Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala issued (March 2, 2022) the following statement on the situation in Ukraine:
“At the WTO, we have watched this tragedy in Ukraine unfold with disbelief and the hope that it would have been peacefully resolved. However, this is now the 7th day and we are deeply saddened by the continued suffering and loss of life. We pray that there will be a peaceful and quick resolution. We are also concerned about the trade implications of the conflict, especially trade in agriculture and food products and the rise in energy prices and their effects on the impacted populations.”
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deals with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.