Statement by SCO foreign ministers responsible for foreign economic and foreign trade activities in support of multilateral trading system

We the ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states responsible for foreign economic and foreign trade activities note the important role of international trade in the revival, growth and prosperity of regional economies. A solid and stable multilateral trading system is indispensable for stimulating trade and sustainable development in the SCO region.

We note the importance of joint efforts for reinforcing an open, transparent, inclusive, non-discriminatory and fair system based on the principles of multilateral trade represented by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and for stimulating the development of an open international economy.

We believe that it is essential for global trade participants to avoid taking protectionist measures, which contradict the WTO spirit and rules, and unilateral restrictions. We intend to continue promoting multilateralism and resisting such restrictive measures.

We support the importance of ensuring an effective operation of the WTO and will contribute to preserving the central role of the WTO in formulating global trade rules and maintaining the stability of international trade.

We support the importance of reforming the WTO to improve its main functions, including through the priority restoration of the two-tier dispute resolution mechanism and adapting the WTO to the current economic and trade realities.

We believe that it is necessary to effectively respond to the requirements of economic development and to formulate new trade rules for developing new multilateral trade models, repelling the concept of inclusive trade and adjusting the multilateral trade system to the current realities.

We note the success of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference. We acknowledge the results of that important conference and believe that they have helped strengthen mutual trust among global trade players and reinforce the prestige of the WTO and the multilateral trading system.

We welcome the submission of documents for the Republic of Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO. We encourage the provision of consultative support, exchange of experience and stronger cooperation to improve the skills necessary for expediting the candidate's accession to the WTO.