The 14th China Round Table on WTO Accessions, held on 25 March on the margins of the 14th Ministerial Conference, highlighted the role of WTO accession in fostering domestic reform, economic integration and development, looking particularly at the experience of African countries. At the opening, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “The fact that so many economies continue to pursue WTO accession, even today, sends a clear signal that international cooperation remains essential, that multilateral rules continue to matter, and that the WTO provides the foundation for rules-based trade.”World Trade Organization — Latest news