On 17 June, 2025, the Friends of Multilateralism Group (FMG) organized FMG High-Level Dialogue Series on The Future of WTO Reform, 4th Session: Dialogue with Alec Erwin. Trudi Hartzenberg, FMG Member, Executive Director of the Trade Law Centre (tralac) and WTO Chairs Advisory Committee member moderated the meeting.

 

At the meeting, Alec Erwin shared his views on the challenges brought by the current international situation and geopolitical influence to the WTO and possible ways forward for WTO reform, and answered relevant questions from participants.

 

Over 40 participants joined the session, including members of FMG, Ambassadors/DPRs of WTO members, representatives from related international organizations, and experts from renowned think tanks and universities etc.

 

Watch this session via YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjb1i2bH_9M

 

Anenx 1: Programme

15:00-15:02 Opening Remarks

Speaker: Xiankun Lu(FMG)

15:02-15:05 Introduction

Speaker: Trudi Harzenberg(FMG)

15:05-15:25 Presentations

Moderator: Trudi Harzenberg(FMG)

Speaker: Alec Erwin(UBU)

15:25-16:00 Speaker: Trudi Harzenberg(FMG)

 

 

Annex 2: List of participants

FMG/FFMG

Xiankun Lu(FMG)

Trudi Hartzenberg(FMG)

Mercedes Araoz(FMG)

Willy Alfaro(FMG)

Ignacio Garcia Bercero(FMG)

Jonathan Fried(FMG)

Brad Mcdonald(FMG)

Cecilia Malmström(FMG)

Hamid Mamdouh(FMG)

Rosine Plank(FMG)

Sherry Stephenson(FMG)

Mohammed Saeed(FMG)

 

WTO Missions

Cabo Verde : Clara Delgado Jesus , Ambassador

France: Emmanuelle Ivanov-Durand, Ambassador

Thailand: Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador

The Netherlands: Audrey Goosen, Ambassador

Slovak Republic: Judita Brzobohatá, Ambassador

Australia: Jeremy Green, DPR

EU: Hiddo Houben, DPR

Liechtenstein: Patrick Ritter, DPR

Latvia: Renars Danelsons, DPR

Slovenia: Špela Kučan, DPR

The Netherlands: Robert Van Dijk, DPR

Türkiye: Aykut Renda, DPR

China: Xiongjun Gong, Counsellor

China: Yuchi Ma, Counsellor

Mozambique : Sheila Santana, Counsellor

Gambia: Momodou M. Mbenga, First Secretary

Lithuania : Juste Mileviciute-Sliziene, First Secretary

 

WTO Divisions

Hang Tran, Counsellor, Development Division

 

International Organizations

Adam Jakubik, IMF

Iasson Chryssikos, World Bank
Natalie Deblue, WIPO

Naoki Hikota, UN

Amanda Gcabashe, UBU

 

Universities 

Stefan Tangermann, professor, University of Göttingen

Qigang Yuan, professor, Shandong University of Finance and Economic

Richard Brown, professor, University of Southampton

 

Others 

Alec Erwin, UBU

Johann Human, former Director of the Rules Division, WTO Secretariat