The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, met in Bogotá with the general director of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, with whom he discussed issues such as the adaptation of trade regulations to the fight against the climate crisis and the national production of medicines, among others.
(The EU beats Colombia in a trade conflict over French fries).
Okonjo-Iweala, who is visiting Colombia, also met with Vice President Francia Márquez; the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña, and visited Buenaventura.
The head of state said on social networks that with Okonjo-Iweala “We discussed the relevance of adapting trade rules to the fight against climate change, food sovereignty, the national production of medicines and the world fishing treaty.”
Hours before, the official met with Minister Umaña with whom she discussed foreign trade and the search for balance in international relations.
Umaña reiterated that Colombia is a country that promotes multilateralism and, in this sense, He expressed the country’s backing and support for the efforts promoted by the official.
The Nigerian noted that the objective of her visit is to promote the WTO agenda mainly on issues related to sustainable development, inclusion of the vulnerable population and women in world trade.
(World trade growth would fall to 1% in 2023).
Meanwhile, Minister Umaña expressed Colombia’s concerns on issues such as the reactivation of the WTO dispute settlement system, whose paralysis has benefited only a few countries.
He also raised the need to curb the enormous subsidies granted by developed countries to their agricultural, industrial and service sectors, affecting the trade of developing countries.
Later, he expressed the concern that assists the government in the face of the so-called “Green Deal”of the European Union, which will affect the export of agricultural goods from developing countries, including Colombia.
The director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In Buenaventura, Okonjo-Iweala accompanied Vice President Márquez, in activities that seek to strengthen trade relations between Colombia and the world.
“We have a responsibility and it is to achieve equality and equity in this country, which involves the economic autonomy of women. Sexual violence, gender-based violence in our country is very strong, but I believe that if a woman achieves her economic independence is less exposed”said Marquez.
(World trade is at risk of stagnating.)
The director of the WTO highlighted wealth, creativity and effort from several of the companies he met during the day.
He recalled that the WTO has a department that works with women entrepreneurs to solve supply problems, so “We can support them in credit matters, we will not give them directly, but we will support them so that they can connect with entities that can give them credit, and likewise facilitate their access to certain markets.”
EFE
