Barbados joins WTO interim appeal arbitration pact

Barbados just signed up for the WTO’s backup trade court, becoming the 60th member to join a system designed to bypass the broken appeals body.

Barbados joins the MPIA

• Matthew Wilson announced the move during a WTO General Council meeting.
• The MPIA is a temporary fix for resolving trade disputes.
• Wilson said it shows small economies still care about the trading system.
• Barbados is now the 60th WTO member to join the arrangement.

Final prep before the big Cameroon meeting

• The Geneva gathering was the last high-level huddle before the Yaoundé conference.
• Christopher Sinckler will lead Barbados’ delegation later this month.
• He’s also coordinating the 66 ACP member states at the ministerial.
• Wilson pushed issues like WTO reform and priorities for small vulnerable economies.

Barbados played host last week

• An ACP retreat happened in Barbados with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
• Ambassadors from China, Canada, the EU, and others also attended.
• The group churned out a ministerial declaration on agriculture and digital trade.
• Barbados chairs the informal group on small economies at the WTO.