The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was found stuck between position papers on Saturday at noon, unable to achieve consensus and leading to concerns for future debates within the committee.
The WTO is a consensus-based committee but was blocked between position papers, several stating the committee lacked structure and did not follow the essential topics of WTO. A delegate from a participating nation, who has requested to remain anonymous, shared the lack of contribution from the US, China, France, and other uncited developed countries who only considered their personal agenda, neglecting less developed countries.
Brazil shared similar concerns, arguing that each country only supported their own interests and privileges leading topics to fall through without further discussion, such as the topic of workers’ rights that has reportedly been “shot down.”
Another source within the WTO said that Brazil was also part of the blocking countries who put forward their personal interest.
Brazil exposed their own faulty behavior while blaming it on other members, perhaps avoiding accountability, observers said.
Sources shared the difficulty to even negotiate with the leading countries, arguing that some countries have been left completely unheard.
Some members said that giving developing countries more chances to speak would be the only possible solution, enhancing the position of unheard countries and potentially guiding WTO members towards consensus.
Anonymous members did not seem confident about the solution, explaining that the presidents of the WTO are also contributing to the privilege of developed countries and to the lack of consensus.
Analysts said the future of the WTO appeared as a question mark on Saturday, witnessing both a lack of consensus while the clock kept ticking.
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