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Two multilateral organisations dealing with trade: UNCTAD and WTO More differences than similarities

Two multilateral organisations dealing with trade: UNCTAD and WTO More differences than similarities. The origins The mandates The institutional functioning The thinking on trade and development The strengths and weaknesses. Manuela Tortora Chief, Technical Cooperation UNCTAD.

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Two multilateral organisations dealing with trade: UNCTAD and WTO More differences than similarities

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  1. Two multilateral organisations dealing with trade:UNCTAD and WTOMore differences than similarities The origins The mandates The institutional functioning The thinking on trade and development The strengths and weaknesses Manuela Tortora Chief, Technical Cooperation UNCTAD

  2. From GATT to WTO Keynes’ ideas on post-war international economic governance The Bretton Woods agreements (1944) 1947: the ITO, the Havana Charter and the GATT GATT Rounds of trade negotiations until the Uruguay Round (1986-94) 1995: WTO is established outside the UN system UNCTAD: 1964 The context of North-South and East-West tensions Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77 The link between trade and development (Prebisch thinking) 1st UNCTAD Ministerial Conference in Geneva; Permanent secretariat established THE ORIGINS

  3. UNCTAD: Integrated treatment of trade, investment and related issues= wide mandate Research on trade and development issues Consensus-building through intergovernmental machinery Technical cooperation on all the topics of UNCTAD work THE MANDATE • WTO • Rules-based organisation, negotiates binding multilateral trade law (“legislative” role) • Dispute settlement mechanism with mandatory decisions, can apply sanctions (“judicial” role) • Mandate confined to the existing trade agreements and to the scope of the negotiations

  4. THE FUNCTIONING WTO • No links with the UN machinery • Permanent governmental bodies to monitor the implementation of the trade rules • Negotiating governmental bodies • Neutral Secretariat • Accession has to be negotiated • Limited role of non-governmental stakeholders UNCTAD • Intergovernmental machinery linked to UN General Assembly and ECOSOC • Secretariat part of the UN Secretariat (part of same budget) • Development-oriented and independent secretariat • Political role (“soft law”) • Automatic membership • Wide participation of non-governmental stakeholders

  5. WTO Same trade disciplines for all but… …Special treatment for developing countries The “Doha Development Round” launched in 2001 Trade liberalisation and implementation of trade rules lead to development UNCTAD Trade is one of the instruments leading to development… …but no automatic links between trade liberalisation, poverty reduction, and development Multidimensional links between trade and development Special and differential treatment is key for all developing countries No “one size-fits-all” development models THE IDEAS ON DEVELOPMENT

  6. WTO Binding trade law Powerful “judicial” mechanism BUT Increasing complexities of multilateral negotiations Increasing regional and bilateral trade agreements UNCTAD Trust and credibility among developing countries Independent research BUT Only a political role (no “teeth”) Limited human and financial resources STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES

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