WTO reform deal unlikely to be reached at next major conference: ambassador

Consensus to Paralysis: How the WTO’s Reform Agenda Collapsed Ahead of MC14

Petter Olberg’s assessment ahead of MC14 underscores that deep divisions over the WTO’s consensus rule have effectively ruled out meaningful institutional reform in Yaoundé. The WTO’s paralysis has been deepened by the U.S. blockade of the Appellate Body, renewed unilateral tariffs under President Trump since 2025, and a shift toward plurilateral deals that bypass consensus. As bilateral and regional trade agreements multiply and protectionism h…

WTO reform deal unlikely to be reached at next major conference: ambassador

But he adds that ministers meeting in Cameroon should agree on a framework to move forward