Episode 86 – Is the WTO Still Relevant? MC14, Trade Chaos & a Surprisingly Resilient System | Peter Foster (FT)

🎧 Listen: t.ly/K4Jnc

Has the global trading system fundamentally broken — or is it proving more resilient than expected?

In Episode 86 of Trade Splaining, we sit down with Peter Foster, World Trade Editor at the Financial Times, to unpack the real outcomes of WTO Ministerial Conference 14 (MC14) and what they reveal about the future of global trade.

🌍 What we cover:

MC14: What actually happened
The conference ended with limited concrete outcomes, highlighting deep divisions — particularly around the e-commerce moratorium and broader reform efforts.

Is the WTO still relevant?
We explore whether the WTO is adapting to a new global reality or slowly drifting toward irrelevance in a world dominated by great power politics.

Rise of regional and plurilateral deals
As consensus becomes harder, countries are increasingly turning to smaller coalitions and regional agreements to move forward.

Trade policy chaos
From “napkin deals” to unpredictable negotiations, the current trade environment is becoming harder for governments and businesses to navigate.

The big paradox: trade resilience
Despite rising tariffs and geopolitical tensions, global trade flows have remained surprisingly stable — raising questions about how much has really changed.

🔑 Key takeaway:

Even in a more fragmented and politically charged world, global trade continues to function — not because the system is strong, but because the incentives to keep it going are still stronger.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & episode 86 (Radon edition)
03:20 – Interview with Peter Foster
05:00 – MC14 recap
10:00 – WTO relevance debate
16:00 – Trade resilience vs tariffs
20:00 – Future of global trade
24:00 – Local news (Swiss cheese diplomacy 🧀)

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