  
  
WT/MIN(22)/ST/ 98 
12 June 2022 
(22-4536) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR SYED NAVEED QAMAR  
FEDERAL MINISTER FOR COMMERCE  
PAKISTAN  
We meet in troubled times. Since the WTO membership met at the last Ministerial Conference, more 
than 4 years ago, our world has been confronted with new and unique challenges. Some of them 
have emerged from within the multilateral trading system, while ot hers have engulfed countries and 
people across the globe. The pandemic has transformed our ways of life, and indeed the way we 
trade and ensure the well -being of our people. Emerging realities such as environmental 
degradation, high inflation, widening ine quality, and food scarcity coupled with the severe inequity 
in Covid vaccine availability, general lack of diagnostic and therapeutic capacities have exacerbated 
the severity of these challenges in the developing world.  
 
Indeed, these are testing times an d we, the WTO membership, must send an unequivocal message 
to the world that this organisation is still a relevant forum to meet the objectives of the preamble of 
the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO.  
 
On responding to the pandemic, we have to ackn owledge that the WTO is quite late. We are meeting 
in an environment when the Covid -19 pandemic is virtually over in some parts of the world. However, 
this should not keep us from addressing in some way, the problems that have arisen from it. In that 
vein, I firmly believe that restrictive Intellectual Property (IP) rights should not impede access to 
equitable, safe, and affordable vaccines and other covid -19 products. We, therefore, remain 
committed to finding a meaningful solution to the challenges relate d to IP rights.  
 
Similarly, we must focus our attention on preparing and building resilience for any future pandemics 
by recognising the lessons learnt. This preparedness should be in line with the developmental needs 
of developing Members, and must includ e key areas including the challenges of Food Security, 
transfer of technology and intellectual property. The importance of international cooperation cannot 
be ignored in addressing such challenges.  
 
Food security is looming large as yet another major chal lenge, particularly for countries like Pakistan. 
The issue will, if it is not already, confront this organisation and its members more starkly in the 
coming days. Pakistan believes that in order to ensure food security across the globe, the appropriate 
policy tools must remain available to members, particularly those necessary to enhance production, 
productivity, and dissemination of food to wider segments of the population.  
 
Therefore, in the area of Agriculture, while we seek wider reforms, the existing p olicy space available 
to the developing countries should remain intact, and any imbalances in the Agreement must be 
addressed to provide equity for developing countries.  
 
With respect to fisheries subsidies, Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of SDG 14.6 
while we strongly believe that any outcome must take into account the developmental needs of the 
developing countries. As with any aspect involving the global  commons, the concept of common but 
differentiated responsibility must apply. The livelihoods of artisanal fishermen and coastal 
communities depend on the way we structure our agreement. Therefore, effective, and appropriate 
Special and Differential Treatm ent must remain an integral part of the Agreement on Fisheries 
Subsidies.  
 WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 98 
 
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  Excellencies! Like many parts of the world, the Covid -19 pandemic and its aftermath has unleashed 
a wave of further difficulties and challenges. Pakistan is presently facing a stif ling balance of 
payments crisis and is trying very hard to grapple with the situation both economically and socially. 
Coupled with the economic dent caused by the pandemic and the looming food crisis, this issue has 
led to significant turmoil in my country . At the same time, I believe that we should focus on building 
back better and smarter. For this, I find it absolutely essential that effective policy space remains 
available to countries like mine, to advance modern digital, technological, and industrial growth.  
 
To conclude, Pakistan has always remained an active member of the WTO. We believe firmly in the 
benefits of upholding the fundamentals of the Multilateral Trading System; especially at a time when 
it is facing some of its biggest challenges both to this organization and to the concept of 
multilateralism as we have long understood it. We must, therefore, converge on the differing issues 
to deliver meaningful outcomes for the MC12. In doing so, we must chart a course that delivers on 
the demands for  sustainable development and improved standards of living for the world 's poor.  
 
I would, therefore, seize this opportunity to reaffirm Pakistan' s commitment, in any reforms we 
make, to the strengthening of the pillars that underpin the multilateral syste m, particularly of 
consensus -based decisions making, the continued emphasis on development including Special and 
Differential treatment for developing countries, and a fully functional two -tiered dispute settlement 
system . 
 
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