Trade ministers are gathering in Yaounde, Cameroon on Thursday for four days of critical discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization, amid warnings that failure to reach an agreement could push countries to create trade rules outside the organization, Reuters reported.
The meeting comes at a tense moment for global trade, with concerns mounting over the effects of the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran, which has driven energy price spikes and raised fears about food security in Africa due to disruptions in fertilizer supplies.
Adding to the strain is a year of tariff instability linked to policies introduced by Donald Trump. John Denton, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce, warned, “From a business perspective this could yet become the worst industrial crisis in living memory,” highlighting the broader economic risks.
Ministers are arriving without a clear reform roadmap after years of stalled negotiations and a six-year deadlock in the WTO’s dispute settlement system. Positions remain sharply divided.
The United States supports reform efforts but is resisting a detailed work plan, while the European Union, Britain, and China are pushing for a more structured approach, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged the difficulty ahead, saying she expects challenging negotiations.
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Diplomats have warned that a lack of progress could weaken the organization’s standing. Swiss Ambassador Erwin Bollinger said, “If we don’t achieve anything concrete, the WTO will lose its attractiveness and relevancy.”
UK trade minister Chris Bryant also raised concerns about fragmentation, stating, “My anxiety is if we ministers don’t get this week right, you might see a disorderly collapse of the WTO and some people writing a new rule book.”
Tensions are expected to escalate further over disagreements between the United States and India regarding the extension of a moratorium on customs duties for digital downloads.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is expected to tell members in a draft statement that the U.S. is “not interested” in a temporary extension, instead pushing for a permanent arrangement.
India is likely to maintain its opposition, while some countries are advocating for a two-year extension. South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-Koo warned that failing to extend the moratorium would be a “big blow” to the WTO and the global economy.
Meanwhile, Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer, will not participate in the talks after Cameroon referred to it as a province of China.
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Image Credit: RFI
