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Minister Buda at WTO Conference: Russia is the sole culprit behind the current threat to global food security

16.06.2022

Food insecurity due to Russia's military attack on Ukraine and the strengthening of the World Trade Organization's role as a guarantor of the international trade system were among the key issues of the WTO's 12th Conference held in Geneva. Minister of Economic Development and Technology Waldemar Buda participated on Wednesday in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), which accompanied the WTO Conference.

Minister of economic development and technology Waldemar Buda said during deliberations at the WTO's 12th Conference

The WTO's Ministerial Conference (MC12) was held from 12 to 16 June. This is the most important body of the WTO that meets to take directional decisions on the functioning of the global trading system. The main task of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting (FAC Trade) was to adopt the final provisions of the WTO Conference.

Russia is the sole culprit behind the current threat to global food security. Unless Russian troops are immediately withdrawn from Ukraine, food crises will have a lasting effect

– emphasised minister of economic development and technology Waldemar Buda during the Geneva talks.

The head of the ministry of economic development and technology pointed out that blocked transport infrastructure needed to export food and agricultural products from Ukraine is one of the reasons for the current problems in the international food supply chain.

We call on you to ensure food supplies for the countries most affected by supply disruptions from Ukraine and Russia and to refrain from imposing restrictions on grain exports

– minister Waldemar Buda said during deliberations at the WTO's 12th Conference. He declared that Poland was ready to help Ukraine export grain to end consumers.

WTO's 12th Conference: Reform of the WTO and its role in stabilising global trade

Topics of discussion at the WTO's 12th Conference included WTO reforms, the Organisation's response to the pandemic and the use of patents for COVID-19 vaccines, issues of fisheries subsidies, public stocks in agriculture and sustainable development.

The Minister of Economic Development and Technology pointed out that Poland is in favour of strengthening the role of the World Trade Organisation.

In view of the war in Ukraine, strengthening the role of the WTO as a guarantor of a stable international trading system should be a priority. We should counteract the weakening of the role of this institution

– minister Buda said.

The role of the WTO in liberalising international trade

Poland was one of the founding countries of the WTO and has been in the organisation since 1995. There are 164 WTO members, while 23 countries are negotiating membership terms (Belarus' accession talks have been suspended due to its stance over Russia's military aggression against Ukraine). The main task of the WTO is to liberalise international trade in goods and services, pursue trade-enhancing investment policies, settle trade disputes and respect intellectual property rights.

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