To register for the event, please click here.
Participants will gain insights from trade professionals, pose questions to policy makers, and learn about the ever-shifting trade landscape at the WTO. Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of processes at the WTO, the role of its key players, and the important issues facing policy makers.
Dates and Format:
Tuesday, January 16, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (US/Eastern) / 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (CET)
Wednesday, January 17, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (US/Eastern) / 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM (CET)
Prices and Registration:
WITA Member: $200
WITA Member (Full Time University/Student): $100
Non Member: $300
Free for Embassy, Ministry, and Government Officials from All Countries!
(Must register with official government email)
Curriculum and Confirmed Speakers
All Times List in US/Eastern and Central European Time (CET)
Day 1: Structure and Functions of the World Trade Organization
Tuesday, January 16: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (US/Eastern Time) / 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (CET)
9:05 AM ET/3:05 PM CET: Welcoming remarks by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization
Session 1: 9:10 AM – 9:55 AM ET / 3:10 PM – 3:55 PM CET
Structure and Organization of the WTO:
Ministerial Conference, Secretariat, General Council, Councils, Committees and Working Groups
Ambassador Didier Chambovey, former Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the World Trade Organization; former General Council Chair, World Trade Organization
Ambassador Santiago Wills, Director, General Council and Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) Division, World Trade Organization; former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Colombia to the World Trade Organization
Moderator: Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, Senior Advisor, McLarty Associates; former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization; former Deputy United States Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 2: 9:55 AM – 10:35 AM ET / 3:55 PM – 4:35 PM CET
General Agreement on Trade in Services, and Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Electronic Commerce
Johanna Hill, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
Darryl Leong, Deputy Permanent Representative at Mission of Singapore to the World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva
Moderator: Ambassador Robert Holleyman, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP and President & CEO, Crowell & Moring International; former Deputy United States Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 3: 10:35 AM – 11:15 AM ET / 4:35 PM – 5:15 PM CET
Agriculture and Food Security
Joseph W. Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, Markets, Trade and Institutions, International Food Policy Research Institute; former Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture; and former Special Doha Agricultural Envoy, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta, Consultant with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA); former Costa Rican Ambassador to the World Trade Organization; former Chair of the WTO Committee on Agriculture in Special Session
Moderator: Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, Principal and Founder, AgTrade Strategies, LLC; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 4: 11:15 – 12:00 PM ET / 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM CET
Trade Disputes and Dispute Settlement Understanding
Jorge Castro, Director of the Legal Affairs Division, World Trade Organization
Niall Meagher, Executive Director of the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL)
Moderator: Michael O. Moore, Professor of Economics and International Affairs, George Washington University
Day 2: Multilateral Trade Policy Issues
Wednesday, January 17: 9:00 AM- 12:30 PM (US/Eastern Time) / 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM (CET)
Session 5: 9:00 AM – 9:40 AM ET / 3:00 PM – 3:40 PM CET
Negotiations and Reform
Angela Ellard, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
Moderator: Paul H. DeLaney, III, Partner, Kyle House Group; former International Trade Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance; former Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 6: 9:40 AM – 10:20 AM ET / 3:40 PM – 4:20 PM CET
Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change
Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division (TED), World Trade Organization
Ana Lizano, Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the World Trade Organization
Moderator: Sarah Stewart, CEO and Executive Director, Silverado Policy Accelerator; former Assistant Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 7: 10:20 AM – 11:00 AM ET / 4:20 PM – 5:00 PM CET
Development, Aid for Trade and Enhanced Integrated Framework
Simon Hess, Head of Monitoring & Evaluation, Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Secretariat, World Trade Organization
Michael Roberts, Head of Aid for Trade, World Trade Organization
Moderator: Katrin Kuhlmann, Visiting Professor of Law; Faculty Co-Director, Center on Inclusive Trade and Development, Georgetown Law; Member, Trade Advisory Committee on Africa, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Session 8: 11:00 AM – 11:40 PM ET / 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM CET
Disruptive Trends in Trade
Anabel González, Vice President for Countries, Inter-American Development Bank; former Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
Ralph Ossa, Director, Economic Research and Statistics Division (ERSD), World Trade Organization
Moderator: Michael J. Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; former Director for International Trade and Investment, National Security Council, The White House
Session 9: 11:40 AM – 12:30 PM ET / 5:40 PM – 6:30 PM CET
National Perspectives
Ambassador Li Chenggang, Permanent Representative of People’s Republic of China to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador João Aguiar Machado, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Brajendra Navnit, Permanent Representative of India to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Maria Pagan, Deputy United States Trade Representative and Chief of Mission for the Permanent Mission of the United States to the World Trade Organization
Ambassador Eheth Salomon, Permanent Representative of Cameroon and Coordinator of the African Group to the World Trade Organization
Moderator: Mark Linscott, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council; Senior Advisor at the Asia Group; and former Assistant United States Trade Representative for WTO and Multilateral Affairs
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The two-day WTO Intensive Trade Seminar (ITS) is geared towards individuals who want to learn how trade policy is made within the World Trade Organization. Past attendees of the WITA Intensive Trade Seminars include those in business, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government.
The curriculum is focused on helping attendees broaden their understanding of trade policy making, those seeking a career in trade policy, others new to the trade policy field, and anyone serving the import/export community.
We also encourage the international community working on economic and trade issues, and others who want to learn more about international trade, to participate in this program.
If you cannot view every session at the time it is originally offered, most sessions* will also be available off-line to paying attendees (access code will be required).
Registration for the WTO Intensive Trade Seminar is open to the public and all sessions are off-the-record/Chatham House Rules.
WITA has a two-day cancellation policy for this event
* Most sessions will be available to paying attendees to watch at a later time. However, certain sessions may not be recorded to facilitate more open discussion.
** If your agency or business does not use Zoom, we can work with you to make content available on an accessible platform for later viewing. All Diamond Sponsors will receive one free pass to attend the Intensive Trade Seminar.
Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors
