India ramped up medical supplies amid COVID, WTO couldn’t respond with alacrity: Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, while speaking at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Sunday said that India ramped up its supplies of medical products to different countries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic but the organisation could not react with alacrity. He said that the pandemic reinforced the importance of 'One Earth One Health' and called for global solidarity and collective action. 

"My country ramped up supplies of medical products to provide medical and health items globally. Unfortunately, the WTO could not respond with alacrity. We have let down the people of the LDCs and developing countries. The rich countries need to introspect! We need to bow our heads in shame for our inability to respond to the pandemic in time," he said. LDCs are least developed countries. 

Goyal is leading the Indian delegation at the Ministerial Conference. The highest decision-making body of the WTO is meeting after a period of over four years. The latest MC is being held amid the Ukraine-Russia war and the global food and energy crisis. 

The minister said that India believes that WTO should not negotiate rules on subjects not related to trade such as climate change and gender, which are under the domain of other inter-governmental organisations. 

He added that the MC must share a strong message that the rich care for the poor. "In conclusion, let me say that when the world is facing severe challenges and expects the WTO to deliver solutions, the MC12 must send a strong message that the rich care for the poor, vulnerable and marginalised people and that we have come together to give them a better future. The WTO should embrace a people-first approach to trade," he added.

Goyal also spoke about the efficacy of food stockholding for the public good. He added that a permanent solution to the issue of public food stocks must be the topmost priority for MC-12 before the members of the WTO move to new areas.

"Nothing is more important than this for the people of the world," he noted.

(With agency inputs)

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