The leader of the World Trade Organization announced Thursday that the international trading framework has undergone permanent transformation, urging nations to focus on future reforms rather than attempting to restore previous systems.
Speaking at the launch of the 14th WTO ministerial gathering in Yaounde, Cameroon, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala addressed delegates with a stark assessment of current conditions.
“The world order and multilateral system we used to know has irrevocably changed. We will not get it back…We must look to the future,” Okonjo-Iweala stated during her opening remarks.
Despite noting that approximately three-quarters of international commerce continues operating under WTO guidelines, with artificial intelligence-related trade showing promising expansion, the director-general highlighted major obstacles confronting the global trading environment. She specifically pointed to ongoing Middle Eastern hostilities and the widespread effects of American tariff policies as sources of considerable instability.
The WTO chief outlined several critical issues plaguing the organization, particularly the complete breakdown of its dispute resolution mechanism and insufficient transparency regarding subsidy reporting requirements.
According to Okonjo-Iweala’s data, only 64 member nations submitted their required subsidy disclosures for 2025, leaving 102 countries in non-compliance.
“Lack of transparency leads to lack of trust, and that breeds suspicions of unfairness and anti-competitive behaviours,” she explained to the assembled representatives. She further described how this creates a destructive pattern of distrust that prevents member countries from reaching consensus on new regulations and necessary organizational changes.
