WTO Deputy Chief Urges Member States To Engage On Reforms

WTO members need to discuss how they want to reform the trade organization in order to move forward, its deputy director Yonov Frederick Agah said Monday.

SOCHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) WTO members need to discuss how they want to reform the trade organization in order to move forward, its deputy director Yonov Frederick Agah said Monday.

"First and foremost, members need to agree and have a conversation on what constitutes reform. I believe that having this conversation is the most important thing," he said at a panel session of the 15th Valdai Discussion Club in the Russia's Sochi.

Agah added that some WTO nations were already working to contain the growing trade dispute between world powers.

"The disputes are being addressed ... some of the members are undergoing consultations. That limits the blowout of the conflict," he said.

There have been calls in recent years to reform the 164-nation WTO, which has the power to settle international trade disputes. G20 trade ministers agreed in September to speed up the reform after Washington threatened to quit.