The multilateral trading system is at a defining moment. With the World Trade Organization (WTO) paralyzed by geopolitical tensions, a non-functional dispute settlement system, and stalled negotiations, Africa stands at a critical juncture. The continent, home to 42 WTO members and over a quarter of the organization’s developing country constituency, must now assert a bold, unified vision for global trade rules that serve its development priorities.

Africa’s stakes in the WTO’s future are high. The continent’s share of global trade remains below 3%, and its economies are disproportionately affected by trade disruptions, climate shocks, and systemic inequities in global value chains. As the WTO confronts calls for reform, Africa must demand more than token concessions—it must push for a structural transformation of the rules that govern global trade.

1. Restore the Rules-Based System: Fix the Dispute Settlement Mechanism

The WTO’s Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM), once heralded as the “crown jewel” of the multilateral system, is in crisis. The Appellate Body has been non-functional since 2019, leaving African countries without a credible forum to challenge unfair trade practices.

Despite their limited use of the DSM, African nations rely on its existence to deter coercion and ensure legal recourse. The African Group has emphasized that “a functioning, independent and effective dispute settlement system is indispensable for preserving the rights and obligations of all WTO members”

. Without it, power asymmetries deepen, and smaller economies are left vulnerable to unilateral trade measures.

Africa must demand:

• The immediate restoration of the Appellate Body.
• Enhanced legal assistance and capacity-building for developing countries to access the DSM.
• A moratorium on appeals into the void, which are used by major powers to evade compliance.

2. Put Development Back at the Center of Trade Rules

The WTO’s founding Marrakesh Agreement explicitly recognizes the need to ensure that developing countries “secure a share in the growth of international trade commensurate with their development needs.” Yet, decades later, this promise remains unfulfilled.

The African Group has criticized the marginalization of development issues in WTO reform discussions, noting that “issues of development… are relegated to an afterthought”. The Doha Development Agenda, launched in 2001, remains unfinished, and special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions are under attack.

Africa must demand:

• Binding and enforceable S&DT provisions, not just technical assistance.
• A development-focused agenda that prioritizes industrial policy space, value addition, and structural transformation.
• Recognition of differentiated responsibilities based on development status, not just economic size.

3. Reform WTO Governance: No More “Green Rooms”

Africa’s exclusion from key decision-making processes has long undermined its influence in the WTO. Informal “Green Room” meetings—small-group negotiations dominated by major powers—have often pre-determined outcomes without African input.

The African Group has called for “transparent, inclusive, and open-ended consultations” and warned against “reform by doing” that bypasses formal WTO bodies. Africa must insist on a member-driven, consensus-based process that respects the sovereignty and agency of all nations.

Africa must demand:

• An end to exclusive negotiating formats.
• Institutional reforms that enhance transparency, early circulation of documents, and virtual participation for resource-constrained delegations.
• A permanent African voice in WTO leadership, including senior Secretariat roles and committee chairs.

4. Tackle the Climate-Trade Nexus on Africa’s Terms

As the global economy transitions toward sustainability, new trade rules are emerging around carbon border adjustments, green subsidies, and environmental standards. These measures, if designed without African input, risk becoming new forms of protectionism.

Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals—essential for renewable energy—offer immense potential. Yet, the continent remains locked into raw material exports, with little value captured locally. As one African negotiator noted, “we must move beyond extraction to industrialization”

Africa must demand:

• Trade rules that support green industrialization, not just environmental compliance.
• Flexibility to implement climate policies without violating WTO disciplines.
• Technology transfer and financing mechanisms to support sustainable value chains.

5. Reclaim policy space for industrialization and food security

WTO rules often constrain the policy tools African countries need to diversify their economies and ensure food security. From subsidies to export restrictions, the current framework favors developed economies with fiscal capacity to support their sectors.

The African Group has emphasized that “WTO rules must facilitate structural transformation, diversification, and industrialization”. This requires a rethinking of what constitutes “fair” competition in a world of unequal capacities.

Africa must demand:

• Flexibility to support strategic sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing.
• Recognition of food security as a legitimate ground for trade measures.
• A review of WTO agreements that hinder development, such as the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.

6. Strengthen Africa’s Collective Bargaining Power

Africa’s influence in the WTO is undermined by fragmentation and limited coordination. While the African Group has become more assertive, capacity constraints and overlapping memberships in other coalitions dilute its impact.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers a platform to harmonize positions and build a common trade policy. As South Africa assumes the G20 presidency in 2025, there is a unique opportunity to elevate Africa’s voice in global trade governance.

Africa must demand:

• A unified African negotiating mandate ahead of WTO ministerial conferences.
• Greater investment in trade policy capacity at national and regional levels.
• Strategic alliances with other Global South countries to push for systemic reform.

Conclusion: A New Social Contract for Global Trade

The WTO is at a crossroads—not just institutionally, but morally. The future of global trade rules must reflect the aspirations of all countries, not just the powerful few. Africa’s demands are not about charity or exemptions—they are about justice, equity, and the right to develop.

As the world grapples with climate change, debt distress, and rising inequality, trade must be a tool for shared prosperity—not a weapon for dominance. Africa must seize this moment to reshape the WTO into an institution that works for the many, not the few.

The time for polite requests is over. Africa must demand a new social contract for global trade—one that centers development, respects sovereignty, and delivers fairness.

References

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Africa and the Great Power Competition at the World Trade Organization, March 2025.

TESS Forum, Reimagining Cooperation on Trade and Sustainability: An African Perspective, May 2025.
Third World Network, African Group Issues Key Principles on Institutional Reform of WTO, July 2023.