Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to India’s stand at WTO’s Nairobi ministerial

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet has given its approval to India’s stand at the World Trade Organization’s Nairobi ministerial conference that took place last month.

"The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the approach adopted by India at the Tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO held in Nairobi, Kenya during 15-19 December 2015," said an official statement referring to the outcome of the conference called the 'Nairobi Package'.

Though the package includes ministerial decisions on agriculture, cotton and issues related to least developed countries covering a Special Safeguard Mechanism for developing countries, public stockholding for food security purposes, a commitment to abolish export subsidies for farm exports and measures related to cotton, it did not reaffirm the Doha Development Agenda, which was India’s main demand before going for the biennial talks.

"In view of the reluctance of developed countries to agree to continue the Doha Development Agenda post-Nairobi, India negotiated and secured a re-affirmative ministerial decision on public stockholding for food security purposes honouring both the Bali Ministerial and General Council Decisions. The decision commits members to engage constructively in finding a permanent solution to this issue," the statement said.

Since the Nairobi package acknowledges that members "have different views" on how to address the future of the Doha Round negotiations, India now plans to take up this issue in Geneva.