The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

The World Trade Organization came into being in 1995. One of the youngest of the international organizations, the WTO is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established in the wake of the Second World War.

The WTO has about 160 members, accounting for about 95% of world trade. Around 25 others are negotiating membership. Decisions are made by consensus.

WTO is organized to carry out the following functions:

• Administering trade agreements
• Acting as a forum for trade negotiations
• Settling trade disputes
• Reviewing national trade policies
• Assisting developing countries in trade policy issues, through technical assistance and training programmes
• Cooperating with other international organizations

At the heart of the multilateral trade system are the WTO agreements which are the result of negotiations between the members. Through these agreements, WTO members operate a non-discriminatory trading system that spells out their rights and their obligations. Each country receives guarantees that its exports will be treated fairly and consistently in other countries’ markets. Each promises to do the same for imports into its own market. The system also gives developing countries some flexibility in implementing their commitments.

Over three quarters of WTO members are developing or least-developed countries. All WTO agreements contain special provision for them, including longer time periods to implement agreements and commitments, measures to increase their trading opportunities and support to help them build the infrastructure for WTO work, handle disputes, and implement technical standards.

The 2001 Ministerial Conference in Doha set out tasks, including negotiations, for a wide range of issues concerning developing countries. Some people call the new negotiations the Doha Development Round. For more information see www. wto.org

Decisions are made by the entire membership. This is typically by consensus. A majority vote is also possible but it has never been used in the WTO, and was extremely rare under the WTO’s predecessor, the GATT.

The WTO’s agreements have been ratified in all members’ parliaments. The WTO’s top level decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference which meets at least once every two years.

Below this is the General Council (normally ambassadors and heads of delegation in Geneva, but sometimes officials sent from members’ capitals) which meets several times a year in the Geneva headquarters. The General Council also meets as the Trade Policy Review Body and the Dispute Settlement Body.

At the next level, the Goods Council, Services Council and Intellectual Property (TRIPS) Council report to the General Council. Numerous specialized committees, working groups and working parties deal with the individual agreements and other areas such as the environment, development, membership applications and regional trade agreements.Add Content...

The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) was launched in 2010. It aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the trading system among academics and policy makers in developing countries through curriculum development, research and outreach activities by universities and research institutions.

Academic institutions awarded WTO Chairs receive support in the areas of curriculum development, research and outreach activities. The chair-holders are selected through a competitive process. Fourteen institutions were originally selected as WTO Chairs for a four-year term in 2009. Seven institutions were added to the Programme in May 2014 following a call for tenders.

The main objectives of the Programme are to:  

• Provide teaching support for the development and delivery of courses on trade policy and WTO-related matters in academic institutions
• Foster further research in trade-related matters and highlight the policy relevance of existing research — universities awarded a WTO Chair are expected to cooperate their counterparts in the Programme through joint research, shared lecturing arrangements and student/academic exchanges
• Encourage outreach/communication — universities awarded a WTO Chair are expected to organize public activities aimed at disseminating research and promoting discussion regarding international trade and trade co-operation. 
• Build lasting relationships with institutions from developing countries by according financial support to beneficiary institutions for a maximum period of four years
   

 The seven new universities awarded a chair in 2014 are:

The Chair Research Team

The Chair team is composed of the faculty of the Department of Natural Resource Economics (NRE) at the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences (CAMS) who allocate part of their time to conduct research activities attached to the chair.

Dr. Houcine Boughanmi (Chair): Associate Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Slim Zekri: Associate professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Shekar Bose: Associate Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Mbaga Msafiri: Assistant Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Hemesiri Kotagama, Assistant Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Omar Al Jabri, Assistant Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Sarath Kodithuwakku: Assistant Professor, NRE, CAMS
Dr. Nasser Al-Mawali; Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, CEPS
Mr. Ahmed Al- Shammakhi: PhD Student , NRE, CAMS
Ms.Amina Al- Naabi: MSc Student, NRE, CAMS

Refereed Journal Papers

1. Boughanmi, H. and A. M. Khan. 2019. Welfare and Distributional Effects of the Energy Subsidy Reform in the GCC Countries: The Case of Sultanate of Oman. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 9(1), 228-236 (Scopus, (SCImago Journal Rank Score: 0.465).

