WTO Urged to Deliver Bold Reform Proposals Ahead of Crucial 2025 Ministerial Meet

The World Trade Organization (WTO) faces a pivotal crossroads, with Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala calling on members to urgently agree on a comprehensive package of reforms ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled for March 2025. At the General Council meeting held on 20-21 May, she emphasized that the WTO’s relevance hinges on “deep and thorough” reforms to address longstanding inefficiencies and rising global trade tensions.

Reform as a Strategic Imperative

Reporting as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), DG Okonjo-Iweala shared that recent high-level discussions in Japan and South Korea placed WTO reform at the center of deliberations. "Prime Minister Ishiba (of Japan) and virtually every APEC minister I met in Jeju emphasized that the time to reform is now. We must not waste this crisis,” she stated.

In her meetings in Tokyo on 13 May and Jeju from 15–16 May, leaders reinforced their commitment to revamping the WTO, expressing a shared understanding that failure to evolve could jeopardize the multilateral trading system. “For a successful MC14, we must act here in Geneva,” she urged. “Nothing short of substantial reform can reposition the organization.”

Progress and Deliverables for MC14

The WTO Secretariat has proposed a draft roadmap for MC14, and members are continuing negotiations on key topics:

• Fisheries Subsidies: With 99 members having accepted the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, only 12 more ratifications are needed to bring the deal into force. This progress was hailed by the DG as a positive step toward sustainable marine practices.

• Agriculture: Momentum is building on sustainable agricultural practices, with Brazil commending a recent WTO retreat on the issue and advocating for further inclusive dialogue.

• Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD): Despite growing support from 126 members, consensus remains elusive for incorporating the IFD Agreement into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement. This marks the eighth failure to reach adoption.

• Electronic Commerce: Japan highlighted continued efforts to promote the Agreement on E-Commerce, including a needs assessment to identify support priorities. However, resistance from several members persists over its multilateral integration.

Members will review the state of negotiations at the next TNC meeting in July and identify which proposals are mature enough for inclusion at MC14.

Calls for Unity Amidst Trade Tensions

Singapore and Switzerland led a coalition of 47 countries in reaffirming their support for the rules-based trading order. Their joint statement credited the WTO with lifting millions out of poverty and promoting global economic stability.

China, in its intervention, proposed a “Stability, Development, and Reform” (SDR) strategy to counter growing trade turbulence. It called on all members to resist unilateralism and commit to upholding the WTO’s central role in global trade governance.

The European Union echoed these concerns, warning against the economic fallout of rising tariffs and global fragmentation. It urged a data-driven assessment of tariff impacts and greater engagement in cooperative dialogue.

General Council Initiatives and Consultations

General Council Chair Ambassador Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel (Saudi Arabia) announced his intention to begin consultations immediately on three priorities:

1. WTO structural and operational reform;

2. Dispute settlement modernization; and

3. Drafting of the MC14 outcome document.

With less than a year until MC14, Ambassador Almoqbel warned, “Time is not on our side.”

Continued Divisions on Agreements

Despite growing support for the IFD and E-Commerce Agreements, internal disagreements continue to stall formal WTO adoption. Three members repeated objections to the IFD Agreement, and similar reservations were voiced against the E-Commerce initiative.

Nonetheless, proponents argue that formalizing these frameworks is essential for attracting investment and ensuring equitable digital trade benefits, especially for developing and least-developed countries.

Path to the Future

The DG noted a long-standing culture of avoidance and problem-deferral within the WTO: “Members keep sweeping things under the carpet.” She stressed that the organization must shift toward a solutions-oriented ethos or risk becoming obsolete.

“Members have finally admitted that things are not working as they should,” she said. “Now, they want solutions. It’s time to deliver.”

Looking Ahead

The next General Council meeting is tentatively scheduled for 22–23 July, where members are expected to take stock of progress and further shape the reform agenda for MC14.

With geopolitical tensions rising and multilateralism under pressure, the road to MC14 will be critical for the WTO to reclaim its central role in global trade. The stakes are high, but so is the urgency for change.