Trade: Vaccine equity event enabled "frank" discussions, claims WTO DG (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Washington DC)
The World Trade Organization director-general Ms Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala on 19 April claimed that the meeting she convened with four trade ministers, vaccine manufacturers, and other stakeholders on "COVID-19 and vaccine equity" enabled frank discussions among the participants, said people familiar with the development.

Trade: WTO DG to commission external review of Secretariat's performance (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Washington DC)
The World Trade Organization director-general Ms Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala plans to commission an external agency to review the Secretariat's functioning, in a decision that appears to be inconsistent with the Marrakesh Agreement that established the WTO in 1995, said people familiar with the development.

IMF: Divergent recoveries stem from divergent policies - Part One (PRIV)
(Bhumika Muchhala, New York)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is responding to urgent liquidity needs in developing countries but fails to ensure systemic debt solutions or a recovery without austerity.