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The factors explaining the lack of participation and engagement by Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism (DSU) have been the subject of much academic discourse. This paper posits the existence of a new factor that will inform and expand this discourse. The paper examines the pursuit of Special and Differential Treatment (S&D) by LDCs during the GATT era, positing that S&D became a key driver of LDC policy during this period. It is argued that during the Uruguay Round of Trade Negotiations, this S&D-driven policy led the LDCs to seek a bespoke LDC dispute settlement system extraneous to, and separate from, the DSU mechanism agreed upon by the vast majority of GATT contracting parties. This paper concludes that the clearly espoused desire of LDCs neither to participate in nor to be associated the DSU, coupled with their clearly expressed requests for a bespoke LDC-only dispute settlement mechanism; together provide a powerful new reason why LDCs have not more actively engaged with the DSU. تُعد العوامل التي تفسر عدم مشاركة والتزام الدول الأقل تطورًا في آلية تسوية النزاعات لمنظمة التجارة الدولية موضوع جدل القطاع الأكاديمي. تقدم هذه الدراسة عاملًا جديدًا لتغذية وتوسيع هذا الجدل. كما أنها تقيّم مواصلة هذه الدول للمعاملة الخاصة التفضيلية في زمن الاتفاقية العامة للتعريفات الجمركية والتجارة، باعتبارها أساس سياستها. وخلال جولة أوروغواي لاتفاقيات التجارة، دفعت هذه السياسة الدول الأقل تطورًا للبحث عن نظام موصى عليه لتسوية النزاعات، ومنفصل عن آلية تسوية النزاعات المتفق عليها من قبل أكثرية أطراف الاتفاقية العامة للتعريفات الجمركية والتجارة. وتخلص هذه الدراسة برغبة الدول الأقل تطورًا في عدم المشاركة أو الانضمام إلى آلية تسوية النزاعات، بالإضافة إلى المطالبة بآلية لتسوية النزاعات موصى عليها فقط لهذه الدول، مما يوضح سبب عدم التزام هذه الأخيرة بآلية تسوية النزاعات.

The factors explaining the lack of participation and engagement by Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism (DSU) have been the subject of much academic discourse. This paper posits the existence of a new factor that will inform and expand this discourse. The paper examines the pursuit of Special and Differential Treatment (S&D) by LDCs during the GATT era, positing that S&D became a key driver of LDC policy during this period. It is argued that during the Uruguay Round of Trade Negotiations, this S&D-driven policy led the LDCs to seek a bespoke LDC dispute settlement system extraneous to, and separate from, the DSU mechanism agreed upon by the vast majority of GATT contracting parties. This paper concludes that the clearly espoused desire of LDCs neither to participate in nor to be associated the DSU, coupled with their clearly expressed requests for a bespoke LDC-only dispute settlement mechanism; together provide a powerful new reason why LDCs have not more actively engaged with the DSU.

This analytical study sheds light on the consequences of the blockade imposed against Qatar and the violation of the blockading countries – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt – of trade and economic agreements under the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also focuses on the legal basis of Qatar’s filed complaints against KSA, UAE, and Bahrain, WTO’s Dispute Settlement Procedures and jurisdiction, and the national security exceptions, as well as the main principles of the WTO treaties including General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

This analytical study sheds light on the consequences of the blockade imposed against Qatar and the violation of the blockading countries – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt – of trade and economic agreements under the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also focuses on the legal basis of Qatar’s filed complaints against KSA, UAE, and Bahrain, WTO’s Dispute Settlement Procedures and jurisdiction, and the national security exceptions, as well as the main principles of the WTO treaties including General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).