Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has urged a cautious and balanced approach to reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO), warning that changes must not undermine its foundational principles.

He made the remarks on Thursday while speaking at a session titled “WTO Reform: Fundamental Issues” during the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The minister said that although reforms are necessary in the evolving global context, they should be carefully designed to preserve the integrity of the multilateral trading system.

He highlighted that the WTO’s primary goal is to promote trade-driven development among member states. Its consensus-based, rules-based framework; grounded in non-discrimination and inclusivity, has benefited developed, developing, and least developed countries alike.

Muktadir pointed to key mechanisms such as Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) status, Duty-Free and Quota-Free (DFQF) market access and Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) as essential tools that have strengthened fairness and inclusion in global trade.

He also noted that, apart from disruptions during the 2008 global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, middle-income levels in developed countries have consistently grown over the past three decades, reflecting the effectiveness of the existing system.

While acknowledging the need for updates, the minister cautioned against dismantling a framework built through years of negotiation and cooperation.

“The current system should not be weakened in the name of reform, as most economies depend heavily on this rules-based multilateral structure,” he said.

Emphasising the need for prudence, he added that any reform process must protect past achievements, maintain institutional integrity and ensure inclusive, development-oriented outcomes for all member states.

The WTO Ministerial Conference, the organisation’s highest decision-making body, brings together trade ministers and representatives from its 166 member states to shape global trade policies.

A Bangladesh delegation led by the commerce minister is attending the conference, along with Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and senior officials from the ministry and country’s Permanent Mission in Geneva.