Development-oriented perspectives on global trade governance : a summary of proposals for making global trade governance work for development

Demand for global trade governance that supports development is high. Developing countries have long called for a greater role in governing the global economy and its trading system. As the importance of developing countries in global trade rises and South-South trade among them grows (UNCTAD 2010), they have stepped up their calls for a stronger say in the decision-making processes and institutions that impact how global trade is conducted and the way its rules are made, implemented and enforced have intensified. This paper shows that the way global trade is governed can facilitate or hinder the prospects for reaching rules and arrangements that benefit developing countries. The unique contribution of this volume is its compilation of a broad geographical spectrum of development-oriented views and proposals, and its engagement of scholars and of practitioners from government, international organizations and stakeholder groups. Together, the contributors provide concrete guidance on what a development agenda for global trade governance might include. They both reinforce and supplement development-oriented proposals already on the table.