WTO postpones conference due to pandemic travel restrictions

Trade ministers had planned to negotiate on several pressing issues including relaxing vaccine patents, eliminating harmful fisheries subsidies and WTO reforms, as of Tuesday.

The conference was set to run until Dec. 3.

The delay is the second time the meeting has been postponed because of the pandemic, as it was originally scheduled for June 2020.

“It is better to err on the side of caution,’’ said WTO Director-General. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The conference was planned as a hybrid event, with attendees able to come to Geneva, or join online.

Many still wanted to attend in person and would have been disadvantaged by the new restrictions, Okonjo-Iweala said.