The event — entitled “WTO at 25: Past, Present & Future” — comprised of a keynote speech and two panels. The first will feature a discussion among government officials, including ministers. The second will be a debate among stakeholders, including representatives from the private sector, civil society, media and academia.
WTO at 25: Past, Present & Future: Opening session
Keynote Speech: Keynote speaker Guy Parmelin, Federal Councillor, Vice President of the Swiss Confederation
WTO: Past, Present & Future — The political perspective
Panel 1: Senior government representatives, including at ministerial level, will discuss how the WTO has evolved over 25 years. They will share their views on the role the WTO has played in shaping their economies, consider the shortcomings of the system and what should be done to facilitate the integration of developing and least developed countries into the multilateral trading system.
WTO: Past, Present & Future — The political perspective
- Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Minister for Trade and Industry, Rwanda
- Dennis Shea, Deputy USTR and Ambassador to the WTO for the United States
- Cheryl Spencer, Jamaica’s Ambassador to the WTO and Coordinator of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States
- Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister and Deputy International Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), China
- Sabine Weyand, Director General, Trade, European Union
- George Yeo, former Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Trade and Industry
Moderator:
- Vonai Muyambo, WTO
WTO: Past, Present & Future — The stakeholders’ perspective
Panel 2: Representatives from the private sector, civil society, media and IGOs will debate how the multilateral system has served society. This will include sharing ideas on how to ensure that the multilateral trading system better reflects the needs and expectations of society and how it can be more inclusive, providing a level playing field for all, particularly the poorest countries, small business, women and youth.
WTO: Past, Present & Future — The stakeholders’ perspective
- Joshua Bolten, President and CEO, US Business Roundtable
- Céline Charveriat, Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy
- Martin Chungong, Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union
- Frank Heemskerk, Secretary General, European Round Table for Industry
- Soumaya Keynes, Trade and Globalization Editor, The Economist magazine
- Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization
Moderator:
- Bernie Kuiten, WTO
Women Pioneers at the WTO- Video Stories
Women Pioneers at the WTO” pays tribute to women who have played a pioneering role in the activities of the WTO and the multilateral trading system over the last 25 years.
In the videos displayed here, these exceptional women tell their stories.
Messages from Civil Society, the Private Sector and International Organizations
On the occasion of the WTO’s 25th anniversary, a number of representatives of the private sector, international organizations and non-governmental organizations have provided video messages where they reflect on what the WTO and the multilateral trading system means to them. They provide their thoughts on how to ensure trade continues to support economic growth, development and job creation and what they expect from the global trading system in the future.
Videos available here.
Conversations on the WTO at 25
As the WTO turns 25, the organization takes a look at its past, present and future. Keith Rockwell, WTO spokesman, invited three former Directors-General to share their views about how the organization has evolved over the past quarter of a century and what lies ahead. Roberto Azevêdo, Supachai Panitchpákdi and Pascal Lamy shared their thoughts and reflected on their time in office.
“Conversations on the WTO at 25” with former WTO Directors-General Supachai Panitchpakdi, Pascal Lamy and Roberto Azevêdo will be screened. In these one-to-one, pre-recorded conversations with WTO Spokesperson Keith Rockwell, the former DGs reflect upon the 25 years of the WTO.
Full interviews with each of the three former WTO heads will also be available soon
For more information about the event, click here.