The four‑day gathering, which concluded on March 29, sought to revive stalled reforms as global trade tensions rise and major economies increasingly pursue deals outside the WTO framework.
On the opening day, WTO Director‑General Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala warned that the old global trade order is effectively over, following a turbulent year marked by United States (US) tariffs, geopolitical conflict and growing economic nationalism. She urged members to modernise rules to preserve the relevance of the institution.
Trade Analyst Viwe Ntshongwana told Channel Africa on Friday that the WTO is facing an existential crisis. “Countries are increasingly negotiating and executing decisions outside the WTO framework. That puts the organisation in a fight for relevance,” he said, adding that its survival depends on setting fair rules on tariffs, development and trade remedies.
Ntshongwana warned that continued erosion of multilateral trade rules could leave weaker economies dangerously exposed. “If negotiations continue outside the WTO, it becomes survival of the fittest. Least developed and developing countries will be severely disadvantaged,” he said. He noted that the consensual nature of the WTO means that once consensus collapses, nations begin setting rules to suit themselves.
The conference took place against the backdrop of heightened global instability, including the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the US, which has pushed energy prices sharply higher. Ntshongwana said energy price spikes feed directly into commodity costs and household living expenses worldwide.
“For this conference to succeed, it must deal with the current crisis, not only future ambitions,” he said. “The WTO must reassert fairness and transparency in the use of trade tools such as tariffs so that development agendas are not undermined.”
Ntshongwana believes US tariff policies under President Donald Trump have shocked the system but may ultimately force long‑overdue reform. “It is business unusual,” he said. “Institutions survive by adapting. Leadership without a crisis is not leadership.”
He added that conflicts now directly affect global value chains, making trade inseparable from geopolitics. “Domestic economies are deeply interconnected with global systems. More conflict means higher costs of living everywhere.”
–ChannelAfrica–
