From Switzerland, the country where he was a guest, the president of Senegal, Macky Sall, raised his voice, vehemently denouncing the unjust global trade system which clearly penalizes developing countries. In an accusatory tone, the African leader declared that current trade is steeped in inequality, injustice and disregard for international law. Macky Sall forcefully reiterated his position, underlining that for developing countries, global trade represents an issue of fundamental importance in terms of fairness and justice. He emphasized how this trading system impoverishes such nations, contributing to the unleashing of unregulated migratory movements, including illegal flows. The Senegalese head of state participated in the presidential conference of the World Trade Organization, underway in Geneva and focused on the theme “For inclusive and sustainable global trade”. In this context, Macky Sall forcefully denounced the unsustainability of trade when the free movement of people, goods and services, designed to be regulated by the law of the market, is distorted by the brutal law of the fittest. He continued to criticize global trade as unsustainable when trade wars and national measures with extraterritorial impact harm third parties. The Senegalese president also highlighted the damage caused by abusive agricultural subsidies that violate the rules of fair competition, harming millions of small producers. Macky Sall also brought attention to the environmental front, stating that trade cannot be sustainable when developed countries, the main polluters, continue to use coal and hinder foreign financing of less polluting energy sources such as gas. The Senegalese President concluded his speech by expressing his regret at the injustice and inequity inherent in the global trading system and underlined the importance of an operational, transparent and accessible dispute resolution system for all members of the WTO to promote truly inclusive global trade.
