Gender Mainstreaming in Trade Agreements: Lessons and Future Pathways
In today’s integrated global economy, international trade is often seen as a tool to boost female workforce participation. However, achieving sustainable and inclusive growth requires gender-sensitive trade policies to ensure equitable benefits for all.
Gender-differentiated roles and gender-biased business practices exist in global markets, causing women to be more disadvantaged.
TradeExperettes Unpack MC13: Achievements, Challenges, Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
Emilie Kerstens & Belén Gracia
In a recent webinar hosted by TradeExperettes, esteemed experts including WTO DDG Johanna Hill, Alice Tipping, Director of Trade and Sustainable Development at the IISD, and Tiffany Smith, Vice President for Global Trade Policy at NFTC, provided their insightful reflections on the outcomes of MC13, shedding light on its accomplishments, failures and perhaps most importantly, the path forward.
Reviving the Oceans, Revitalizing the WTO: Three Ways to Make the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies a Success
This week, all eyes are on the WTO 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) and its 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Further rules proposed for MC13 would help members better target the underlying role of harmful fisheries subsidies that cause overcapacity and overfishing.
Digital services trade “must-haves” for MC13
Jane Drake-Brockman & Hildegunn Kyvik Nordås
The internet is a global public good that we can no longer take for granted. Recent years have witnessed escalating constraints on cross-border data transfers - undermining the integrity of the internet itself, and threatening the global digital transformation. The WTO has a critical role to play to keep markets open, particularly to the benefit of MSMEs firms in developing countries. MC13 can contribute to this goal.
Reforming the WTO requires political will
As the WTO Ministerial starts next week, unfortunately, there is not much we can expect, due to the lack of political will. The world is in acute need of global rules and a functioning multilateral system, but reforming the WTO requires political will and a true global commitment.
WTO Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Aligning Trade with Sustainability
After 20 years, negotiations on harmful fisheries subsidies are reaching their final stage. If success is achieved, this will be due in part to aligning the outcome of the WTO negotiations with existing international legal frameworks and sustainable fisheries management, and recognition of the special circumstances of subsistence, artisanal and small-scale fisheries.
Are Joint Statement Initiatives the World Trade Organization’s Future?
Fiama Angeles, Riya Roy, and Yulia Yarina
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has faced severe criticism for its inability to conclude any major negotiations in over two decades. The lack of consensus among its diverse Membership, who differ considerably in terms of their economic, socio-political structures, and interests, has been at the center of this impasse.
Compulsory Licensing: The Key to Accessing the Future COVID-19 Vaccine for Africa?
Faith Tigere and Kugler Kholofelo
Trade in medical goods has experienced a boom with the outbreak of COVID-19. However, the imposition by governments of trade restrictions on COVID-19 medical products has affected global supply chains, which in turn impact public health interventions.
Is it time for women leaders in international organizations?
Maria V. Sokolova, Alisa DiCaprio, and Nicole Bivens Collinson
The nominations process that has been in place up until now for international organizations has yielded limited diversity both with regard to gender and nationality of candidates.
An Ambitious Agenda on Trade and Multilateralism is Needed for the Recovery of the Global Economy
Currently, the world is facing a crisis unlike anything we have seen before. And without doubt, it is difficult in the middle of a crisis to discuss anything else than acute measures.
Trade Facilitation and the Response to COVID-19: An Update on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
With growing dialogue on the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a global focus on the movement of vital supplies across borders in response to COVID-19, it is an opportune time to review progress with the only multilateral pact agreed to by the WTO since its founding, the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
Compulsory licensing of a COVID-19 vaccine: Ensuring global access
Gabriela Sánchez Escamilla
We are facing a historic moment. In less than 4 months, COVID-19 has become a pandemic of proportions nobody could have imagined.
Trade-restrictive measures and COVID-19: Are WTO Agreements proving to be pandemic proof?
Ariane Yvon
As the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly expanded and continues, government officials around the world have adopted a vast number of restrictions on exports and imports of key products needed to address the pandemic.
Blockchain: A game-changer for international trade?
Emmanuelle Ganne
Some 60 years after the invention of the container, international trade may be undergoing a new revolution.
The WTO is Alive and Kicking
Namali Mackay
It may come as a surprise in this brave new world of unpredictable international rules - that the World Trade Organization appears to be alive and kicking.
#TradingForward: TradeExperettes talk about how trade can adapt to a changing world
Hanna Norberg, Anna Jerzewska and Elitsa Garnizova
TradeExperettes’ discuss digital trade, gender and trade, good governance, and more inclusive growth at the WTO Public forum.
#TradingForward: ITC's Vanessa Erogbogbo talks to TradeExperettes about SMEs and trade
A chat with Vanessa Erogbogbo, Chief of Sustainable and Inclusive Value Chains, DEI/SIVC at the International Trade Centre
'Trade for Her' - empowering women in trade
The conference, entitled ‘Trade for Her’, will explore current challenges and barriers to women in trade, hear business perspectives on the issues, and discuss synergies with other policy areas - ultimately seeking to identify solutions for women’s greater empowerment in trade.