: 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
: 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