We will challenge the dominant narratives on the relationship between trade and investment and sustainable development at our upcoming event at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Public Forum 2022.
As countries face the triple crises of COVID-19, climate change and rising inequality, there is an increasing trend to look for ways to deliver on development commitments that provide ‘win-win’ solutions. One increasingly popular approach is to put trade and investment at the heart of development work. While there is no doubt that we need huge investment to meet global challenges and trade and investment have a role to play, increased trade and investment do not necessarily lead to positive outcomes for the poorest communities.
This session aims to help participants understand some of the key challenges that will need to be addressed to ensure that trade and investment bring positive development outcomes.
The sessions or organised by the Trade Justice Movement, Transform Trade (previously Traidcraft Exchange) and Bond.
Speakers:
Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Director of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS)
Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive of Bond
Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Member of Parliament, UK Parliament
Ranja Sengupta, Senior Researcher and Coordinator, Third World Network (TWN)
Katie Gallogly-Swan, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Find more information about this event and the speakers here.
About the WTO’s Public Forum 2022
The Public Forum is the WTO’s largest annual outreach event. It provides a unique platform for heads of states, parliamentarians, business people, students, academics and civil society to come together and debate a wide range of trade and development topics. Over 1,500 participants attend the Forum each year.
This year’s WTO Public Forum will take place from 27 to 30 September 2022. It will look at how trade can contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery. The Forum will examine, in particular, how trade rules can be strengthened, and government policies improved to create a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive trading system. Read more on the Public Forum 2022.
_________
Image: WTO flag, WTO Public Forum 2010 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
