WTO Accession: Tough Love or a Heavy Hand?

Thirty-one countries from war-torn Afghanistan to Yemen are queued for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Despite the disarray in the current Doha Round of trade talks and the growing number of regional and bilateral trade agreements being struck outside the WTO arena, few would-be members are ready to give up their place in line. The reasons officials give for staying in the queue range from improved market access for their exports to the positive signal - a seal of approval really - that WTO membership sends to the global trading and investment community.