Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of Cases
- List of Statutes and International Agreements
- Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter One The WTO and the Rules-Based System
- Chapter Two Development and the WTO Approach
- Chapter Three Developing Country Integration
- Chapter Four Judicial Review of the Development Question
- Chapter Five The Way Forward: Multilateral Co-Operation and Internal Reform
- Conclusion
- Appendix (Selected Case Study): Obligations and Challenges Under the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Conclusion
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of Cases
- List of Statutes and International Agreements
- Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter One The WTO and the Rules-Based System
- Chapter Two Development and the WTO Approach
- Chapter Three Developing Country Integration
- Chapter Four Judicial Review of the Development Question
- Chapter Five The Way Forward: Multilateral Co-Operation and Internal Reform
- Conclusion
- Appendix (Selected Case Study): Obligations and Challenges Under the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The importance of trade to countries is two-fold: one, it provides a country with income; and two, it directly provides a country's citizens with income as well. In a sense, facilitating access to markets is the best form of direct investment a country can undertake towards its socio-economic development.
Throughout this work, we have emphasised that trade is instrumental to a people's socio-economic development. We started first with a review of trade and development at the WTO. The emphasis was on understanding the exact nature of the Organisation in order to provide a preliminary foundation for future consideration of what the WTO can and cannot do for its developing country Members. When we examined the classifications by international organisations on development status, it was clear that the international community through these various organisations understands that the principal element of ‘developing country’ status is the level of poverty and the limited capacity for individual growth and opportunity. These are elements which motivated the world trading system even from the time of the GATT, to lay out provisions in the international trade rules to address the challenges of developing country participation in organised global trade.
Developing country integration however has faced and still continues to face teething problems.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The WTO and its Development ObligationProspects for Global Trade, pp. 149 - 154Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2010