The members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) gathered for the past few days in the capital of Cameroon for their biennial ministerial conference. Before the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), sober pragmatism seemed possible. After four days of tense but fruitless negotiations in Yaoundé, sobering pragmatism carried the day. And both assessments still sit at the positive end of the evaluative spectrum. (mehr …)
China’s decision to drop the Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) is less a legal earthquake than a strategic signal — but its symbolism matters. Announced by Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the move to forego the SDT that comes with being labelled a “developing country” in the WTO allows Beijing to claim a form of “grown‑up” membership in the global trading order while recalibrating its diplomacy toward key trade partners and developing countries. (mehr …)
The first two sentences delivered by the U.S. representative at the 3rd session of FfD4 Preparatory Committee (3rd PrepCom) last week were already tough ones: “At the outset, I underscore that the United States is currently evaluating its membership and participation in all international organisations and processes. Thus, we are reserving on the whole draft at this time.” With this statement, the elephant in the room – the role of the new U.S. administration in the FfD negotiations – was finally addressed. And what the elephant said was unsettling: It questioned the U.S. participation altogether. (mehr …)
The role of international trade as a key driver for sustainable development has been a recurring theme since the First International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) in Monterrey, Mexico in 2022. Building on this established consensus, the “Zero Draft” of the FfD4 Outcome Document emphasizes the transformative potential of international trade in driving sustainable development, particularly for developing countries. (mehr …)
The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), scheduled for June 30 to July 3 in Seville, Spain, will conclude an extensive United Nations process that aims to align public and private financial flows with social, environmental, and economic goals. (mehr …)
