Trade ministers will meet in Cameroon on Thursday for important discussions on reforming the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with diplomats and trade officials warning that without an agreement, countries may begin creating their own trade rules outside the organisation.
The four-day gathering in Yaounde takes place amid worries about how the U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran could affect global trade, after a year of tariff upheaval sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s use of trade measures as a political weapon.
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John Denton, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce, warned that from a business standpoint, this could turn into the worst industrial crisis in living memory. He pointed to energy price spikes driven by the war and the resulting food security threats in Africa caused by disruptions in fertiliser supplies.
After years of stalled multilateral agreements and a six-year deadlock in the WTO’s dispute settlement system, ministers have arrived in Yaoundé without a clear reform plan and with deep divisions still in place.
The U.S. supports reforms but is resisting a detailed work plan, while the EU, Britain, and China back one, internal reform documents seen by Reuters show. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said she expected the talks to be difficult.
If ministers leave empty-handed, diplomats and officials warned it could push members to pursue other options for trade rulemaking.
“If we don’t achieve anything concrete, the WTO will lose its attractiveness and relevancy,” Swiss Ambassador Erwin Bollinger said ahead of the talks.
UK trade minister Chris Bryant warned of potential fragmentation if no deal is reached.
“My anxiety is if we ministers don’t get this week right, you might see a disorderly collapse of the WTO and some people writing a new rule book,” Bryant said.
Talks are expected to be tense, with the U.S. and India set for a showdown over the extension of a moratorium on customs duties for digital downloads.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in a draft statement seen in advance by Reuters, is expected to tell members the U.S. is “not interested” in a temporary extension, only a permanent extension. India, however, is likely to maintain its opposition, an official said, while some other countries seek a two-year extension.
South Korea Trade Minister Yeo Han‑Koo said failure to extend the moratorium would be a “big blow” to the WTO and the global economy.
Semiconductor powerhouse Taiwan will not attend after host country Cameroon described it as a province of China.
