News from the ACWL
ACWL hosts discussion with African Group in the WTO: Appellate Body Member David Unterhalter gives keynote speech
On 20 March 2007, the ACWL hosted an informal lunch at which Professor David Unterhalter, Member of the Appellate Body from South Africa, addressed ambassadors and delegates from the African Group in the WTO. The wide-ranging discussion touched on issues of interpreting WTO law, procedural rules on burden of proof, the principle of non-discrimination in WTO law and the participation of developing countries in the WTO dispute settlement system.
In an interview published in South Africa in January 2007, Professor Unterhalter had stated his conviction that "a rule-based dispute-settlement system is exceedingly more advantageous to developing countries than one that relies purely on diplomatic channels" and that "despite their many misgivings about the WTO, smaller countries should engage actively with its institutions and, in so doing, learn how to gain advantage through its dispute-settlement processes." Professor Unterhalter reiterated those comments in his remarks to the African Group and applauded the work of the ACWL.
31 delegates from 19 countries attended the lunch, which was also attended by lawyers from the WTO Secretariat, ICTSD, the South Centre and the IDEAS Centre.