La World Trade Organization (WTO) has made public its 2025 Annual Report, offering a comprehensive overview of the organization's activities between 2024 and early 2025.
In an introductory message, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the historical importance of the WTO, which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year, recalling how its agreements have contributed to global economic growth and increased purchasing power. However, it also warned about the current delicate situation.
“The global trading system is currently experiencing the worst disruptions since the Second World War"Multilateral cooperation itself is being questioned," he said. Okonjo-IwealaDespite this backdrop, the Director-General sees crises as an opportunity to remind governments and businesses of the value of a predictable and stable trading environment, a guarantee that was often taken for granted.
The report highlights the crucial role of the WTO as a forum for its 166 members to address their trade concerns and propose solutions. It also underscores the work of its technical committees, which not only protect consumer safety through health standards and technical regulations, but also work to simplify customs procedures, promote trade in services, protect intellectual property, and ensure transparency in government procurement.
As the Director-General concluded in her message, the WTO's work goes far beyond tariffs: "Global trade is about much more than just tariffs, and neither is the WTO."
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