The WTO Public Forum 2012 is upon us and this
is certainly an adequate opportunity to start this World Trade blog that I have
been meaning to pursue for quite some time now. A topic very close to my heart,
my interest in this discussion is derived primarily from a personal conclusion
that if one is sufficiently far afield to look at the big picture then the root
cause of all effect in human society is trade. In such circumstances therefore,
the solution to problems may either be found within the remit of either the
individual problem subject (i.e. environment, human rights etc) or within trade
itself. It is with this thought that I intend to devote this blog to the ‘trade
plus’ aspects of world trade as an attempt to analyse the problems, and indeed
the solutions that World Trade may have to offer to human society.
This ironically brings us back to the 2012 WTO
Public Forum where the fundamental question being asked is whether Multilateralism
is itself in crisis. Is a solution
required for the World Trade system itself perhaps? Pascal Lamy (the
Director-General of the WTO), in his welcome speech to the forum has
categorically stated that ‘Multilateralism is struggling’ (http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl244_e.htm).
According to Lamy, the expectations on the multilateral trade system are far
higher today than before.
Perhaps what should be considered here is whether
the reasons given are the only reasons why multilateralism is struggling, if indeed it is
struggling at all. Can it not be envisaged that this is, in reality, the
natural progression of multilateralism, itself? If the objective behind free
trade was the equitable distribution of wealth through free markets, for the
benefit of all, then surely the increased influence and demand of the poorer
countries is a step in the right direction.
This brings up a further question – Is the
multilateralism that Lamy speaks about, specifically WTO style multilateralism?
Surely the bilateralism and Regionalism that is such a threat to the authority
of the WTO has furthered into inter-trade relationship between them to form a
more patch-worked multilateral world of international trade. Although this form
does not have the aesthetic agreeability of a rule based forum, it is perhaps
less ephemeral because of its evolutionary character.
In the interest of furthering this thought
therefore, it may be wise to allay the earlier suspicions of a subtext of
North-South friction and move on to the next question Lamy posed in his
speech
– "can multilateral co-operation live up to their expectation?"
There seems to be no definitive answer to his question – at least not according to Lamy's speech (and the opinion of several commentators). One is only left with unexplained optimism and the premonition that we are all probably thinking the same thought – it is a rough road ahead indeed. Ironically, in what seems to be misplaced optimism, we have probably and inadvertantly answered Lamy's initial question on whether multilateralism really is struggling.
