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international

The 14th Ministerial Conference of the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Yaoundé (Cameroun):
is the Future of trade

in africa?
By Mariarosaria Iorio

question arises: Why Africa’s place in the
world trade remains fragile in spite of its great
potential?

The first reason is related to the contemporary
world context: The world economy is more
and more fragmented and polarized. The
development of the technology, the Artificial
Intelligence (AI), and the deindustrialization
of the more economically advanced countries
have increased the divide in the perception of
what trade is about. Thus, creating a sort of two
worlds: one where all is still to be made, mostly
in Africa, and another world where the trend is
towards dematerialization and virtual economy.
While the population growths in Africa,
population decreases in post-modern countries.
The WTO Ministerial took place from 26 to 29 This trend is accompanied by the greater space
March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroun.
of technology and robotics that changes the
economy and decreases the need for solidarity.
The symbolic value of this venue is central as it This divide therefore is not only economic but
gave the signal that the future of trade can be also social. The disconnect is now a reality. In this
and is in Africa. Indeed, in spite of the turmoil of context, it is still hard for African countries to find
the international regime and of multilateralism market niches as exporters, even for agricultural
in general, this Ministerial Conference moves products where the greatest potential lies at the
the centre of discussions and of decision- moment. The African continent remains a large
making to the African continent. The focus of market of consumers. It faces the challenge
discourses is on the efforts made to raise Africa of expanding export markets and revenues
to a major market in international trade, and on deriving from foreign trade. The Conference has
how to increase its participation in the world made some progress in the discussions on the
trading system. The continent appears indeed inclusion of Foreign Direct Investment in the
to have a great economic potential given its WTO Agreements. Work will have to continue
young population, its population growth and the in the General Council in Geneva.
progression of political awareness on the need
for a more sustainable and dynamic economic The second reason is specific to the trade regime
framework.
and to trade negotiations: Since the collapse
of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), the
Challenges, however, remain to be faced. This developing countries and the least developed
Ministerial Conference attempted to respond countries (LDCs) have been side lined in the
to the needs of a changing environment that is trade negotiations. The proliferation of regional
challenging the action of the multilateral trading and bilateral agreements has somehow brought
system. As it concerns Africa, the following
the trade policy issues outside the multilateral

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