Trade key to sustainable dev goals attainment: Minister

Minister of Development Cooperation and Trade Ville Skinnari underscored the importance of trade in attaining sustainable development goals in his address at the World Trade Organization meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Helping the least developed countries to benefit from open foreign trade and to seize its opportunities is fundamental to Aid for Trade. Trade plays an important role in that it enables developing countries to attain the goals of an independent economic growth and sustainable development,” said Skinnari in an official statement.

The Minister also pointed out the need to defend the multilateral rules in light of the trade disputes.

“With several trade disputes going on, it is even more important than before to defend the multilateral rules-based trading system. Poor developing countries are the biggest losers in the face of growing protectionism,” Skinnari added.

As a positive example, Skinnari mentioned the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which entered into force recently. According to the Minister, trade policy questions and support for the economic integration of Africa will be given a central role in Finland’s forthcoming Africa strategy.