The World Trade Organization's 14th ministerial conference in Yaoundé ended on March 30.

The World Trade Organization's 14th ministerial conference in Yaoundé ended on March 30. India appeared to bend under the weight of a proposed bilateral trade understanding with Washington. Brazil refused to accept the U.S. demand for a long extension on the moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions. The African Group reportedly faced an ultimatum: accept the e-commerce moratorium or risk losing benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Under such duress, a compromise is now emerging – four years of moratorium in exchange for continued market access. The United States had two clear objectives: kill any meaningful outcome on agriculture, particularly the permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) programs.