Through Ambassador Manuel A.J. Teehankee, the Philippines chaired the First Meeting for 2026 of the Informal Group of Developing Countries (IGDC) held on May 12 at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.

Decisions made at the WTO shape the rules that govern global trade — from market access and food safety standards to fisheries subsidies, dispute settlement, and the treatment of smaller and developing economies.

The IGDC is an informal coalition of developing-country members and observers that allows them to exchange views, compare experiences, and, where possible, coordinate broad positions in WTO discussions.

Founded in 1963 during the era of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the IGDC has long served as a platform for South-South cooperation. It gives developing countries a space to discuss how trade rules affect their growth, industries, farmers, fishers, exporters, and small businesses.

At the May 12 meeting, the Philippines led discussions on the outcomes of the recently concluded MC14 and the WTO General Council meeting. The gathering also gave developing economies an opportunity to assess where progress had been made and where further work was needed.

The Philippines, as chair, recalled the remarks of WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that WTO members must build on the positive and constructive outcomes of MC14, keep the momentum, and avoid backtracking on key areas of convergence reached during the ministerial conference.

At MC14, ministers adopted several decisions and committed to continue negotiations in Geneva on key unresolved issues. Among the concrete outcomes were three ministerial decisions: one on improving the integration of small economies into the multilateral trading system; another on strengthening the effective and operational implementation of special and differential treatment provisions under the WTO agreements on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade; and a decision on fisheries subsidies.

The decision on small economies seeks to help countries with limited market size and capacity participate more meaningfully in global trade. The decision on special and differential treatment in food safety, plant and animal health, and technical standards aims to give developing countries more practical support and flexibility in meeting WTO rules. The fisheries subsidies decision is particularly relevant to coastal and archipelagic states such as the Philippines, where fisheries are tied to livelihoods, food security, and marine sustainability.

The informal meeting also underscored the need to deepen discussions on WTO reform, including reform of the Dispute Settlement Understanding, and to push progress on Phase 2 of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.

The WTO dispute settlement system is supposed to provide a rules-based mechanism for resolving trade conflicts. For developing countries, a functioning and accessible dispute settlement system is essential to ensuring that smaller economies are not disadvantaged when trade disputes arise with larger and more powerful members.

The fisheries subsidies negotiations are also closely watched because they seek to discipline harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, while recognizing the development needs of poorer and coastal communities.

Before chairing the IGDC meeting, the Philippines hosted an informal brainstorming breakfast to discuss the future direction of the group.

Those in attendance included Ambassador Elvis Toolouta Shiweda of Namibia, chair of the African Group; Ambassador Geraldo Goncalves Miguel Saranga of Mozambique, former chair of the African Group; Ambassador Marta Bonet Guerricabeitia of Chile, chair of GRULAC; Ambassador Guilherme De Aguiar Patriota of Brazil, current chair of the Dispute Settlement Body; and Raul Torres of the WTO Development Division.

The discussions reflected the continuing effort of developing countries to strengthen their collective voice in a trading system where rules can have uneven effects across economies.

For the Philippines, chairing the IGDC places Manila in a strategic position to help shape conversations on development, trade fairness, and reform at the WTO. It also comes at a time when developing economies are seeking greater policy space to build resilient industries, support small producers, and compete in a global economy still marked by supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, climate pressures, and uneven access to markets.

Many developing countries have long argued that the promises of global trade have not always translated into inclusive growth. Implementation gaps, limited technical capacity, and the difficulty of complying with complex standards have often prevented smaller economies from fully benefiting from WTO agreements.

By keeping the forum informal, the IGDC allows developing countries to speak candidly, build consensus, and respond quickly to shifting negotiation dynamics in Geneva.