Union Minister Piyush Goyal meets WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in New Delhi
Sep 10, 2023
New Delhi [India], September 10 : Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Sunday met Director General of World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in New Delhi.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrived in New Delhi on Thursday night to participate in the G20 Summit on September 9, 10.
Notably, India has been a WTO member since 1995, and a member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) since 1948.
In August this year, India and the US mutually resolved two separate disputes at WTO with regard to certain measures on steel and aluminium products, and additional duties on certain products from the US.
Earlier, India and the US mutually resolved all six trade disputes pending at the WTO.
This came in line with the commitment affirmed by the two leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden — during the former’s state visit to the US.
India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country.
Meanwhile, PM Modi on Sunday announced the conclusion of the G20 Summit and proposed to hold a virtual G20 session in November to review the suggestions and proposals made at the premier forum for international economic cooperation.
“As you all know India has the responsibility of G20 presidency till November 2023. In these two days, all of you gave a lot of suggestions and placed proposals. It is our duty to see how faster progress can be achieved on these,” PM Modi said.
"I propose that at the end of November, we hold a virtual session of G20. We can review the topics decided in this Summit, in that virtual session. I hope you all will connect in the virtual session. With this, I declare the conclusion of the G20 Summit," he added.
Before declaring that the summit had ended, PM Modi handed over the ceremonial gavel of the Group of 20 presidency to Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
"I congratulate the Brazilian President and my friend Lula da Silva and hand over the gavel of Presidency," PM Modi said.
Earlier Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva handed over saplings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Session 3 of the G20 Summit.
While Indonesia held the G20 presidency last year, Brazil will hold the presidency after India.
India took over the G20 presidency on December 1 last year at the G20 Summit in Bali and will continue to hold it till the end of November.
The New Delhi Declaration was adopted by G20 leaders on Saturday, the first day of the Summit.
The G20 leaders visited Rajghat on Sunday morning to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.
