Vietnam supports an open, transparent, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO playing a central role.

On the morning of May 18, at the Ministry's headquarters, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had a working session with WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala within the framework of the Director General's working visit to Vietnam from May 17-19.

Ngày 18/5/2023, Bộ trưởng Ngoại giao Bùi Thanh Sơn và Phu nhân gặp mặt Phu nhân Bộ trưởng Ngoại giao Lào. (Ảnh: Tuấn Anh)

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son receives WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

At the meeting, the Director General highly appreciated Vietnam's active role at the WTO, including participating in important negotiation rounds and contributing to reforming and improving the effectiveness of WTO operations.

She also highly appreciated Vietnam's impressive socio-economic development achievements in recent times, saying that Vietnam is a good model and hoping that Vietnam will share its experiences with developing countries in economic integration and development.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala shared some of the WTO's cooperation priorities in the coming time, including promoting WTO reform, promptly restoring the full operation of the dispute settlement mechanism, expanding the agenda beyond traditional economic and trade issues, especially e-commerce and investment facilitation, and promoting coordination between the WTO and other international organizations to join hands in responding to global issues such as epidemics, climate change, food security, etc.

The Director General also expressed her hope that Vietnam will actively contribute to these processes, soon ratify the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, towards the success of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference.

Overview of the reception. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Welcoming Ms. Okonjo-Iweala's visit to Vietnam, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son believes that the visit will contribute to strengthening the Vietnam - WTO cooperation relationship.

The Minister affirmed Vietnam's consistent policy of proactively and actively integrating internationally and supporting an open, transparent, fair and rule-based multilateral trading system with the WTO playing a central role.

Minister Bui Thanh Son highly appreciated the leadership role of the Director General in the current important period of the WTO as well as the policy priorities to enhance the role of the WTO in the multilateral trading system, strengthen the connection and coordination between the WTO and other international organizations, promote the WTO reform process and successfully organize the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (June 2022).

The Minister affirmed that as a responsible member of the WTO, Vietnam always strives to promote its proactive and active role in the WTO's cooperation frameworks. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has and will continue to closely coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to promote Vietnam's positive and constructive contributions to the WTO.

The two sides also discussed training cooperation programs and capacity building of the WTO for Vietnamese officials working in foreign affairs, as well as financial and technical support to help Vietnam integrate more deeply and continue to make practical contributions to WTO activities.

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