WTO Conference will be held in Geneva

According to the Chairman of the WTO General Council, Ambassador of New Zealand David Walker, during the consultations, the WTO members noted the impossibility of holding MK-12 in Nur-Sultan on June 21-24 this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the emergence of new strains.

At the same time, WTO members expressed their opinion on the expediency of postponing this global event to the end of 2021 and holding it in Geneva under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. This proposal was adopted by WTO General Council by consensus. A number of WTO members noted that the decision on the new date and venue of the MC-12 is a big step forward and is of key importance for the Organization.

The Permanent Representatives to the WTO expressed their gratitude to Kazakhstan for its openness, flexibility and agreement to host the MC-12 in Geneva in the interests of all WTO member countries, as well as for its readiness to chair the MC-12, despite the change in the venue of the event.

The delegation of Kazakhstan expressed its gratitude to all WTO members for their firm support of our country's proposal to host the MC-12 in Nur-Sultan in 2020, and then the proposal to postpone the MC-12 to June 2021 in connection with the global coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, given the continuing uncertainty and limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kazakhstan agreed with the WTO member countries on the feasibility of holding the MC-12 at the end of this year in Geneva and confirmed its readiness to preside over the MC-12.