Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard addressed on 2 October a virtual meeting of parliamentarians worldwide on the outcomes of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO (PCWTO) and the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. She thanked the parliamentarians for their ongoing support of the WTO and provided an update on the Organization’s activities since MC13, highlighting its current negotiating priorities.

2 October 2024

A meeting of the Council for Trade in Services on 2 October spotlighted the importance of services trade to WTO members’ economies and of advancing work stemming from the 13th Ministerial Conference. They also discussed ways to boost the participation of least-developed countries (LDCs) in services trade, based on a questionnaire by the WTO’s LDCs Group, and exchanged views on the E-commerce Work Programme. At a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Financial Services on 1 October, members discussed crisis preparedness and facilitating e-payments.

2 October 2024

A three-week introductory trade policy course is currently underway at the WTO for 29 government officials from 16 least-developed countries (LDCs). The objective of the course is to help participants gain a better understanding of the WTO’s structure, governance and core principles. The course ends on 4 October.

1 October 2024

Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard participated on 1 October 2024 in the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) 2024 Academy Intensive Trade Seminar, where she outlined the core functions and current priorities of the WTO. She emphasized that the WTO serves as an essential platform for members to interact across geopolitical divides and collaboratively address intricate trade challenges.

1 October 2024

The fifth edition of Trade and Environment Week, to be held from 7 to 11 October at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva and virtually, will feature a high-level event on the theme “Trade for Clean Energy Transition for All”, in addition to 15 side events organized by WTO members on various environmental topics. The week also includes a regular meeting of the WTO’s Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), a book talk and an art exhibition.

30 September 2024

Senior government officials from 29 WTO members and observers joined the 18th Workshop on Trade and Public Health Workshop, taking place from 30 September to 4 October in Geneva. The workshop is a multidisciplinary activity aimed at strengthening the capacity of policy makers to find practical solutions for continuously evolving health challenges.

30 September 2024

The WTO-FIFA “Partenariat pour le Coton” initiative on 30 September concluded its national consultations in Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire (also known as the Cotton 4+) aimed at identifying national priorities and mobilizing private investment in African cotton projects to unlock the full potential of the industry. The consultations were launched in Benin on 18 September.

30 September 2024

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a member of the WTO’s Chairs Programme, hosted a conference on 27–28 September in New Delhi focusing on resilient and responsible trade as the world faces a rapidly evolving global order. The event, held in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, brought together experts from WTO chairs across Asia and Africa alongside government officials and academics.

28 September 2024

Twenty-nine government officials from developing and least-developed members participated in a WTO workshop on import licensing and notifications from 25 to 27 September. The in-person event, organized by the Market Access Division and the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation, addressed capacity constraints and provided guidance on meeting complex notification requirements on import licensing.

27 September 2024

At the 25-26 September meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, WTO members assessed progress on issues ranging from food security and technology transfer to improving transparency. Members also participated in the regular review of each other’s agricultural policies to ensure compliance with WTO commitments. Additionally, a group of members requested a discussion on the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation.

26 September 2024