News

WTO Members Initiate Membership Talks for Turkmenistan

WTO members agreed at a meeting of the General Council on 23 February 2022 to initiate negotiations on the accession of Turkmenistan to the organization. Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia with a population of about 6.2 million, is the last of the former Soviet republics to apply for WTO membership. Click here to find more […]

ADB $300 million loan to promote macroeconomic stability in Pakistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $300 million policy-based loan to help promote macroeconomic stability in Pakistan by facilitating improved trade competitiveness and export diversification.

PRC, Central Asian countries promote agricultural cooperation despite COVID-19

As the economy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is undergoing a robust recovery, the booming PRC market has provided business opportunities for Central Asian food producers. The two sides have also made strides in agricultural technology cooperation, improving crop yield and enhancing food security amid the pandemic.

New funding to improve food systems will help prevent zoonotic diseases

Germany became the first donor to invest in Food Systems 2030, a new World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund that proposes to help countries maximize the impact of their public spending and transform their food systems to increase food security and reach their 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

ADB to help manage food insecurity risks in Mongolia amid supply disruptions caused by COVID-19

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $410,000 technical assistance (TA) grant to help manage food insecurity risks amid supply disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic in Mongolia.

Members to debate how Aid for Trade can address COVID-19 impact on developing countries

An informal meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development dedicated to the Aid for Trade initiative will be held to discuss how to take account of the trade and development challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. WTO members will discuss how the WTO-led initiative can help developing economies recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

Members endorse Turkmenistan’s WTO observer status

At a meeting of the General Council, World Trade Organization (WTO) members agreed to grant Turkmenistan observer status in the organization. Turkmenistan, a state in Central Asia with a population of about 6.2 million, became the last former Soviet republic to establish a formal relationship with the WTO.

Uzbekistan resumes WTO membership negotiations

WTO members welcomed the resumption of WTO membership negotiations for Uzbekistan when the working party on the country’s accession to the WTO met on 7 July 2020—almost 15 years after its last formal meeting.

Members discuss reflecting impact of COVID-19 in WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative

World Trade Organization (WTO) members agreed to discuss how to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their future work and agreed to extend the current biennial Aid for Trade work program into 2022 when the next Global Review will also be held.

ADB, Mongolia sign projects for COVID-19 shock response, economic cooperation zone, solid waste management

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Mongolia signed three projects to lessen the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on poor and vulnerable groups in Mongolia, to help support Mongolia’s post-pandemic recovery by developing an economic cooperation zone, and improve solid waste management.