UN deputy chief calls for efforts to nurture, strengthen multilateral trading system

UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on Friday called for efforts to nurture and strengthen the multilateral trading system.

The deputy secretary-general spoke at a UN high-level symposium on strengthening multilateralism and multilateral trading system in the age of globalization.

She said that trade is the fundamental building block of the modern economy but warned that "we cannot take the multilateral trading system for granted. We need to nurture and strengthen it."

She added that at a time when the world economy has been showing broad-based momentum, the introduction of restrictive trade policies is cause for concern, as they could undermine confidence, derail global growth and hurt both businesses and consumers.

She called on countries to support a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization. Enditem