The Wto: Who We Are

The WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with
the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed
by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to ensure
that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.
WHO WE ARE:
The WTO has many roles: it operates a global system of trade rules, it acts as a forum for
negotiating trade agreements, it settles trade disputes between its members and it supports the
needs of developing countries.
WHAT WE DO:
All major decisions are made by the WTO's member governments: either by ministers (who usually meet at
least every two years) or by their ambassadors or delegates (who meet regularly in Geneva).
WHAT WE STAND FOR:
A number of simple, fundamental principles form the foundation of the multilateral trading system.
OVERVIEW:
The primary purpose of the WTO is to open trade for the benefit of all.
DECISION MAKING:
The WTO's top decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference. Below this is the General Council and
various other councils and committees.
MINISTERIAL MEETINGS:
Ministerial conferences usually take place every two years.
GENERAL COUNCIL:
The General Council is the top day-to-day decision-making body. It meets a number of times a year in Geneva
MEMBERSHIP:
MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS:
The WTO has over 160 members representing 98 per cent of world trade. Over 20 countries are seeking to join
the WTO.
ACCESSIONS:
To join the WTO, a government has to bring its economic and trade policies in line with WTO rules and
negotiate its terms of entry with the WTO membership.
WTO SECRETARIAT:
The WTO has approximately 650 staff on its regular budget
Secretariat common purpose

The responsibility of the WTO Secretariat is to provide top-quality, independent support to WTO member
governments on all of the activities that are carried out by the Organization, and to serve the WTO with
professionalism, impartiality and integrity.
The Secretariat is a multicultural team of highly-qualified individuals who possess the wide range of skills,
knowledge and experience required to handle the Secretariat's responsibilities and to work together as an
efficient and diligent international civil service.
Role of the Secretariat

The WTO Secretariat, with offices only in Geneva, has 625 regular staff and is headed by a Director-General.
Since decisions are taken by Members only, the Secretariat has no decision-making powers. Its main duties are
to supply technical and professional support for the various councils and committees, to provide technical
assistance for developing countries, to monitor and analyze developments in world trade, to provide
information to the public and the media and to organize the ministerial conferences. The Secretariat also
provides some forms of legal assistance in the dispute settlement process and advises governments wishing to
become Members of the WTO.
The Secretariat staff of includes individuals representing about 83 nationalities. The professional staff is
composed mostly of economists, lawyers and others with a specialization in international trade policy. There is
also a substantial number of personnel working in support services, including informatics, finance, human
resources and language services. The total staff complement is composed almost equally of men and women.
The working languages of the WTO are English, French and Spanish.
The Appellate Body was established by the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement
of Disputes to consider appeals to decisions by Dispute Settlement panels. The Appellate Body has its own
Secretariat. The seven-member Appellate Body consists of individuals with recognized standing in the fields of
law and international trade. They are appointed to a four-year term, and may be reappointed once
Budget
The WTO derives most of the income for its annual budget from contributions by its members. These
contributions are based on a formula that takes into account each member's share of international trade.
Director-General
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh Director-General of the WTO. She took office on 1 March 2021,
becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General. Her term of office will expire on
31 August 2025.
The WTO building
The WTO is housed in the historic Centre William Rappard building. A new building was added in 2013.
Procurement at the WTO

The WTO Procurement Section is responsible for obtaining, in a timely and cost-effective manner, goods and
services which meet the needs of the organization.
The WTO and other organizations

Cooperation between multilateral institutions on global economic policy-making.
Annual report
The WTO Annual Report provides a comprehensive overview of WTO activities over the past year and
includes information on the WTO's budget and staffing.
The Organization of American States is the world’s oldest regional organization
35 independent countries
a. To strengthen the peace and security of the continent;
b. To promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the
principle of nonintervention;
c. To prevent possible causes of difficulties and to ensure the pacific settlement of

disputes that may arise among the Member States;
d. To provide for common action on the part of those States in the event of aggression;
e. To seek the solution of political, juridical, and economic problems that may arise
among them;
f. To promote, by cooperative action, their economic, social, and cultural development;
g. To eradicate extreme poverty, which constitutes an obstacle to the full democratic

development of the peoples of the hemisphere; and
h. To achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons that will make it possible to

devote the largest amount of resources to the economic and social development of
the Member States."

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The Wto: Who We Are

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The WTO

WHAT WE STAND FOR:

MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS:

The WTO has approximately 650 staff on its regular budget

Secretariat common purpose

Role of the Secretariat

Procurement at the WTO

The WTO and other organizations

The Organization of American States is the world’s oldest regional organization

a. To strengthen the peace and security of the continent;

c. To prevent possible causes of difficulties and to ensure the pacific settlement of

f. To promote, by cooperative action, their economic, social, and cultural development;

g. To eradicate extreme poverty, which constitutes an obstacle to the full democratic

h. To achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons that will make it possible to

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