International Trade : Shaping Dynamics

Representatives from 166 countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) began a four-day meeting in Yaounde yesterday March 26, 2026 within the framework of the Ministerial Conference of the organisation. The meeting has as objective; reflecting on measures to ensure fair access to trade and maintain sovereign global order; aspects which directly affect living standards. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Prime Minister Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute, on behalf of the President of the Republic.

In his opening statement, the Head of Government said it is the responsibility of stakeholders to build a strong and lasting consensus on rules and mechanisms governing international trade, especially as observations hold that the world is increasingly becoming fragmented. To this effect, he expressed hope that the Yaounde meeting will mark the beginning of a new chapter in both the organisation and the values it defends and represents. Renewed and strengthened multilateralism in trade, triumph of dialogue over confrontation, and collective commitment to a fairer, more inclusive, equitable and sustainable trading system, are some of the aspects the Prime Minister said he hopes will be consolidated after the confab.

With the conference holding for the second time on African soil after Kenya in 2015, Joseph Dion Ngute said it simply reflects the continent’s growing role in shaping the dynamics of international trade. “Through the Agenda 2063 and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, our continent is firmly committed to its ambi- tion of building an integrated, competitive and resilient mar- ket,” he said. He justifies his stand by saying the chal- lenges of international trade are anything but abstract; they have a direct and tangible impact on farmers and en- trepreneurs who strive for better access to global markets. “When trade declines, markets close, and cooperation gives way to unbalanced competition, the socio-economic development of our countries inevitably bears the consequences,” Dion Ngute said. To him, as has always championed by the President of the Republic, it is imperative to position trade as a key driver for reducing poverty and expanding opportunities. Gaps, Future Opportunities According to the Director-General of WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it is no secret that the world trading system is experiencing the worst dis- ruptions in the past 80 years. To her, these disruptions are a symptom of the wider disruptions shaking the international order created after the Second World War to prevent a repeat of the horrors of first half of the 20th century. “For 2026, our Economists are forecasting slower 1.9 per cent growth for goods trade, with the impact of frontloading gone, previously postponed tariffs kicking in, and reflecting geopolitics, energy prices, and policy uncertainty,” she said. It is against this backdrop that the WTO boss further opined that resilient in trading systems is necessary as well as the respect of the organisation’s rules and regulations. The Nigerian-born top official added that monitoring, transparency and notification pil...