A high-level session held on Day 3 of the Public Forum showcased the experiences of women entrepreneurs in overcoming barriers in sectors traditionally dominated by men. Introductory remarks were delivered by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and International Trade Centre head, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, who stressed that participating in trade can empower women. “With the right tools to compete and the right policies, women can break the glass ceiling in trade,” DG Okonjo-Iweala said.
Leading representatives from international organisations, the private sector and academia discussed on 29 September how trade rules can be strengthened to address the environmental challenges the world is facing. At the high-level session on “Delivering a Trade Agenda for a Sustainable Future”, panellists shared their views about possible ways to reinforce partnerships between the various stakeholders involved in ensuring the transition towards a green economy and the role the WTO should play.
New technologies can help businesses play a bigger part in world trade but more needs to be done to tackle the digital divide, said a high-level panel at the 2022 Public Forum on 28 September. Coordinated action on this issue is more important than ever as the world grapples with an unprecedented series of crises encompassing the pandemic, supply chain restructuring, food insecurity, the energy shortage and economic recession, the panel highlighted.
