: World merchandise trade growth exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2026 as surging trade in electronic components related to artificial intelligence (AI) offset the negative impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which began in the final month of the quarter. Trade disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are expected to be more fully captured in trade data for the next
: At a meeting of the WTO Committee on Agriculture on 24-25 September, WTO members addressed matters raised regarding implementation of their commitments and members' specific notifications. They also discussed a counter-notification submitted by Australia on India's support policies for sugar and heard a briefing on the global state of farming from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This was the first meeting under the new Chair, Mr William Horgan of
: A first-ever report by the WTO Secretariat on the resolution of trade concerns related to market access highlights the effectiveness of the organization's committee work in helping members settle their differences without resorting to dispute settlement. The report was presented at a 12-13 October meeting of the WTO's Committee on Market Access (CMA). The committee also reviewed a record 36 trade concerns raised by members at its meeting, eight of which were raised for the first
: At a meeting on 1 October 2026, WTO members participating in the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP) held the first substantive round of discussions across four areas of work: circular solutions to plastics pollution; waste-management technologies; single-use plastics; and trade-related plastics measures. Building on the DPP's outcomes from the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in March 2026 and earlier technical work, the discussions were aimed at moving towards more focused and practical work in the lead-up to
: The WTO Fish Fund has marked an important milestone with the submission to the WTO of the first-ever fisheries subsidy notification made possible through support from the Fund. The submission on 3 June by Tonga under the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has additional significance given the developing Pacific region's exposure to the effects of harmful fisheries subsidies. The notification was prepared during a workshop held from 20 to 22 May in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, as part of a project funded by the Fish Fund, and contributes to Tonga’s implementation of the
: When I took up the position of WTO Chief Economist in January 2026, I knew that the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference, known as MC14, would be important for the future of the organization. Held at the end of March in Yaoundé, Cameroon, MC14 was my first Ministerial and therefore my first opportunity to see, at close range, how members would use this moment not only to negotiate, but also to take stock of the institution itself. I returned from Yaoundé with a clearer sense of where the institution now
: The WTO will host the first World Trade and Tech Day on 14 September at its headquarters in Geneva, bringing together trade and information and communications technology (ICT) policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) strategies can better support economies' efforts to maximize the gains of international
: Co-sponsors of the E-Commerce Agreement (ECA) met on 9 June to discuss preparations for ratifying the world's first baseline set of global digital trade rules. The ratification process forms part of the interim arrangements adopted by over 60 members at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), pending incorporation of the ECA into the WTO
: WTO members shared their views on the state of agricultural negotiations and discussed how best to move talks forward on 9 July at the WTO Committee on Agriculture in Special Session in Geneva. It was the first meeting of the WTO's agricultural negotiating body since the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Cameroon earlier this year, at which WTO members were unable to reach a consensus outcome on
: The WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) conducted their first joint technical assistance activity in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 10 to 15 October to support the government's preparations for the second meeting of the Working Party on the accession of Somalia. Supported by the United Kingdom, the technical assistance event also included discussions on regional integration and the forthcoming Trade for Peace Somalia
: At a meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement on 14 October, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) 2012 welcomed Timor-Leste's submission of key documents required to kick off its negotiations on acceding to the Agreement. The Committee also reviewed regulatory developments, heard updates on the accession process of other members, and for the first time conducted a dialogue with the private sector on the significance of the Agreement in a changing trade
: The WTO Secretariat launched a new publication on the role of stablecoins in supporting cross-border trade on 14 September on the sidelines of the WTO's first World Trade and Tech Day. The report, prepared by the Economic Research and Statistics Division and the Trade in Services and Investment Division, examines the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of stablecoins in facilitating international trade, highlighting how they can accelerate cross-border payments and their potential to increase participation in the international trading system, especially for developing
: The WTO Secretariat launched a new publication on the role of stablecoins in supporting cross-border trade on 14 September on the sidelines of the WTO's first World Trade and Tech Day. The report, prepared by the Economic Research and Statistics Division and the Trade in Services and Investment Division, examines the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of stablecoins in facilitating international trade, highlighting how they can accelerate cross-border payments and their potential to increase participation in the international trading system, especially for developing
: Global trade proved more resilient than expected in the first half of 2026 despite the disruption caused by the Middle East conflict, as supply chains adapted and strong investment in artificial intelligence provided a powerful boost to goods trade. However, the resilience was not uniform, with services trade and some regions more exposed to the effects of the conflict. WTO economists have therefore raised the forecast for merchandise trade growth in 2026 while lowering the outlook for services
: The WTO, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank Group jointly organized a regional conference in Manila on 28-29 September that brought for the first time the Trade in Services for Development (TS4D) initiative to the Asia-Pacific region. The event allowed trade officials and other stakeholders from the region to discuss the role of services trade in development, exchange views on the use of analytical tools developed under the initiative and share best practices and policy approaches for supporting services trade in the