Someone’s grandmother’s recent grocery trip was probably more exciting than whatever took place in WTO today. We started off with a bang; the agenda of the impact on international trade of the Houthi intervention on the Suez Canal. The “bang” didn't really make an appearance again throughout the two hours, because the delegates somehow turned it into a session of “uhms” and “uhhs”. At one point, I thought we were harmonizing to a shruti box, but it was only the delegate of Singapore on the General Speaking List (GSL).
After the droning session (GSL), it was time for the delegates to raise motions. Except none of them did. The chair had to repeatedly remind the delegates that a motion was required for the committee to develop, and when one was finally raised, no one voted for it. It seemed as though the delegates hadn’t read the ROP: they repeatedly referred to themselves and each other in first person, interrupted others during their speeches, but kept their mouths shut when they were almost begged to contribute.
Was it the lack of experience? The lack of research? Or just first-day jitters? Either way, these delegates have so far proved that perhaps debating might not be their calling, though it would be interesting to be proved wrong.
Signing out as the world’s most bored press delegate,
Aditi Ajish,
British Broadcasting Corporation
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