World Trade Organization members on April 1 appointed Pakistan's Ali Sarfraz Hussain the new head of the Committee on Agriculture in a special session, the WTO announced. Hussain will lead agriculture talks with the goal of achieving a "meaningful outcome" at the 14th Ministerial Conference, which is set for March 26-29, 2026, the WTO said. Hussain takes over for Turkey's Alparslan Alcarsoy. The new chair will also head the Committee on Agriculture's special session subcommittee on cotton and will meet with "delegations and group coordinators over the coming days." After these meetings, Hussain said he will invite members to an informal special session meeting and dedicated sessions on "public food stockholding and the 'special safeguard mechanism' in the third week of April."

Costa Rica and Albania edged closer to acceding to the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement after members of the Committee on Government Procurement "welcomed the market access offers recently submitted" by the two nations, the WTO said. During a March 26 meeting of the committee, WTO members acknowledged the final market access offers from Costa Rica and Albania, which were submitted in January. WTO members also agreed to boost access to historical government procurement agreement documents.

The U.S. has halted contributions to the World Trade Organization, Reuters reported. The global trade body has a $232.06 million annual budget, 11% of which is set to come from the U.S. based on a fee system that requires payment proportionate to a member country's share of global trade, the report said. A U.S. delegate reportedly told the WTO that payments for 2024 and 2025 are on hold pending a review of contributions to international organizations.

Canada requested dispute consultations at the World Trade Organization with China regarding Chinese duties on Canadian agricultural and fishery products, the WTO announced on March 24. Canada alleged that the measures violate the WTO's Understanding on the Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.

The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body on March 24 heard a request from China to establish a panel in its dispute against the EU's countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles from China. The DSB "took note" of statements made by China and the EU and said it would "revert to this matter should a requesting member wish to do so."

Ethiopia hopes to join the World Trade Organization by the 14th Ministerial Conference, which will take place in March 2026, the WTO said. During a March 19 meeting of the WTO Working Party on Ethiopia's accession, the country said "its goods offer commits the country to bound rates -- maximum tariffs -- lower than those" found in the benchmark for least developed countries for the agricultural sector.

Pakistan formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on March 20, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 94. The WTO needs 17 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.

Colombia formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on March 19, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 93. The WTO needs 18 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.

Guatemala formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on March 10, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 92. The WTO needs 19 more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.

Canada opened a dispute at the World Trade Organization on March 5 to challenge the new U.S.-imposed 25% tariff on all non-energy goods and 10% tariff on energy goods from Canada, claiming that the measure violates the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade "as well as the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement." Canada said that the U.S. measures "appear to be inconsistent with the United States' obligations" under GATT and TFA provisions.