Global Trade’s New Path: What the WTO Director‑General Says

The leader of the World Trade Organization spoke at a big meeting in Cameroon, declaring that the old way of doing trade is gone for good.

• Current state: Most trade still follows WTO rules—about 72 percent.
• Opportunity: A bright point is the rise of trade in artificial‑intelligence goods and services.
• Challenges:
• The war in the Middle East and U.S. tariffs create uncertainty for many nations.
• The dispute‑settlement panel has stopped working, a major worry highlighted by the director.
• Subsidy reporting is weak: only 64 of the WTO’s members filed subsidy notices for 2025, leaving 102 silent.

The director explained that hidden information breeds distrust. When people suspect unfair advantages or anti‑competitive acts, they hesitate to agree on new rules, creating a vicious cycle that keeps the system stuck.

Bottom line: The WTO must look forward, not backward. Without new ideas and clearer communication, the global trading system will keep facing obstacles.