While nations recognize the potential of international trade and the multilateral trading system to contribute to economic growth, development and employment, reaching agreements on trade issues especially in multilateral for a presents a myriad of challenges. The World Trade Organization (WTO) represents the principal international organization governing world trade and providing a multilateral forum for trade negotiations. Established in 1995 as a successor organization to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the WTO counts 153 member states today. In November 2001, the WTO at its 4th Ministerial Conference held in Doha, Qatar, adopted the 'Doha Work Programme' focusing on broad areas of global trade. The Doha Round was supposed to have been concluded by 1 January 2005. The negotiations fell apart over the issue of the special safeguard mechanism for developing countries in the event of import surges.

With the global economic and financial crisis, WTO Members turned their attention to adopting policies to rejuvenate their own economies. Less attention was given to the Doha negotiations, even though there are several studies which indicate that the successful conclusion of the Round could boost the global economy by several billions of dollars. Since then, attempts to narrow the differences in Members' negotiating positions have floundered. As both momentum for the Round wanes and Members continue to disagree on key areas of the negotiations, there are now talks of salvaging the Round through a 'plan B' to preserve those areas that have been agreed to and protecting the vitality and credibility of the WTO.