Report
- +4
Ms. Sandra Polaski, Joaquim Bento de Souza Ferreir, Janine Berg, …
{
"authors": [
"Sandra Polaski"
],
"type": "other",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [],
"topics": [
"Economy",
"Trade"
]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE
Other
The Future of the WTO
The WTO needs clear-sighted leadership, acknowledgment of global job anxiety, and a commitment to address the needs of the growing number of developing nations in the organization.
Published on Sep 6, 2006
Source: Carnegie Endowment
The suspension of Doha Round in late July caused global concern that the international trade talks will permanently collapse. However, in a new Policy Outlook, The Future of the WTO, the Carnegie Endowment’s Sandra Polaski argues that such fears are unfounded. In fact, the collapse of the talks provides a much-needed opportunity to rethink the negotiations and resume them on a better tack. The Policy Outlook analyzes the causes of the recent failure and the political climate. It identifies key objectives that must be addressed when talks resume.
Polaski, director of the Carnegie Endowment’s Trade, Equity, and Development Project, argues that although the immediate cause of the collapse was disagreement on agricultural trade between the U.S. and the EU, other problematic issues would have halted the talks as they continued. The main issue facing the Doha Round—which has not yet been confronted—is global employment. Until a trade deal is found that allows countries to manage the job destruction that trade expansion will cause while presenting better prospects for strong job creation, there will be no agreement on a new trade regime.
The suspension of talks is causing undue alarm, Polaski argues. The current round of trade negotiations has been underway for only four and a half years; it took nearly twice that time for the previous round of talks to conclude. There is plenty of room for world trade to expand under the existing rules. The only sense of crisis comes from setting unrealistic deadlines that the WTO is unable to reach, creating a false sense of failure. Polaski argues that what the WTO needs most now is clear-sighted leadership, acknowledgement of global job anxiety, and a commitment to address the needs of the growing number of developing nations in the WTO.
About the Author
Sandra Polaski is senior associate and director of the Trade, Equity, and Development Project at the Carnegie Endowment. She served as the U.S. Secretary of State’s special representative for international labor affairs from 1999–2002. She has written extensively on trade, development and employment.
About the Author
Ms. Sandra Polaski
Former Senior Associate, Director, Trade, Equity and Development Program
Until April 2002, Polaski served as the U.S. Secretary of State’s Special Representative for International Labor Affairs, the senior State Department official dealing with such matters.
- Brazil in the Global Economy: Measuring the Gains From Trade
- One Cheer for Global Trade TalksArticle
Ms. Sandra Polaski
Recent Work
More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
- What the Russian Energy Sector Stands to Gain From War in the Middle EastCommentary
The future trajectory of the U.S.-Iran war remains uncertain, but its impact on global energy trade flows and ties will be far-reaching. Moscow is likely to become a key beneficiary of these changes; the crisis in the Gulf also strengthens Russia’s hand in its relationships with China and India, where advantages might prove more durable.
Sergey Vakulenko
- Beyond Oil: Hormuz Closure Puts Russia in the Lead in the Fertilizer MarketCommentary
The Kremlin expects to not only profit from rising fertilizer prices but also exact revenge for the collapse of the 2023 grain deal.
Alexandra Prokopenko
- A Tight Spot: Challenges Facing the Russian Oil Sector Through 2035Paper
Russian oil production is remarkably resilient to significant price changes, but significant political headwinds may lead to a drop regardless of economics.
Sergey Vakulenko
- Georgia’s Fall From U.S. Favor Heralds South Caucasus RealignmentCommentary
With the White House only interested in economic dealmaking, Georgia finds itself eclipsed by what Armenia and Azerbaijan can offer.
Bashir Kitachaev
- Does Russia Have Enough Soldiers to Keep Waging War Against Ukraine?Commentary
The Russian army is not currently struggling to recruit new contract soldiers, though the number of people willing to go to war for money is dwindling.
Dmitry Kuznets
