"This meeting in Siem Reap comes at crucial time for the global economy. The turmoil created by the financial crisis must not distract us from our goal of ensuring that the world's poorest countries have a greater stake in the trading system. Moving the Doha Round closer to its conclusion and ensuring more and better Aid for Trade are essential ingredients to help the poorest countries better integrate into the world economy," Pascal Lamy, Director-General of WTO, was quoted as saying.

"This meeting will ensure that we continue to focus on these vital objectives," he added.

UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations system that works towards improving the quality of life of the world's poor by helping countries achieve sustainable industrial development.

WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2008)