Amidst the grandeur of Abu Dhabi, the World Trade Organisation is poised to commence its biennial convocation on Monday, nestled within the United Arab Emirates. The bloc finds itself ensnared in the crosscurrents of global dynamics, contending with mounting pressures emanating from the United States and other nations, setting the stage for a year brimming with consequential elections worldwide. The deliberations of the WTO’s 164 member nations will orbit around multifaceted discussions, encompassing a prospective pact to proscribe subsidies implicated in overfishing, an extension of the hiatus on levies concerning digital media, including movies and video games, and a panorama of agricultural concerns.

Yet, formidable challenges loom over the organization and the global economic tapestry, casting shadows of uncertainty, especially in the wake of a convalescence from the asymmetrical impact of the lingering coronavirus pandemic across nations. Simultaneously, over 50 elections, wielding influence over half of the planet’s populace, are slated for this year, with none potentially more pivotal for the WTO than the impending US presidential election scheduled for November 5.

In the political arena, the resurgent figure of former President Donald Trump adds an element of intrigue, as he seeks reelection. Trump’s previous rhetoric included the ominous specter of a potential withdrawal of the United States from the WTO, coupled with a penchant for imposing tariffs on imported goods, targeting both perceived allies and adversaries. The prospect of a Trump triumph could, once again, stir the tempest of global trade. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the WTO’s Director-General, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, ardently advocates for the organization’s enduring significance, given that 75 percent of the world’s trade adheres to its terms.

Okonjo-Iweala, in a recent pronouncement, articulated the WTO’s unwavering focus on necessary reforms, irrespective of the political landscape. The looming question remains: What are the indispensable reforms, regardless of who assumes power and when? A critical juncture in the discourse where the very relevance of the trade body hangs in the balance. The Director-General contends that a scenario where the WTO becomes inconsequential would spell trouble for everyone, from the general populace to stakeholders in the global economic framework.

Even in the event of a potential reelection of President Joe Biden, reservations within the United States about the WTO persist. The nation, under the auspices of the past three administrations, has obstructed appointments to the WTO’s appeals court, rendering it defunct. Washington alleges that the judges, in their rulings, habitually transgressed their authorized purview. Additionally, the US casts a critical eye on China, challenging its continued designation as a developing country, a nomenclature adopted upon its entry into the WTO in 2001. Accusations abound regarding Beijing’s perceived hindrance to access in emerging industries, coercive tactics to extract technology from foreign enterprises, and the alleged flooding of global markets with competitively priced steel, aluminum, and sundry other products. Complicating matters is the voting format of the WTO itself, where pivotal decisions necessitate consensus, compelling nations to actively endorse proposals for them to materialize.