Could the WTO Better Serve the Poor?

While many developed countries reap the rewards of increased globalization and trade, the developing world struggles to improve its economic status through these foreign markets. Poor countries look to the World Trade Organization to supervise international commercial trading, yet its dispute settlement system disproportionately benefits wealthy nations.

On November 9, Global Economy and Development at Brookings held a discussion on recent efforts and suggested proposals to help developing countries overcome hurdles imposed by the WTO, featuring Chad P. Bown, author of Self-Enforcing Trade: Developing Countries and WTO Dispute Settlement (Brookings Press, 2009). Panelists included Kimberly Ann Elliott from the Center for Global Development; Gawain Kripke from Oxfam America; and James Durling from Winston & Strawn LLP. Paul Blustein, a Brookings nonresident journalist, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion.