On April 29, the WTO Chair at UIBE hosted a lecture on WTO reform in Room 505, delivered by Dr. Saeed Mohammad, former Senior Advisor for ITC, UN, WTO and UNCTAD, Lead Negotiator for Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO. The session was attended by students and faculty, with Prof. Tu Xinquan present in the classroom while Dr. Mohammad joined via video conference.

In his lecture, Dr. Mohammad examined the growing gap between the WTO’s original design and today’s evolving global trade landscape. He highlighted key challenges, including the consensus-based decision-making system, stagnation in multilateral negotiations, and rising geopolitical tensions. He also discussed pressures on the Most-Favoured-Nation principle and ongoing debates around development status and Special and Differential Treatment.

A central focus of the lecture was the crisis in the WTO dispute settlement system, particularly the continued paralysis of the Appellate Body. Dr. Mohammad introduced the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) as a temporary solution, while noting its limitations.

Reflecting on the outcomes of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in March 2026, he outlined both progress—such as the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement—and unresolved issues, including dispute settlement reform and the lapse of the e-commerce moratorium.

“The lecture gave our students a clear understanding of the challenges facing the WTO today,” said Professor Tu. “Dr. Mohammad provided valuable insights into possible paths forward.”

The session concluded with an interactive discussion, allowing participants to engage directly with the speaker on the future of the multilateral trading system.