U.S. among conspicuous absentees from the international initiative. Ottawa—A global campaign to restore the importance of the World Trade Organization and rules-based international trade is gaining support, a joint statement from 42 countries including Canada in early May demonstrates.International Trade Minister Mary Ng said the countries “agreed that trade should remain open and predictable, and we committed not to impose export restrictions or unnecessary barriers. This will ensure people in Canada and around the world can continue to access essential goods and services amid COVID-19.“From working with our global counterparts to facilitate the cross-border movement of essential goods and services, to reconfirming our support for a multi-party interim arrangement for disputes through the WTO, to taking action to ensure agriculture and agrifood supply chains are not disrupted–Canada is working closely with our international partners to support Canadian jobs, businesses, and our global economy through this pandemic.”Support for the joint statement has risen from 23 countries in April and is said to be the result of countries like Canada working with other WTO members to drum up support for both the trade body and the commitment to avoid creating trade barriers, trade experts say.The work began at international conference in Ottawa in October 2018 hosted by then trade minister Jim Carr and is still referred to as the Ottawa group. Canada and other countries are also working on finding a permanent solution to the neutering of the WTO's Appellate Trade Body by the U.S. The ATB resolved trade disputes among countries.Trade guru Peter Clark says there are some conspicuous absentees in the list of countries that haven't signed to the joint statement in support of the WTO including China, the E.U., the U.S., India and Brazil.“Still pulling together 42 countries is important,” he said. “Ng is doing a great job with the Ottawa Group trying to breathe life into the WTO. Any steps towards building consensus in the WTO are important.”The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance and the Business Council on National Issue have backed the WTO initiative.The April 23 joint statement called for protecting supply chains to ensure people around the world have food security and health protection. “Members also committed to not imposing agriculture export restrictions or implementing unjustified trade barriers on agriculture and agrifood products and key agricultural inputs.”Trade needs to remain open and predictable and not be subject to arbitrary export restrictions or unnecessary barriers, the statement said.Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.