WTO reform talks begin in Cameroon amid deep divisions

Trade ministers are gathering in Cameroon this Thursday for critical negotiations regarding the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The four-day summit in Yaounde is viewed by many diplomats as a pivotal moment for the future of global trade governance, with warnings that a failure to reach a consensus could lead nations to establish trade rules outside the international body. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has acknowledged that the upcoming discussions are expected to be difficult given the deep divisions among member states.