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Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to accelerate action on food security and investment facilitation, warning that prolonged delays could weaken confidence in the global trading system.

Kalu made the call on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, while participating in the 57th Session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO (PCWTO).

The session, jointly organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament, featured WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as a special guest.

It was co-chaired by European Parliament member, Bernd Lange, and IPU Secretary-General, Anda Filip, with parliamentarians, trade policy experts and officials from national and regional legislatures in attendance.

Kalu acknowledged progress made by the WTO in areas such as fisheries subsidies and development issues but said greater attention was needed on matters with direct implications for economies and livelihoods.

He particularly highlighted food security and investment facilitation, stressing the importance of timely progress on both issues.

The Deputy Speaker also emphasised the role of parliaments in ensuring that international commitments translate into effective domestic policies.

He called for stronger engagement between national legislatures and trade committees to improve oversight, implementation and coordination on trade-related matters.

The steering committee reviewed developments in multilateral trade negotiations and examined follow-up actions from the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.

Members also assessed the recommendations from the PCWTO session held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and discussed measures for their implementation.

Other areas considered included increased participation in PCWTO activities and stronger collaboration among parliamentarians, businesses and civil society organisations.

The committee further discussed preparations for the 2026-2027 programme of the parliamentary conference.

Kalu said continued parliamentary involvement was important in ensuring that the concerns of citizens, businesses and national economies are reflected in international trade discussions.

He noted that lawmakers could also help strengthen accountability by monitoring how agreements and decisions reached at the international level are implemented within their respective countries.

The Geneva meeting provided an opportunity for parliamentarians and trade experts to review ongoing WTO processes and consider ways to improve cooperation between the organisation, national legislatures and other stakeholders.

With preparations underway for the next phase of the PCWTO programme, participants are expected to continue efforts aimed at strengthening parliamentary engagement and advancing the recommendations adopted in Yaoundé.

The Traffic NG
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu WTO
Amarachi Ihesiulo
The Traffic NG

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