The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Annual Report 2025 reviews the organization’s activities in 2024 and early 2025, a period marked by resilience, reform, and new challenges in the global trading system.

Key Highlights

1. Global Trade Trends
   • World merchandise trade grew 2.9% in 2024, outpacing global GDP growth for the first time since 2017.
   • Services trade rose 9%, driven by strong rebounds in travel, transport, and digitally delivered services.
   • However, forecasts for 2025 were revised downward, with a projected 0.2% contraction in merchandise trade, reflecting tariff hikes and policy uncertainty.
2. 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), Abu Dhabi (Feb–Mar 2024)
   • Brought together nearly 4,000 participants.
   • Adopted a forward-looking reform agenda, reaffirming commitment to multilateralism.
   • Decisions included extending the moratorium on e-commerce duties, launching new initiatives on regulatory cooperation, and strengthening support for least-developed countries (LDCs).
   • Welcomed Comoros and Timor-Leste as the WTO’s newest members.
3. Negotiations and Agreements
   • Progress on the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, now close to full entry into force.
   • Conclusion of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the plurilateral E-commerce Agreement, both awaiting integration into the WTO framework.
   • Services domestic regulation reforms are expected to lower global trade costs by over US$125 billion.
4. Dispute Settlement Reform
   • Members filed 10 new disputes in 2024.
   • Significant progress has been made toward restoring a fully functioning dispute settlement system by 2026.
5. Supporting Development
   • Aid for Trade disbursements hit a record US$50 billion in 2022, with US$648 billion invested since 2006.
   • WTO training reached over 17,000 participants in 2024, with Africa accounting for 42%.
   • Launch of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund and the Young Trade Leaders Programme to support inclusive growth.
6. Leadership and Reform
   • DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was reappointed for a second term starting September 2025.
   • She emphasized the need to modernize WTO rules, strengthen inclusivity, and guard against trade fragmentation.

Outlook

While the WTO marks its 30th anniversary, global trade faces mounting risks from geopolitical tensions, tariff increases, and fragmentation. The report stresses the urgency of reforms and international cooperation ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Cameroon, March 2026.

The WTO remains central to promoting predictable, transparent, and inclusive global trade, critical for raising living standards, creating jobs, and driving sustainable development.

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