The World Trade Organization opened its 14th ministerial conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Thursday amid warnings of a potential “disorderly collapse” if members fail to agree on new global trade rules. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the world was experiencing the worst trade disruptions in 80 years and that the old world order would not return. The meeting comes as global economic turmoil, driven by conflict in the Middle East and rising protectionism, challenges the multilateral trading system.

Sharp divisions emerged among major economies over the WTO’s “most-favoured nation” (MFN) principle, which requires equal tariff treatment for all partners. The United States, represented by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, criticized the system as unworkable and called for smaller group agreements. China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao defended MFN as the “bedrock” of global trade, warning against discriminatory treatment. The European Union proposed a more flexible framework, while the United Kingdom cautioned that failure to reach consensus could fragment the system.

The Yaounde gathering follows years of stalled negotiations, with the WTO’s consensus-based decision-making often paralyzed by individual objections, leaving the future of multilateral trade cooperation uncertain.