The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization that operates the global system of trade rules and helps developing countries build their trade capacity. The WTOs overall objective is to help its members use trade as a means to raise living standards, create jobs, and improve peoples lives. The WTO agreements cover goods, services, and intellectual property, and they spell out the principles of liberalization and the permitted exceptions. The WTO is run by its member governments, and all major decisions are made by the membership as a whole, either by ministers or by their ambassadors or delegates. The WTOs main functions include:

• Trade negotiations: The WTO agreements cover individual countries commitments to lower customs tariffs and other trade barriers, and to open and keep open services markets. They set procedures for settling disputes.

• Overseeing WTO agreements: The WTO agreements provide the rules for international commerce and bind governments to keep their trade policies within agreed limits. Their goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business, with a view to raising standards of living, while allowing governments to meet social and environmental objectives.

• Maintaining open trade: The WTO operates a non-discriminatory trading system that spells out the rights and obligations of its members. Each member receives guarantees that its exports will be treated fairly and consistently in other members markets, and each promises to do the same for imports into its own market. The system also gives developing economies some flexibility in implementing their commitments.

• Technical cooperation: The WTO organizes hundreds of technical cooperation missions to developing countries annually. It also holds numerous courses each year in Geneva for government officials. Aid for Trade aims to help developing countries develop the skills and infrastructure needed to expand their trade.

• Outreach: The WTO maintains regular dialogue with non-governmental organizations, parliamentarians, other international organizations, the media, and the general public on various aspects of the WTO and the ongoing Doha negotiations.

In summary, the WTO is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements, settle trade disputes, and operate a system of trade rules. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible, and to help its members use trade as a means to raise living standards, create jobs, and improve peoples lives.