Speaking to ministers from a cross-section of the WTO membership on 29 January, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff urged them to make 2021 “a year of substantial accomplishments” at the WTO by taking action on health, sustainability issues, and the joint statement initiatives. He urged that (...)
A new WTO publication launched on 28 January looks at how the rapid adoption of digital technologies can create challenges and opportunities for developing countries. The publication — written by chairholders and Advisory Board members of the WTO Chairs Programme and by WTO Secretariat staff — (...)
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the construction sector, which is sensitive to economic cycles. Yet, construction holds much potential to stimulate recovery, thanks to its potential to create jobs. Recovery measures can support the sector’s transformation towards (...)
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to be at the centre of discussions when the WTO’s Committee on Trade Facilitation met for its first 2021 meeting on 26-27 January. Experiences of both the public and private sector in facilitating trade for pandemic-related medicines and medical equipment were (...)
The fourth review of the trade policies and practices of Nicaragua takes place on 27 and 29 January 2021. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Nicaragua.
Sergio was arrested and jailed in Madagascar when he was 16 for stealing vanilla. Thanks to vocational training he’s learned to be a bricklayer and no longer engages in petty crime. Read his story on our new Voices multimedia (...)
Global services trade in the third quarter of 2020 fell 24% compared to the same period in 2019, according to statistics released by the WTO on 26 January. This represents only a small uptick from the 30% year-on-year decline registered in the second quarter, in marked contrast to the much (...)
WTO members taking part in the negotiations for an agreement on investment facilitation for development have approved a roadmap with a view to reaching a substantive outcome by the next Ministerial Conference. At the first round of meetings of 2021 held on 25-26 January, delegations actively (...)
The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 25 January 2021, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document (...)