The director general of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala, warns that global trade is currently in its most severe crisis since the end of World War II. “We are witnessing the worst disruptions of the last eight decades” she told the world. Yet she added that the exchange of goods around the globe continues under WTO rules for almost three‑quarters of the trade. “The majority of members apply our rule‑making framework” she said, “not everything is broken”.
In recent months, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on many countries, arguably violating WTO rules. Okonjo‑Iweala nevertheless defended the United States, describing it as a driver of necessary change. “We value the United States as a member and are glad it is participating” she said. “And it is good that WTO members, perhaps more so now, are willing to tackle difficult reforms”.
Okonjo‑Iweala aims to restore the WTO’s capacity for action, which is presently hampered in part by the United States. She proposes that individual members could form “coalitions of the willing” more often than before, creating groups within the WTO that jointly craft rules and make decisions.