WTO Panel on Defining Future of Trade discusses closing report

During the discussion, HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, member of the WTO Panel, presented a number of suggestions to ensure the maximum benefit from the report.

Firstly, he suggested the need to send the report to ministers of trade in the WTO Member States to provide their feedback, stressing that holding a special ministerial conference for this purpose is also essential.

HE Abu-Ghazaleh reiterated the significance of making reforms to the Organization saying that "drawing a better future can never have been achieved without the reform of the WTO," which he also underlined in a report he released entitled "WTO at the Crossroads" A Report on the Imperative of a WTO Reform Agenda.

"I believe that the business sector, which makes trade, fortune, job opportunities and growth, should be acknowledged by the WTO without affecting the authority of the governments' representatives in decision making," he noted.

HE Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh called the WTO to address and thoroughly study commerce in knowledge products in order to formulate the Internet economy agreement to facilitate this sort of commerce that became very significant globally and correspondent with commerce in goods and services.

Abu-Ghazaleh's 22 recommendations in the report represent the deepest reforms to the organization since it was created, in an effort to rescue the trade body from paralysis and irrelevance. The report also makes a number of recommendations that would improve the WTO's collaboration with the private sector, and places greater emphasis on public outreach by the WTO Secretariat, in an attempt to cement a healthier and more open rapport with citizens and NGO's around the globe.

The Panel on Defining the Future of Trade was established in April 2012 to examine and analyze challenges to global trade opening in the 21st century.

Upon an invitation by HE Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, the World Trade Organization-Arab Consultation Forum was held last February at TAG-Knowledge Forum in the presence of Mr. Lamy and the participation of Arab ministers, delegations and representatives of economic commissions, businessmen and stakeholders.