OSLO, Sept 18: European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said on Thursday that the current worldwide financial turmoil emphasised the need to conclude a global WTO trade pact that failed earlier this year.

“The message that governments, ministers and negotiators should take from this current crisis is that the global economy needs strengthening,” Mandelson said during a visit to Oslo.

Faced with a “very vulnerable and fragile” world economy, “we need to restore confidence in markets and the successful conclusion of the Doha talks would certainly help achieve that,” he added.—AFP