WTO FORUM

Why is it important to conclude the Doha Round negotiations?

Despite the difficulty to reach a final agreement on the Doha Round of trade talks, launched in 2001, many economists argue that a global deal would benefit the multilateral trading system as a whole and would significantly boost economic growth. Why is this negotiation difficult to conclude, and what has to be done to bring about agreement? Peter Sutherland, former GATT / WTO Director-General and co-author of “The Doha Round — Setting a deadline, defining a final deal”, shares his views on this issue with Keith Rockwell, WTO Spokesman.