In a recent interview in Osaka, Tomochika Uyama, senior adviser to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, expressed eagerness to restore the global trade watchdog's dispute settlement system.
"Significantly large momentum was created" for progress on the issue, Uyama said, referring to the two-day meeting of trade ministers of the Group of Seven advanced economies in the city of Osaka that ended Sunday.
The G7 ministers said in a joint statement issued after the meeting that they "will work toward substantial WTO reform, including conducting discussions with the view to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members by 2024."