Author Description

The annual activity of the WTO is summarized in this three-volume series, and includes component divisions, special reports on contemporary trade issues, and statistical evaluation of international commerce. Volume 1 of the Annual Report reviews significant short-term developments and prospects in world trade, trends in trade policies, and some of the major activities of the WTO. Volume 2, a full volume of trade statistics for the past year, covers growth in the volume of world merchandise exports, output, and production; growth in the value of world exports; recent changes in export prices of primary commodities; and leading exporters and importers in world merchandise trade and commercial services. In 2003, the WTO added the World Trade Report as Volume 3 of its Annual Report series. The first section, "Trade and Trade Policy Developments," focuses on three issues of topical interest: South-South trade; non-oil commodity markets; and regional trade agreements. The second section, "Trade and Development," starts with a brief discussion of development and the relationship between trade and development, and goes on to analyze in-depth how the Doha Development Agenda can contribute to growth and development in developing countries. This report is intended to make a contribution to the public debate on trade policy and the multilateral trading system.