Can the Bali Package Resolve the Doha Impasse and Secure the Future of the WTO?

Image: Flickr, World Trade Organisation
Image: Flickr, World Trade Organisation

Much of recent commentary on the World Trade Organization (WTO) has focused on the stalled Doha Development Round, the reasons for the impasse and proposals for its resolution.

In the lead-up to the Bali Ministerial Conference, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo made it clear that the future of the WTO depended on the outcome of the Bali Ministerial and hence the Bali Package. Accordingly, this policy briefing sets out the broad framework of the Bali Package and assesses whether it addresses the blockage in the Doha Round. It remains to be seen whether the Bali Package will push the Doha negotiations ahead – the primary determining factor is whether it will be enough to change the negotiating dynamics of the Doha Round, which remain fraught.

The views expressed in this publication/article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).