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Not all are happy about WTO welcome mat

In the opening remarks for the 8th World Trade Organization Ministerial it was a common theme that the accession of countries, and in particular Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to the WTO was a vote of confidence in the organisation and multilateralism. Russia, Montenegro and Samoa will have their accession packages approved by this Ministerial Conference with much fanfare for the under-fire institution.

The WTO has been negotiating the “Doha Development Round” for ten years and has seen the talks end at an impasse. As such the accessions themselves are seen as a vote of relevance in the multilateral system in such times.