ABSTRACT
In November 2001, trade ministers from around the world will gather in Qatar for the Fourth World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference.3 Qatar is an interesting choice for the venue of the Conference, its own legal system still controlled in an arbitrary and discretionary manner by the Amir,4 although the implementation of codes of civil and commercial law signals a nascent commitment to the rule of law. Constituents of the trade ministers will watch with interest developments both inside the marbled walls of Doha’s government buildings, and outside on the dusty streets. The pre-millennial angst that erupted onto the pavements of Seattle two years ago showed little sign of abating as the World Economic Forum met in Melbourne late last year, or in Davos and Quebec, and will very likely manifest itself again.
