Director General of The World Health Organization Roberto Azevêdo has met with Trade Ministers from Commonwealth countries Singapore and Nigeria to discuss strengthening trade systems and promoting the role of trade and investment in sustainable development
Director General of The World Trade Organization Roberto Azevêdo has met with Trade Ministers from Commonwealth countries Singapore and Nigeria to discuss strengthening trade systems and promoting the role of trade and investment in sustainable development.
Azevêdo met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang on November 7, 2017.
Azevedo said in a statement that engagement shown by Singapore with its private sector was important in helping identify best practices to facilitate trade and increase trading system participation, as well as informing discussion at the World Trade Organisation.
It follows a visit the week before to another Commonwealth country, Nigeria, on November 2, 2017, where Azevêdo promoted the role of trade and investment in ensuring sustainable development. In a speech to the High-Level Forum on Facilitating Trade and Investment for Development in Abuja on November 2, 2017, the Director General said trade and investment were fundamental in helping countries to integrate into the global economy and encouraged African countries to share ideas and tools for enabling stronger national and global growth and more sustainable development.
Following his meeting with Singapore Ministers and trade representatives, the Director-General said: “Singapore is a very active member of the WTO.
“It is a founding member of the organization, and remains an outstanding champion of the multilateral trading system.
“This is very important, especially at this juncture, just a few weeks away from our 11th Ministerial Conference.
“I count on Singapore's support to help deliver a successful MC11 and strengthen the trading system for the future.
