Amidst the significant and unprecedented challenges faced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in its 26-year history, Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade and Industry, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali strongly reaffirmed Malaysia’s continued and unwavering support to the rules-based multilateral trading system, upholding the principles of transparency and non- discrimination which are the bedrock of WTO.
Representing Malaysia at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, the Senior Minister underscored that multilateral cooperation is the key to overcoming global challenges and the rise of protectionism, and that all Members must work closely together to ensure WTO remains relevant and effective.
“With the COVID-19 still hovering over the world, a protectionist global trade environment is detrimental to the prosperity of the world economy, especially to developing countries, what more the Least Developed Countries”, he said, urging WTO Members to reject protectionism and focus on multilateral cooperation to address the challenges.
Dato’ Seri Azmin also expressed Malaysia’s support for the Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Preparedness for Future Pandemics, emphasising that all WTO Members must come together and act in one voice for the lifting of the restrictions and limitations in the implementation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), in addition to trade facilitative measures, to ensure equitable and swift distribution of vaccines and therapeutics to save human lives.
On the WTO’s role in addressing global food crisis, Dato’ Seri Azmin called on WTO Members to “make concrete progress towards achieving a fair and market- oriented agricultural trading system, with the ultimate aim of ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition,” stressing that any emergency measures to address national food security concerns should be temporary, targeted, proportionate and are not trade distorting. “Disguising protectionism as national security concerns must be avoided at all costs”, he added. In this vein, Dato’ Seri Azmin affirmed Malaysia’s support for the draft WTO Declaration on Trade and Food Security, as well as the draft WTO Decision on World Food Programme Food Purchases Exemption from Export Prohibitions or Restrictions for non-commercial humanitarian purposes.
At the sidelines of MC12, the Senior Minister had the opportunity to pay courtesy calls on H.E. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the WTO and the Chairperson of MC12, H.E. Timur Suleimenov, the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of Kazakhstan. Dato’ Seri Azmin exchanged views on a varied spectrum of issues, most notably his aspirations for the successful outcome of MC12, which is critical to send a signal that multilateral trading system remains relevant and is here to stay.
He also highlighted the need for the WTO to focus on non-traditional issues, particularly those related to trade, labour and the environment. While Malaysia recognises that these matters are overseen by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other Multilateral Environment Agreements, the WTO has an important role to play considering that trade policies are powerful tools to influence greater adherence to labour and environmental standards for global prosperity.
In this regard, the recent ratification of the ILO Forced Labour Convention, known as Protocol 29 (P29), and proactive actions by way of enhanced domestic statutory and enforcement measures to ensure compliance with international labour laws and regulations point to Malaysia’s determination to advance conducive practices for the overall well-being of workers.
Taking the opportunity, the Senior Minister renewed Malaysia’s pledge to continue to play an active role and contribute positively at the WTO, upholding the multilateral trading system.
