– Ambassador Kairat Torebaev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and international economic organizations, has been appointed facilitator for the WTO reform negotiations. The decision was announced by Claire Kelly, Chair of the WTO General Council, following consultations in which member states unanimously supported Kazakhstan’s candidacy. Along with the representative from Kazakhstan, the group of facilitators includes the permanent representatives of Malaysia, Japan, Botswana, and Peru, who will perform their duties on an equal footing.
WTO reform is a comprehensive process of modernizing the organization’s institutional structure, aimed at enhancing its effectiveness and adapting it to the realities of the modern global economy. This reform is designed to update the rules of global commerce, eliminate systemic contradictions, and strengthen confidence in the multilateral trading system.
The main task of the appointed facilitators is to promote constructive dialogue and seek consensus among all members of the organization on key areas of reform. The facilitators have also been entrusted with coordinating negotiations aimed at improving decision-making mechanisms, developing multilateral agreements, and ensuring a balance of interests among member states. Their responsibilities also include promoting discussions on special and differential treatment for developing countries, creating a level playing field, and strengthening the fundamental principles of open and predictable international trade.