WTO prolongs shutdown, bars staff from premises

GENEVA: The World Trade Organisation announced on Sunday that it would prolong its meeting shutdown over COVID-19 until the end of April, and said it had asked most staff to work from home.

The Geneva-based world trade body initially announced last Tuesday that it would suspend all meetings until March 20 after one of its staff members contracted the new coronavirus. But on Sunday, WTO chief Roberto Azevedo said that measure would be extended.

"In light of developments related to the COVID-19 virus and after meeting with UN agencies and observers in Geneva, we have taken a decision to suspend all meetings at the WTO until the end of April 2020," he said in a statement. In addition, all WTO staff whose physical presence is not required to do their jobs have been asked to work remotely until the end of March, Azevedo said.