WTO
Launches Study to Attract Muslim Country Membership
A new study on the WTO accession experiences of Arab countries was launched
on 6 July 2026, drawing lessons from past and ongoing accession processes of countries
in the Arab region. The study is aimed at providing insights to Arab governments
in the process of seeking WTO membership, examining the challenges associated with
WTO accession for Arab economies and identifying approaches for advancing accession
negotiations. It is co-published by the WTO Secretariat, the Islamic Development
Bank, the Arab Monetary Fund and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade.
·
Study
Released:
A new study titled "Best
Practices in WTO Accession for Arab Countries: Lessons from Past and Ongoing Accessions
in the Arab World" was launched on 6 July 2026.
·
Joint
Publication:
The study was co-published by the World
Trade Organization (WTO), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB),
Arab Monetary Fund (AMF),
and the Islamic Centre for
Development of Trade (ICDT).
·
Purpose: It aims to guide Arab governments seeking WTO membership
by identifying challenges, sharing best practices, and suggesting approaches to
advance accession negotiations.
·
Key
Finding:
Deeper integration into the multilateral
trading system can enhance economic growth, diversification, regional integration, investment,
and stability in Arab economies.
·
Major
Challenges Identified:
The study highlights legal,
economic, and political challenges, including the effects of conflict and regional instability,
which slow domestic reforms required for WTO accession.
·
Infrastructure
Gap: It points
to disparities in transport
infrastructure, customs procedures, logistics costs, ports, airports, and transport
corridors, stressing the need for greater investment to facilitate
trade.
·
Arab
League & WTO Status:
o
Of
the 22 Arab League members,
14 are WTO members.
o
Five
countries
joined the WTO through accession since 1995: **Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
and Comoros.
o
Seven
countries
are currently negotiating accession: Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan,
and Syria.
·
Recommendations: The study calls for:
o
Stronger
domestic reforms
and economic diversification.
o
Alignment
of laws and regulations with
WTO rules.
o
Improved
technical assistance,
capacity building,
and stronger regulatory institutions.
·
Background: The study originated from the
Second High-Level Dialogue
on Arab Accessions (2022) and was further developed during the 12th (2024) and 13th (2025) China Round Tables
on WTO Accessions.
·
Overall
Objective:
The report serves as a practical reference to support current and future WTO accession efforts
by Arab countries and promote sustainable economic development through global trade
integration.
[ABS News Service/07.07.2026]
Entitled "Best practices in WTO accession
for Arab Countries: Lessons from past and ongoing accessions in the Arab world",
the study finds that deeper integration into the multilateral trading system can
expand economic and development prospects for Arab economies. As Director-General
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized at the Per Jacobsson Lecture held in Washington D.C. in October 2024,
the multilateral trading system can serve as an anchor for domestic economic reforms,
supporting sustained growth, diversification, regional integration, and stability.
Launched at a time when several Arab economies
are grappling with the effects of conflict and instability in the region, the study
identifies the legal, economic and political challenges faced by Arab economies
at the national and regional level, which have impacted the pace of domestic reform
required under their accession processes.
In examining the participation of Arab countries
in world trade and their economic performance, the study notes disparities across
the region in transport infrastructure, particularly in areas such as customs procedures,
logistics costs and the quality of the corridors for overland and maritime transport.
The study emphasizes the importance of investing in infrastructure development,
such as transportation networks, ports, airports and energy projects to facilitate
trade, expand export opportunities and attract investments.
Of the 22 members of the Arab League, 14
are WTO members. Among these, five have negotiated their accession to the WTO since
1995, pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement, namely Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
and Comoros, the latter joining the WTO in 2024. Seven others are currently negotiating
their WTO accession. These are Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and
Syria.
The study stresses that domestic reform
and economic diversification in the context of the WTO accession process contribute
to creating competitive market conditions and fostering a business-friendly environment.
The study also underscores the need for technical assistance and capacity-building
in relation to accession negotiations and the implementation of WTO rules. It notes
that WTO membership has been conducive to supporting economic growth and regulatory
reform in Arab economies and recommends that governments commit to aligning their
policies, laws and regulations with WTO rules, establishing sound regulatory institutions,
and sustaining expertise on WTO issues.
The study emerged from the Second High-Level Dialogue on Arab Accessions in February 2022 as a practical step to support
Arab accessions. It was later discussed at the 12th China Round Table on WTO Accessions in 2024 and advanced in a dedicated session
at the 13th China Round Table on WTO Accessions in Muscat in May 2025, which reviewed progress
in translating the study's findings into concrete support mechanisms for Arab acceding
governments. The cut-off date for data included in the report - 31 January 2026-
predates the start of the Middle East conflict.
By consolidating practical experience and
lessons learned, the joint study provides a structured reference for governments
and stakeholders navigating ongoing and future WTO accession pathways in the Arab
region.