Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has been invited to join the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (PCWTO).
The invitation was issued by Martin Chungong, the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in a letter dated February 12, 2025, addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Kalu, who also chairs the Finance and Administrative Committee of the Economic Community of West African States Parliament, is currently participating in the ongoing high-profile IPU meeting in New York.
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According to a statement from Kalu’s Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, this marks the first time Nigeria will be represented on the global panel of the PCWTO Steering Committee.
The PCWTO Steering Committee includes representatives from 25 national parliaments, regional and global parliamentary assemblies, as well as the IPU and WTO secretariats.
The committee meets twice annually, alternating between Geneva and Brussels, to ensure the effective operation of the conference.
Kalu’s involvement in the PCWTO Steering Committee will allow him to collaborate with other members, including Nigerian-born WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to advocate for using trade as a tool to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development.
The letter to the media states: “Since 2002, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament have jointly led the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (PCWTO), a permanent mechanism for parliamentary oversight of the WTO and its parliamentary dimension.”
“The principal objective of the conference is to enhance the external transparency of the WTO and hold it to account to legislators as elected representatives of the people.
“A Steering Committee ensures the smooth functioning of the Conference. It is composed of representatives of some 25 national parliaments, regional and global parliamentary assemblies and structures, as well as the IPU and WTO Secretariats. The Committee usually meets twice a year, alternatively in Geneva and Brussels.
“The composition of the Steering Committee is subject to regular rotation among national parliaments on the basis of the principles set out in Article 4 of the Conference Rules of Procedure.
“The committee is inviting six new parliaments to replace the same number of outgoing members for a period of four years, commencing in September/October 2025, the date of the next session of the Steering Committee.
“Participation in the work of the Steering Committee allows legislators to keep WTO negotiations under close scrutiny, regularly obtain first-hand information on Doha Round talks, interact with leading WTO negotiators and experts, and exchange information with parliamentary colleagues from other countries.
“I would like to invite Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu to join the Steering Committee. In that case, I would then nominate him to the Steering Committee upon approval by the Steering Committee.
“Considering the importance of parliaments’ contribution to promoting global trade, I would be most grateful if you could support this invitation.
“The Steering Committee could provide a meaningful support to the work of the WTO only if the members contribute to and participate in its sessions on a regular basis. Therefore, I would be grateful for any arrangements you would make in view of your representative’s regular attendance of these sessions. The Committee works in English and French.
“Deputy Speaker, Kalu would start attending the Steering Committee on the occasion of its 55th session which will take place at the Headquarters of the IPU in September/October 2025. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Martin Chungong, Secretary-general”.
