the economy. WTO experts estimate that according to the optimistic scenario, the volume of world trade will decrease by 13% compared to 2019. According to the pessimistic scenario, world trade will fall by 32% compared to 2019. Further, representatives of 54 countries took the floor, sharing their views on the current difficulties in the global economy due to the disease. They pointed out the importance of the WTO platform for solving joint tasks, and also noted the need for joint efforts to smooth out the economic consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Some countries emphasized that a pandemic should not be the cause of trade barriers. The representative of Kyrgyzstan speaking at the meeting noted that the COVID-19 pandemic poses a very serious and widespread threat not only to the life and health status of people around the world, but also has a significant negative impact on the economies of the world, and the Kyrgyz Republic is no exception. Thus, the opinion was voiced that the crisis can be overcome by the efforts of governments, including through joint coordinated interaction and mutual assistance between countries at the global level. Thus, the representative of the Kyrgyz Republic emphasized that today, more than ever, international trade, as well as the effective WTO rules governing it, based on the principles of transparency and openness, should play a key role in minimizing the destructive consequences of the crisis in world trade, which the world is currently facing. Members of the WTO today must maximally show greater transparency and the spirit of mutual cooperation as never before, especially in the field of trade in food products and medicines in these difficult times. In this regard, the Kyrgyz Republic advocated that even in the mode of self-isolation of mission employees at the WTO in Geneva, the work of the WTO platform should be as active as the technical capabilities of remote communications allow and speak out positively regarding the continuation of informal discussions in a virtual format.