50th anniversary of the Multilateral Trading System (GATT–WTO), 1998

The 50th anniversary in May 1998 was, first of all, a marketing opportunity. US President Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, South African President Nelson Mandela, EU Commission President Jacques Santer, Cuban President Fidel Castro Ruz, Swiss President Flavio Cotti, many prime ministers and other dignitaries hailed the strengths of the GATT system for the benefits that it had delivered to the world and highlighted the promise of the WTO as the GATT’s successor.