At a meeting of the Portuguese Council of State in Lisbon on 31 March 2017, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo praised the country for its openness and internationalism and discussed how trade and the WTO could help drive Portugal’s economic growth. The Director-General participated in the meeting at the invitation of the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The Director-General said:
“I was honoured to discuss the state of play in global trade and what that means for Portugal with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and with the State Counsellors. I am encouraged to see Portugal’s strong continued interest in trade and in the WTO to support the country’s future growth.
“Portugal is an important member of the WTO and is a leader on the international stage. Portugal has long been a nation that is driven by openness and a commitment to internationalism. Especially in this current challenging economic scenario, we need champions like Portugal to help strengthen the multilateral trading system and ensure that the benefits of trade reach further and wider through new trade reforms. Working together, we can ensure that trade is leverage for Portugal’s growth for many more years to come.”
The Director-General also had a bilateral meeting with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.