Access and Participation: Arab Countries Participation in WTO Affairs

There were 23 original contracting parties to the GATT when it came into existence in 1947. Among them were Lebanon and Syria, the only Arab contracting parties of the GATT. However, they withdrew from the GATT four years later. Algeria, Comoros, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian Authority, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are all lining up for accession to the WTO. Legally, all Arab countries should accede to the WTO. Any state having full autonomy in the conduct of external commercial relations may accede to the WTO.

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