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TWN
Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Mar26/23) Geneva, 19 Mar (D. Ravi Kanth) — The World Trade Organization’s Director-General on 18 March is understood to have suggested at a town hall meeting that she is not unduly concerned about the lack of progress on any of the issues contained in the Yaounde package for the WTO’s upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), nor on the absence of several trade ministers at the conference, said people familiar with the development. On a seemingly aggressive note, the DG, Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, apparently told her staff that if they are unhappy with the facilities in Yaounde, Cameroon, they should return, pointing out that there are more staff members who will be sent to monitor the arrangements, said people who requested anonymity. With MC14 set to get underway in Yaounde in just seven days, the DG wants only willing staff members to travel there, saying that it is a very high-pressure event, said people familiar with her comments. Ms. Okonjo-Iweala apparently said that she has seen very high-quality hotels where there will always be some leakage or other problems, telling her staff not to complain about these issues, said people familiar with the development. She also said some trade ministers will not be attending the Yaounde ministerial meeting, without elaborating on how many ministers will be unable to attend the conference, said people familiar with the development. Except for the reform proposals, there is nothing else at MC14, said a trade envoy who requested anonymity. It appears that the African Group on 18 March submitted all its old proposals, the trade envoy said. +
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