Low hopes, sharp divides: WTO conference points to continuity outcome

Expectations this time are low for an institution that governs 98 per cent of global trade, worth over $35 trillion, due to a deep divide over its direction. One group — led by India, South Africa and Brazil —wants to preserve consensus, inclusiveness, and a balance between development and trade. The other, led by advanced economies, is pushing for faster decisions and smaller group deals, often at the cost of WTO’s core principles. The former warns this shift could weaken the WTO’s multilateral foundations and sideline development concerns — effectively “kicking away the ladder” that once helped rich economies industrialise….