The WTO and the Failure to Conclude the Doha Round of Global Trade Negotiations

Abstract

The World Trade Organisation in its short existence faces the possibility of becoming redundant; this is despite its having shown great resolution in rule setting and dispute settlement. The Doha Round, in a manner of speaking, was a touchstone for the future of growth of international trade within the established parameters of globalisation benefitting all countries by ensuring development and fair, rule-based trading that would take fully into account the requirements and needs of developing countries including the those of the least developed among them. This is why care was taken to ensure that the Doha Round of negotiations would give primacy to the development agenda.