Trade as a force for good

Trade is often discussed in terms of tariffs, agreements, or statistics. But at its core, trade is about something much simpler: solving problems.  

Every day, businesses, workers, and entrepreneurs face obstacles. A company struggles to navigate complex regulations. A small business cannot reach customers beyond its borders. A woman entrepreneur lacks access to the networks and scale needed to grow. A digital exporter encounters barriers to moving data or delivering services across markets. Consumers and businesses worry whether online transactions can be trusted.

Session 3Trade and Frontier Technologies: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Others for Inclusive Growth

Examine how AI and emerging technologies transform trade flows and discuss policy frameworks needed for inclusive growth.

Session 2 How Is Digital Trade Governed? AI, Data, and Cross-Border Regulation

Digital trade is shaping all trade. As data, digital services, and AI are core inputs to production, rules governing the digital economy have cross-border effects. Fragmented digital regulation risks raising compliance costs, discouraging investment, and widening digital divides, particularly for SMEs and smaller economies.

Session 1: Framing Digital Trade: The Evolving Landscape of Global (e-)Commerce and Digital Policy Trends

Explore how digitalization is reshaping trade rules and institutions, and discuss how developing countries can leverage digital trade opportunities, especially for SMEs and women-led enterprises. 

This edition captures a busy summer for TradeExperettes, with a strong presence at the WTO Public Forum and a rich line-up of events for our members.

In Geneva, we launched our landmark Ten Trade on Win annual report in an Ambassadors’ lounge conversation, hosted a session on digital trade’s transformative potential, and gathered members for a networking breakfast that kick-started the policy season.

While policymakers today debate the future of trade policy, the real story lies in the proven wins quietly shaping economies and improving lives worldwide. This series showcases ten compelling wins in international trade that demonstrate the success of crossborder commerce and open trade policies.

The foundations of modern trade rest on key enablers that make global commerce possible. Containerization revolutionized global trade by drastically reducing shipping costs, increasing efficiency, and enabling businesses worldwide—including those in small and developing economies—to access global markets.

The year 2024 marks a global election cycle with over 80 countries, representing more than half of the world’s population casting their votes. In these uncertain times, the world finds itself confronted by a state of “polycrisis”—a complex web of interconnected global challenges that transcends borders. Geopolitics and international trade have a critical role to play in driving solutions to these crises.