ON THE OBITUARY OF THE DOHA ROUND: A PATH FOR REINVENTING THE WTO’S FUTURE

The World Trade Organization is in decline. Its dispute settlement mechanism faces an existential crisis. The Doha Round is all but dead. While many factors have contributed to the decline of the WTO, most can be traced to its design flaws. With the adoption of the Marrakesh Agreement, the scope of the multilateral trade regime expanded. However, such expansion was pointedly selective. While business and corporate interests were protected through the incorporation of traditionally nontrad e subjects, such as intellectual property and investment, social and development issues remain sidelined. As a result, many came to view the WTO as an agent of neoliberalism spearheading the diversion of the wealth of nations into the wealth of corporations. Such single-minded pursuit of profit has not only undermined the legitimacy of the WTO but also has contributed to the creation a conducive environment for the rise of nationalism, populism, and protectionism, threatening liberal international order.