WINIFRED CHINONSO IKEAGWU

The evolution of global trade governance has been central to the dynamics of international Economic relations among states. Since the mid-20th century, states have increasingly sought cooperative mechanisms to manage trade liberalization, address disputes and reduce barriers to international commerce. The establishment of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 marked a significant milestone in the institutionalization of this global economic order. The WTO succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and was designed to promote free trade, facilitate economic cooperation and reduce barriers to international commerce.¹ The centrality of the World Trade Organization in shaping contemporary economic interactions cannot be overstated. It operates on the principle of non-discrimination, transparency and reciprocity, and oversees multilateral trade agreements covering goods, services and intellectual property.² As a forum for negotiation and dispute settlement the WTO plays a critical role in influencing how states emerge with one another economically for developing countries, it has been both a platform for integration into the global economy and a subject of criticism for perpetuating unequal power dynamics.