General Council Meeting
December 16-18, 2020
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Statement by India – Delivered by Ambassador & PR to the WTO
Agenda Item 5: ‘Twelfth Session of the Ministerial Conference – Date and Venue’
Thank you, Chair, for your Statement.
- On behalf of India, I will like to offer sincere condolences to the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Our prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved family of departed leader.
- Holding the much delayed 12th Ministerial Conference remains a matter of urgent priority for the WTO Membership. The certainty of schedule for MC12 allows us to work collectively towards implementing a work plan with appropriate markers and ambition for outcomes by then. It will also help mute criticism that the WTO isunable to hold the Ministerial Conference during these critical times.
- My delegation, however, believes that the decision regarding hosting of MC12 should be best left to our host Kazakhstan. We acknowledge Kazakhstan’s continued commitment to host MC12 at Nur Sultan, despite the uncertainty associated with the global Covid-19 pandemic.
- My delegation, therefore, believes that Kazakhstan deserves to take the final call regarding its scheduling and there will be a clarity on the MC12 schedule soon.
- I thank you, Chair.
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