“The Road to Nairobi: The WTO’s Big Challenge”

With

Roberto Azevêdo
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

The WTO General Council, on 10 December 2014, agreed that the 10th Ministerial Conference be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 18 December 2015. For the WTO it would be a big challenge and a chance to advance the Doha Round which was launched 14 years ago in the Qatari capital.

In the past years, bilateral and regional trade agreements have been growing rapidly. For DG Roberto Azevêdo “there are many big issues which can only be tackled in an efficient manner in the multilateral context through the WTO”.

The role of WTO today is to agree global trade rules, monitor adherence to those rules, and help to resolve disputes between nations when they arise.

How can WTO keep progressing in key negotiating areas?
What are the challenges leading to Nairobi?
What is still to be done?