A meeting of landlocked developing countries (WTO members) was held at the World Trade Organization. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan reported.
The discussion focused on developing a joint work program for these countries.
Kyrgyzstan was represented by Nurbek Maksutov, head of the ministry’s mission to the WTO. He stated that developing countries can more actively cooperate in the areas of e-commerce, digital trade communications, services, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and rules for determining the country of origin of goods.
The importance of digital communications and the development of transit corridors for landlocked countries was noted.
«In recent years, WTO members, including developing countries, have increasingly switched to digital data and document exchange. This increases efficiency, reduces costs, and makes trade more transparent,» Nurbek Maksutov noted.
A commitment was also expressed to join forces with other countries in the region to advance common initiatives within the WTO, including:
- Special and differential trade arrangements;
- Expanding access to markets for goods and services;
- Facilitating trade procedures;
- Technical assistance and capacity-building programs.
According to Nurbek Maksutov, it is important for landlocked states to «speak with one voice» and defend their interests in global trade.
