Connecting communities for dialogue on the trading system and pandemic recovery
Wednesday 8 July, online
Interactive, covering topics ranging from investment and green trade to digital services

Businesses large and small, governments, NGOs, researchers and citizens bring a valuable perspective to the challenges we face. How can we ensure international trade benefits humanity and the planet in the 21st century?

As many stakeholders were not able to meet this year for the WTO Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12), these online conversations offer an alternative to address important issues, concentrated on one day for convenience and synergies. The event aims to bring a diverse range of insights on how to build back a more inclusive and sustainable trading system.

There is a lot to cover and perspectives from around the globe so conversations will roughly span 24 hours. Trade Multistakeholder Conversation 2020 will debate:

Subsidies & Industrial Policy - Government stimulus is battling COVID-19 impacts, but how will this affect trade?
Future of the Trade System - Trade system tension could affect critical supply chains, so what changes are needed?

Society, Trade & COVID-19 - How will the pandemic affect trade’s role in societies facing high unemployment?

Reimagining Investment - With investment set to plummet, what can business and policymakers do in response?

Green Trade Recovery - What trade policies should be prioritized and accelerated to rebuild greener?

Digital Trade, Services & Payment - COVID-19’s made digital essential, but how do we sustain growth in non-physical trade?

Facilitation via Innovation - As trade needs to keep moving, practically, how do we deploy new technologies?

These topics will be addressed in public webinars, as well as interactive workshops, requiring specific access. Registration and contact details are on the home page. Speakers will be added to the programme as they are confirmed.

Coming up later in the year, look out for the Geneva Trade Week, an initiative of the newly launched Geneva Trade Platform. With the WTO Public Forum cancelled, the Geneva Trade Week is the next critical opportunity for stakeholders from all over the world to debate the future of trade, rebooting the WTO, sustainability, as well as trade linkages with other policy areas.

If you'd like to submit a session to the organisers please do so by 15 July. The submission criteria and essential information can be found at https://graduateinstitute.ch/ctei

Programme

Wednesday 8th Jul

The Great Trade Reset

Trade Uncut

Society, Trade & COVID-19