THE WTO AND THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The truth appears to be that the developing countries are not getting their fair share of world trade and this is causing is not simply leaving them out of the equation it is actually creating further problems for them. Recent inclusion by the WTO of regulations regarding intellectual property rights has brought about grave difficulties for countries with infectious diseases and, in Africa in particular where the AIDS problem is overwhelming, there has been an attempt to insist that vital medications patented in the west should not be exempt from the patenting laws. This dissertation will therefore attempt to clarify some of the reasons why it could be considered that the current regulations of the WTO are not bringing about the benefits that the developing countries require.