In an uncertain global trading order, is the WTO still relevant to the Caribbean?
Alicia Nicholls$*Failure. Broken. Flop. These are some of the descriptors commentators have used for the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s fourteenth Ministerial Conference (MC 14) held in Yaounde, Cameroon, from March 26-30, 2026. Traditionally, this event would not be on the average citizen’s radar, but the tariff turmoil sparked by the United States’ so-called “reciprocal tariffs” and the oil price shocks from the conflict in Iran and resulting effects in the Strait of Hormuz have made trade impossible to ignore, and with it, renewed questions about whether the WTO still matters.
After MC14: The Caribbean in a Shifting Global Trading Order
2026-06-05T13:00:00-0400@*1$*On Friday, June 5th, 2026, the Shridath Ramphal Centre will host a Lunchtime Chat via Zoom under the theme “After MC14: The Caribbean in a Shifting Global Trading Order”. The session will explore the outcomes of the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference, held in Yaoundé, Cameroon in March 2026. Panelists will examine what was actually achieved, what was left on the table, and what it all means for small states navigating an increasingly complex global trading system.
Power Plays and the CARICOM-Caribbean Reality: Reflecting on 2025
Vanessa Mason$*Rupture and upheaval have characterised the international trade landscape in 2025. Perspectives on whether this represents progress or peril diverge sharply depending on whom you ask. Those who believe in the dividends of international institutions, laws, principles and norms may