{"id":2000106639,"date":"2026-03-26T21:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T19:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/?p=2000106639"},"modified":"2026-03-27T10:26:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:26:52","slug":"rwanda-calls-for-fair-development-driven-reforms-at-wto-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwanda-calls-for-fair-development-driven-reforms-at-wto-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwanda calls for fair, development-driven reforms at WTO meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Speaking at the WTO Ministerial Conference, Rwanda\u2019s Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi, emphasized the challenges facing global trade and their impact on smaller economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis Ministerial takes place at a critical moment for the multilateral trading system,\u201d he said, citing geopolitical tensions, climate challenges, and supply chain disruptions affecting global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that these challenges have particularly significant implications for developing countries and Least Developed Countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rwanda used the platform to advocate for reforms that prioritize development and ensure equitable participation in global trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWTO reform must remain development-centred, ensuring that the interests and capacities of developing countries and Least Developed Countries are fully reflected,\u201d Sebahizi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that reforms should strengthen the WTO\u2019s key functions while maintaining inclusiveness and consensus-based decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A major concern raised by Rwanda was the weakening of the dispute settlement system, which the country described as essential for fairness and predictability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA fully functioning and accessible dispute settlement system remains a cornerstone of the multilateral trading system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rwanda also emphasized the importance of Special and Differential Treatment and Aid for Trade in helping developing countries overcome structural challenges, improve infrastructure, and participate more effectively in global trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister highlighted agriculture as a key priority, calling for progress in negotiations to address long-standing imbalances in global agricultural trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProgress remains critical to addressing long-standing imbalances in global agricultural trade and ensuring food security,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rwanda also expressed support for discussions on emerging areas such as digital trade and investment facilitation.
\u201cWe support continued engagement on electronic commerce, while ensuring that discussions take into account the development needs and digital capacities of developing countries,\u201d Sebahizi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that initiatives aimed at improving the investment climate could contribute to sustainable development, particularly for developing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the conference continues, Rwanda urged WTO members to deliver concrete outcomes that restore confidence in the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet us use this Ministerial Conference to reaffirm our shared commitment to a fair, inclusive, and development-oriented multilateral trading system,\u201d Sebahizi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, warned that the global trading system is at a turning point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe world order and multilateral system we used to know has irrevocably changed. We will not get it back\u2026 we must look to the future,\u201d she said, urging WTO members to take decisive steps to adapt the system to new economic realities and ensure it continues to deliver for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Rwanda\u2019s Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi has called for development-driven WTO reforms, stressing the need for a fair and inclusive global trading system.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rwanda has called for urgent reforms to make global trade more inclusive and responsive to the needs of developing countries, as ministers gather to reshape the future of the multilateral trading system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2000106500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[151,69],"byline":[174],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000106639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-editors-choice","tag-homehighlights","byline-philbert-girinema"],"bylines":[{"id":174,"name":"Philbert Girinema","slug":"philbert-girinema","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":6}],"contributors":[{"id":174,"name":"Philbert Girinema","slug":"philbert-girinema","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":6}],"featured_image":{"id":2000106500,"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","alt":"","caption":"According to Prudence Sebahizi, the newly approved $37 million trade fund will support Rwandan SMEs in meeting global standards and boosting exports.","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","width":150,"height":100},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","width":300,"height":200},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","width":768,"height":512},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tlf_media__15.jpg-8dd52.jpg","width":1000,"height":667}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000106639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000106639"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000106639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000106645,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000106639\/revisions\/2000106645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000106500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000106639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000106639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000106639"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000106639"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000106639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}