SA's obstructionist attitude at WTO is 'embarrassing' - business journo Carol Paton explains

Stephen Grootes is joined on The Money Show by Carol Paton, editor-at-large at Fin24.

In April this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to loosen its grip on policies he believes may be stifling economic growth for developing countries. He was speaking at the commemoration of the world body's 30th anniversary.

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Now, following the 2025 edition of the WTO Public Forum, News24's Carol Paton has written some articles about South Africa being criticised for blocking the inclusion of a groundbreaking framework into the Organization's rules that would promote investment in poorer countries.

The Investment Facilitation for Development(IFD) Agreement, the WTO explains, provides global benchmarks to support the efforts of members to improve the investment and business climate and make it easier for investors in all sectors of the economy to invest, conduct their day-to-day business and expand their operations.

Two-thirds of member states, including 75 developing countries, have adopted the IFD in a plurilateral agreement, Paton says.

South Africa is one of the countries in opposition, and its motivation is that it wants the so-called Doha Round of trade talks first proposed in 2001, to be concluded.

Paton describes how WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala singled out three non-signatories - South Africa, India and Turkey - at a press briefing 'for behaving unfairly and to the disadvantage of poorer countries'.

She explains to Stephen Grootes why she believes Pretoria's attitude to the World Trade Organization is 'embarrassing' and just 'plain wrong'.