The WTO is on life support — but the world still needs it

Last week’s marathon ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization breathed a little life back into the multilateral trading system. It was able to trumpet a package of deals, including a partial waiver on Covid vaccine patents and cuts to fishing subsidies; these lacked much real substance, though their impact depends on their implementation. Yet the WTO remains, in many ways, on life support. Keeping it alive is important; if…