World Trade Organization
Recent Highlights
All Stories for World Trade Organization
WTO members agree to intensify talks on patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments
•Since October, the WTO has faced calls led by India and South Africa to ease patents, in what proponents argue will boost production in developing countries of vaccines, treatments needed to battle COVID-19
Heads of four global organisations appeal to world leaders for COVID-19 vaccine equality
•WHO, World Bank, IMF, and WTO blamed gaps in vaccination programs for the emergence of virus variants that fuelled fresh outbreaks in developing countries.
For the first time in its history, World Trade Organization names women to half of deputy leader roles
•The new director-general — herself the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO — appointed Angela Ellard of the United States and Costa Rica's Anabel Gonzalez, along with Jean-Marie Paugam of France and China's Zhang Xiangchen.
African health official blasts 'terrible' vaccine inequality; high-income nations oppose proposal to waive IP rules
•A small group of high-income countries and their trading partners, including the EU, US, Brazil, Canada, Japan and the UK Thursday opposed South Africa and India's request to waive some intellectual property rules to allow for faster, easier access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world
WTO set to have woman boss for the first time since its existence, shortlist narrows down to two
•The final two from an initial list of eight candidates are Nigeria's former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee
China calls for reversal of ban on 59 apps, says it hasn't taken restrictive measures against Indian products and services
•Chinese commerce ministry Spokesman Gao Feng said that China has not taken any restrictive measures against Indian products and services.
China says India's new FDI rules violate WTO principles on free and fair trade; hopes for revision in 'discriminatory practices'
Fp Staff •India’s new rules for foreign investment violate WTO principles of non-discrimination and are against free and fair trade, a Chinese embassy spokesperson in New Delhi said on Monday
'If China is a developing nation, then make US one too': Donald Trump slams Beijing for taking 'unbelievable advantage'
•'China has been unbelievably taken advantage of us and other countries. You know, for instance, they are considered a developing nation. I said well then make us a developing nation too,' Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference on coronavirus.
Taiwan seeks formation of WTO dispute panel in case against India's import duties on ICT products
•Taiwan has sought the establishment of a dispute panel by the World Trade Organization in a case against India's import duties on certain information and communication technology (ICT) products, including mobile phones
Davos 2020: WTO will survive but it will look different, says Roberto Azevedo amid growing call for protectionism over free trade
•Amid a growing clamour among the political class for protectionism over free trade, WTO chief Roberto Azevedo on Tuesday said at the WEF Davos summit that the global trade body would definitely survive this wave but it might look different