WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Cameroon Ends in Impasse Over Digital Trade Moratorium

WASHINGTON/YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON — The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, ended in an impasse early on March 30, 2026, after an agreement on digital trade was blocked by two member countries. The failure prevented the 164 WTO Members from moving forward with a US-driven reform agenda that all members had previously endorsed.

The deadlock centered on an agreement to extend the Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions to December 31, 2030, which was blocked by Brazil and Turkey.

U.S. Ambassador Greer expressed sharp disappointment with the outcome, despite praising the host nation. “I am grateful to the host nation, Cameroon, for its warm hospitality and strong efforts to make the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization a success, but disappointed at the lack of seriousness of many members,” said Ambassador Greer.

Ambassador Greer questioned the future efficacy of the organization. “I have always been skeptical of the value of the WTO, and this week’s conference confirmed that this organization will play only a limited role in future global trade policy efforts,” the Ambassador stated.

The inability to achieve consensus on the E-Commerce Moratorium was called “particularly frustrating” by Ambassador Greer, who noted that two members preferred to “let it lapse after 28 years than do the right thing for innovation and the digital economy”. The U.S. had previously put forward an ambitious proposal in November 2025 to make the moratorium permanent.U.S. to Seek Plurilateral Digital Trade Pacts

In light of the conference’s failure, the United States announced plans to pursue agreements outside of the WTO framework. Ambassador Greer confirmed that the U.S. has already “secured commitments from dozens of countries—and nearly all of our major trading partners—not to impose tariffs on US digital transmissions”. The U.S. is now extending an invitation to all trading partners to commit to a plurilateral e-commerce moratorium agreement.

Deputy United States Trade Representative and Ambassador to the WTO Joseph Barloon said the U.S. will continue to lead on reform and other crucial issues. However, he noted that the U.S. would build on what has been achieved “while recognizing the very real limitations of what can be accomplished at the WTO”.

The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body at the WTO. Ambassador Greer led a high-level delegation to Yaoundé and engaged with numerous counterparts, including Cameroon’s Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, who served as the Ministerial Conference Chair, and a senior delegation from The Gambia, which coordinates the least-developed country group.