A backlash against economic globalisation has swept through many economies in the two years since trade ministers met in Nairobi, Kenya. The losses and gains, real or perceived, from trade have been actively debated. Simultaneously, governments have universally endorsed the 2030 Agenda, a blueprint to achieve inclusion and sustainability at the national level and in the global economy. What can trade policy now do to boost confidence in a system that works for all? Where can trade policy help to deliver growth and jobs of the future amid a rapidly changing technology landscape?
The E15 Initiative (E15) opening plenary session aims to move beyond the debate on the merits and demerits of economic globalisation to focus on where trade policy, and particularly the WTO agenda, can deliver for sustainable development. This plenary session will assess the prospects for the future of the global economy and trade growth, in terms of major trade policy changes that can contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This evaluation will take into account the role of major economies in safeguarding and improving trade governance to serve a more inclusive, balanced, and sustainable development course.
The plenary will set the stage for the targeted discussion to take place in the E15 track at the TSDS focused both on the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11), as well as the functioning of the WTO and potential deliverables in the long-term.
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