While in Geneva, the Trade Secretary has met with her counterparts from Ukraine, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the EU and Japan…reports Asian Lite News
Freedom and fairness should be front and centre of the global trade agenda to ensure communities at home and around the world benefit from the power of free trade, the International Trade Secretary told the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference (MC12).
Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has also urged united global action to show solidarity with Ukraine, demonstrate Russia’s illegal assault will not undermine or weaken the rules-based international system, and push for reforms that will reduce our economic dependency on aggressors.
“Putin’s brutal war unleashed devastation and disruption on a world already burdened with Covid-19 and facing the omnipresent threat of climate change,” Trevelyan said ahead of the summit.
“The UK will continue to show leadership at this critical and fragile time, when we must defend the values that bind us together. Freedom and fairness are now more important than ever if we wish to use global trade to grow our economies, deliver better living standards for communities at home and abroad, and to address some of the world’s most significant challenges.”
While in Geneva, the Trade Secretary has met with her counterparts from Ukraine, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the EU and Japan.
Trevelyan has been joined by Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the WTO, Simon Manley, at the conference – the first for the UK since it became an independent trading nation.
Minister Jayawardena took part in an event on Sunday and highlighted the UK’s continued support for Ukraine and condemnation of Russia alongside international allies.
“Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion is a threat to democracy and the rules-based order – the foundation of our free, fair and open trading system. The UK will always uphold those values and with our allies, we will protect Ukraine’s democratic right to exist,” Jayawardena said.
“We believe that free, fair and open trade can prevent yet more lives being destroyed through the looming hunger crisis, exacerbated by Putin’s acts and develop a more sustainable, efficient and resilient food system for the future.”
“Together we must redouble our efforts, put our divisions aside and harness the power of free, open and fair trade to tackle our modern-day challenges,” he said.
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