MC12 extended by a day in bid to seal pacts
Rajeev Jayaswal
NEW DELHI: The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’S) 12th ministerial conference (MC12) in Geneva may converge on at least one of the two key issues—the waiver of intellectual property rights on Covid-19 treatment and food security for poor countries—as the multilateral body on Wednesday extended the gathering by one more day in a last-ditch effort to arrive at a consensus, people aware of the development said.
Some of the key issues being pursued by India, along with G33 nations and other developing and least developed countries (LDCS), are Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waivers for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, the permanent solution to public stockholding for food security, and differential treatment on fishing subsidies.
“There is a hope that developed nations at the WTO may agree to the voice of developing nations and LDCS. Perhaps, this is the reason for extension of MC12 by one more day. But an outcome would be known only tomorrow (Thursday),” one of the people cited above said.
MC12 has been extended till today in order to facilitate outcomes on the “main issues” under discussion, an official statement by the WTO said.
“Following the consultations by WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-iweala with the MC12 chair, Timur Suleimanov, the vice chairs and the minister facilitators, delegations were informed that MC12 will be extended until 16 June, with the closing session scheduled to begin at 3pm Geneva time,” the statement added.
“At the meeting of Heads of Delegation (Hods) late on June 14, DG Okonjo-iweala called on members to go the extra mile to find convergence on the various issues at stake at the ministerial gathering and to be mindful that time is running out to conclude meaningful agreements,” it said.
As per the original schedule, MC12 was scheduled to close on Wednesday at 6pm local time.
A second person said India is committed to protecting the interest of its 1.3 billion citizens, along with the people from other poor countries, at a difficult time when majority of the global population is suffering because of inadequate health care facilities and food supplies. “Piyush Goyal has raised these issues at MC12 with no uncertain terms,” this person said.
In various meetings at MC12, Goyal has stressed that India and like-minded countries now want the WTO’S commitment beyond Covid vaccines. He strongly pitched for the TRIPS waiver for “therapeutics and diagnostics” to achieve a comprehensive “test and treat” strategy. Speaking on the matter on Tuesday, Goyal said for the developed countries, the “vaccine story is almost over”. “Their expectation is very similar to what is written here that Covid-19 is increasingly being well managed and the issue will loose relevance, that is their hope,” he said.
He added that some of the countries charged “an arm and a leg” for vaccines. “Where a vaccine in India gets produced for a $1.5, many parts of the world are paying $38-40 plus. Some of you have received donations, valuing the vaccine at $38 or $40, and making it out to be a big favour,” he told the gathering.
With developing countries and LDCS refusing to agree on any partial measure, the WTO extended the deadline hoping to arrive at a consensus after further deliberations.