The Chair of the negotiations on agriculture, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain (Pakistan), has circulated a revised draft text ahead of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March. Most WTO members welcomed the draft as a basis for consensus at a meeting of the negotiating body on 6 March, although a couple of members said they do not find it acceptable in its current form.

6 March 2026

Speaking at the 8th South-South Dialogue on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) and Development on 6 March in Geneva, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the importance of members' work to reform the WTO in the run-up to the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) to be held on 26-29 March. She acknowledged the progress they have made in addressing LDCs’ trade priorities and encouraged LDCs to continue pursuing their trade interests.

6 March 2026

To mark the upcoming International Women's Day on 8 March, the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund on 6 March announced its plans to disburse US$ 1.76 million in grants in the first quarter of 2026 to benefit 219 women-led enterprises in the Dominican Republic, Mongolia and Nigeria. The first disbursement sets in motion the innovative design of the WEIDE Fund, which introduces a new model of grant financing supported by technical assistance and exposure to a multistakeholder ecosystem for enterprises.

6 March 2026

The European Union has contributed EUR 75,000 (approximately CHF 69,500) to support the participation of government officials from least developed countries (LDCs) at the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), to be held from 26 to 29 March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The contribution aims to ensure broad and inclusive participation in the WTO’s highest decision making body.

6 March 2026

The European Union is contributing EUR 1 million (approximately CHF 928,000) to support developing economies including least developed countries (LDCs) in strengthening their participation in the multilateral trading system for 2026–2027.

5 March 2026

WTO members on 5 March completed a series of meetings dedicated to advancing work on WTO reform. Over the past month, members have exchanged views on a draft ministerial statement and a work plan intended to frame the scope of reform efforts following the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) on 26-29 March. They also finalized preparations for the ministerial level political discussion on reform to be held at MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The reform facilitator, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, described the exchanges as substantive, thoughtful and conducted throughout in a positive spirit.

5 March 2026

The WTO Secretariat and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 4 March to enhance sustainable trade and investment worldwide. The agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will leverage the EIB’s financial resources and investment facilitation tools developed under the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement concluded by a large number of WTO members to improve the regulatory environment, unlock investment and expand opportunities for developing countries.

4 March 2026

At a meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement on 4 March, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) discussed issues concerning GPA implementation and progress in accession negotiations. Parties also elected a new Committee chair, Mr William Westerveld Jensen of Norway.

4 March 2026

At a meeting of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) on 3 March, WTO members reviewed five regional trade agreements (RTAs) involving Comoros, the European Union, Mozambique, Indonesia, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye and the Faroe Islands. They also reviewed other topics relevant to the Committee's work under the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs.

3 March 2026

At a meeting on the Work Programme on E-Commerce on 3 March, WTO members considered a proposal to establish a Committee on Digital Trade as part of a draft decision on e-commerce for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which will take place from 26 to 29 March in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Members also continued discussions on the reinvigoration of the Work Programme and on the moratorium on the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions on the basis of two other proposals.

3 March 2026