There are some among us who believe the Kingdom should think twice before joining the World Trade Organization. They fear that globalization may bring more problems than it will solve.
But such objections usually come from people who know nothing about economics, and they put them forward at private gatherings where a host of other subjects, from extravagant dowries and the water shortage during summer to traffic jams and other social problems, are discussed to pass the time.
Globalization may be a problem or even a potential disaster, but what is the alternative to joining the WTO? Is it the policy of moving one step forward and two steps back, of foot-dragging and stalling that some commentators want us to pursue just to delay our accession? We have procrastinated enough. The longer we remain outside the WTO, the more burdens and liabilities we are going to face in future. There is no alternative to moving quickly to become full members of the organization that shapes the face of world trade. Otherwise, we have to get ready to face the consequences of living cut off from the rest of the world.
Procrastination has already cost us the opportunity to join the organization much earlier when accession was almost a free ride. It took us some time to realize that WTO membership is vital for any country of the world. But alas, by the time we realized this, the ride was no longer free. We were told to queue at the box office, get a ticket and then wait for the doorman to decide whether that was enough for us to enter or whether we would have to meet some more conditions.
A few days ago at a symposium on the WTO, a participant stood up to demand that the Kingdom delay accession. He said we should not rush things. Does that person and others like him who want us to wait indefinitely before joining think the WTO will start writing to us begging us to join?
Some people seem overly influenced by books written by Arab intellectuals for whom globalization is synonymous with colonization and who only focus on the negative aspects and leave out any advantages.
It is true the WTO, like other world bodies, has its pros and cons and is dominated by America and the other industrialized nations. But this does not mean it has to disappear. The WTO is here to stay, whether we like it or not. We have to deal with it as a reality and as the umbrella under which all international trade is conducted.
