Climate has changed since WTO round began in 2001,with extreme nationalism rising again on back of economic hardship triggered by system failureIt’s November 2001. The terrorist attacks on the United States on 9/11 are still fresh and raw. While George Bush plots revenge, a meeting of trade ministers takes place in the Gulf state of Qatar.
The gathering has two purposes. At one level, and it is intended as a point to of global solidarity with the US,a sign that the international community can unite in its opposition to fanaticism. But trade ministers also deem the time is right to break down barriers to the free movement of goods and services around the world. After all, the final successful round of trade liberalisation negotiations was completed eight years earlier in 1993.
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Source: theguardian.com