2. Bose, S., H. Boughanmi, A. Naabi, and J. Yussuf. 2019. Domestic Ban versus Border Rejections: A Case of Oman’s Fish Exports to the EU. SAGE Open (Scopus, SCImago Journal Rank Score: 0.241).

3. Boughanmi, H. and S. Al Riyami. 2019. Service Trade Liberalization in Oman: International Commitments and Trade Performance. Review of Middle East Economics and Finance

4. Mbaga, M., L. Al Abri, S. Bose, and H. Boughanmi. 2018. Omani Consumer’s Ethnocentrism and Demand for Locally Produced Products. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management. Vol.8 No.6 DOI: 10.4236/ajibm.2018.86097.

5. Al-Shammakhi, A., A. Akintola and H. Boughanmi. 2018. The Effect of Trade Facilitation on Oman’s Economy. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance . Vol. 9(6) : 244-250. DOI: 10.18178/ijtef.2018.9.6.623.

6. Begum, J., S. Bose, H. Kotagama and H. Boughanmi. 2018. Preferences and Intentions of Seafood Consumers in Oman: An Empirical Analysis. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing. DOI: 10.1080/08974438.2018.1497565.

7. Boughanmi, H., A. Shammakhi and A. Antimiani. 2016. Deeper integration or wider integration: the case of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Journal of Economic Integration, Vol. 31(2): 206-233.

8. Kotagama, H., S. Zekri, R. Al-Harthi and H. Boughanmi. 2016. Demand function estimate for residential water in Oman. International Journal of Water Resource development, DOI: 10.1080/07900627.2016.1238342

9. Kodithuwakku, S.; J. Weerahewa. H. Boughanmi . 2016. Food and Agricultural Trade in the GCC: An Opportunity for South Asia? Review of Middle East Economics and Finance Volume 12 (3): 301–330 (de Gruyter).

10. Kotagama, H. and H. Boughanmi. 2016. Exploratory study on the impact of food and fuel Prices on poverty in food import dependent and oil exporting economies: The case of Sultanate of Oman, Conference paper, 2016 GTAP Conference, World Bank, Washington DC, 15-17 June 2016

1. Boughanmi, H.; A. Shammakhi and A. Antimiani. 2016. Deeper integration or wider integration?: The case of Gulf Cooperation Council. Journal of economic Integration , Vol. 31 (2) :206-233
   
   http://www.e-jei.org/journal/view.php?number=2013600096



 
2.  
3. Kodithuwakku, S.; J. Weerahewa. H. Boughanmi . 2016. Food and Agricultural Trade in the GCC: An Opportunity for South Asia? Review of Middle East Economics and Finanace Volume 12 (3): 301–330
   
   https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/rmeef.2016.12.issue-3/rmeef-2016-0010/rmeef-2016-0010.xml?format=INT



 
4.  
5. Kotagama, H. and H. Boughanmi. 2016. Exploratory Study on the lmpact of Food and Fuel Prices on Poverty in Food lmport Dependent and Oil Exporting Economies: The Case of Sultanate of Oman, Conference paper, 2016 GTAP Conference , 15-17 June 2016 World Bank, Washignton DC


6. Kotagama, H., S. Zekri, R. Al-Harthi and H. Boughanmi. 2016. Demand function estimate for residential water in Oman. International Journal of Water Resource development , DOI: 10.1080/07900627.2016.1238342
   
   https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308900821_Demand_function_estimate_for_residential_water_in_Oman



 
7.  
8. Boughanmi, H., A. Shammakhi, M. Mbaga, H. Kotagama. 2014. Evaluation of the 2006-2008 food crisis on household welfare: the case of the Sultanate of Oman. Economic Research International, Volume 2014:1-7, Article ID 581638 http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/581638


9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/581638