YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON — Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Mr. Bilal Azhar Kayani, spearheaded a marathon day of high-stakes diplomacy at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) on Sunday. Serving as a key mediator, Kayani focused on resolving long-standing deadlock in global agriculture trade and food security, urging member states to prioritize a rules-based trading system to restore international market confidence.

Accompanied by Mr. Ali Sarfraz Hussain, Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, the Minister navigated complex negotiations involving dozens of global powers. His efforts centered on a draft Ministerial Declaration aimed at balancing the competing interests of developed and developing agrarian economies.

Championing Dispute Settlement and the MPIA

The day began with a strategic co-hosting session alongside counterparts from the European Union, Singapore, and Colombia. The group focused on the Multiparty Interim Arrangement for Arbitration (MPIA), a critical alternative mechanism for settling trade disputes.

Bilal Azhar Kayani welcomed new members to the arrangement, noting that the growing roster highlights a desperate global need for a stable, fully functional Dispute Settlement Body. He emphasized that without a reliable legal framework, the integrity of the global trading system remains at risk.

Minister-Facilitator Targets Agriculture Convergence

As the officially designated Minister-Facilitator for Agriculture, Kayani spent the majority of the summit conducting "green room" sessions and bilateral meetings. His primary objective was to find a "common landing zone" for the draft text on Trade and Global Food Security.

Key focus areas of the negotiations included:

Farmers' Livelihoods: Ensuring protections for small-scale producers in developing nations.
Climate Vulnerability: Addressing how trade rules can adapt to the increasing frequency of climate-driven crop failures.
Sustainability: Balancing industrial agricultural output with environmental preservation.

During an evening session involving 76 Member States, Kayani presided over a rigorous debate on the draft declaration. While a total consensus remains elusive due to varying views on food security and development, a "large majority" of members expressed support for the current draft, praising Kayani's balanced approach.

Strengthening Pakistan-Germany Economic Ties

In addition to his multilateral duties, Minister Kayani held a high-level sideline meeting with a German delegation. The talks shifted to bilateral economic cooperation, where both sides conducted a transparent review of existing trade barriers. The leaders explored new avenues to unlock the full potential of Pakistan-Germany trade, particularly in the tech and industrial sectors.