Pakistan is playing a key role in forging a crucial consensus on agriculture and organizational reforms at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization, with Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani leading in-depth discussions in Cameroon.
It was officially reported today that as Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Kayani has been at the forefront of efforts to guide WTO members towards unified outcomes. He stressed the need to send a positive signal to farmers globally who rely on the WTO for predictability and fairness in agricultural trade and food security.
To build support for a consensus declaration, the minister has conducted extensive bilateral discussions on the conference sidelines. High-level talks were held with ministers from the United Kingdom, Turkiye, Japan, and the Cotton-4 member states.
Further engagements involved senior officials from the United States, Brazil, China, the European Union, Canada, Argentina, Mozambique, and the host nation, Cameroon.
Beyond agriculture, the Pakistani delegation has actively shaped multilateral discussions on broader WTO reform. In breakout sessions, Mr Kayani represented Pakistan”s position on foundational issues, decision-making, and development, advocating for a strengthened, rule-based system built on trust and transparency.
In a late-night plenary session, the minister also presented Pakistan’s perspective on a Facilitator’s report, a move aimed at protecting the nation”s vital trade interests within the proposed reform framework.
The concerted efforts of Minister Kayani and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the WTO, Ali Sarfraz Hussain, have drawn praise from international counterparts, who commended their work in developing convergences on the draft text. The Pakistani delegation is scheduled to continue its participation through Sunday.