India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called for transparent and inclusive reforms at the World Trade Organisation’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, urging members to ensure that the benefits of innovation and trade are shared equitably.
Speaking during the ministerial discussions, which run from March 26 to 29, Goyal said development must remain “at the core” of the WTO’s reform agenda, anchored in non-discrimination, consensus-based decision-making, and fairness. He cautioned that plurilateral agreements should not impose obligations on non-signatories or undermine existing rights, signalling India’s opposition to the China-backed Investment Facilitation for Development proposal supported by over 120 members.
In a statement shared on social media, Goyal reiterated that reforms to the multilateral trading system should reflect the principles of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” welfare and happiness for all emphasizing equitable access to technology and opportunity among all members.
During a breakout session on March 27, Goyal said consensus remained the WTO’s “non-negotiable bedrock” and called for renewed trust in the institution. He urged members to advance long-pending issues such as a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security, a special safeguard mechanism, and cotton subsidies. He also pressed for restoring the automatic and binding dispute settlement system, noting that the current deadlock in the appellate mechanism had deprived members of effective redress.
On the sidelines of the conference, Goyal met Cameroon’s Prime Minister Dion Ngute Joseph to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation and held talks with ministers from the Netherlands, France, and Ethiopia. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal also met representatives from the United States, the European Union, New Zealand, and others, with discussions covering India’s ongoing trade negotiations with Chile, Peru, and the EU.
MC14 concludes on March 29 with sessions dedicated to dispute settlement, agriculture, investment facilitation, and digital trade.
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