African Trade Growth or Trade Deficit: GATT/WTO Rules as Trojan Horse on African Trade Development

Idibia Daniel Obida

The principle of Most Favored Nation (MFN) as a GATT rule as annexed to World Trade Organisation (WTO) is viewed as very crucial in the operations of the WTO amongst member countries. Another rule of striking importance is the standard of non-discrimination inserted in the MFN rules. As against the background, this study addresses the routine conviction with respect to the viability of GATT laws and WTO rules in the light of non-discrimination principle and Multifibre Agreement (MFA) and, The National Treatment Principle. The study explores the standards of these rules which are whittled down with concrete exemption clauses. These clauses make the adequacy of unhindered commerce guideline perplexed amongst member nations especially, the Sub-Saharan Africa. The study finds that rules of GATT having been made since 1947 at the time when Africa’s economic development was annexed to their colonial masters and therefore, not in contemplation by the progenitors. The realization that Africa ought to be given chance to develop come too late within the GATT rules. The study finds that the current GATT structure cannot advance the promotion of African trade. The study addresses the grouping of African nations with other nations like Asia, India and South America as a misnomer and erroneous as Africa is the least developed in terms of international trade bargaining power among other developing countries. The study after analyzing MFN, MFA, National Treatment principle and Transparency rules of GATT, concludes they are development deficit as against trade promotion. The study further concludes that the difficulties in finding an acceptable definition of the ‘like product’ by several Dispute Resolution Panels as laid down by GATT makes nonsense of the rule and a lacuna in the definition of Article III (2) and III (4) as they are components of paralysis of non-clarifications.