On June 4, 2024, the Friends of Multilateralism Group (FMG) organized an online brainstorming session to discuss on the role of WTO Ministerial Conference. Jonathan Fried, FMG member and former Ambassador of Canada to the WTO moderated this session.
At the meeting, James Baxter, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the WTO, LI Chenggang, Permanent Representative & Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the WTO, and Pimchanok Vonkorpon Pitfield, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO shared their insights on how to better leverage the role of the WTO ministerial conference in improving all functions of the WTO, based on three proposals that have been submitted to the WTO, including “Maximising The Value of WTO Ministerial Conferences” (WT/GC/W/873/Rev.1), “Small Steps to Make A Difference” (WT/GC/W/879/Rev.2), and “Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference” (JOB/GC/310). Then Cecilia Malmström, FMG member and former European Home Affairs Commissioner, as well as Peter Ungphakorn, FMG member who previously worked at the Information and External Relations Division of the WTO Secretariat shared their comments as discussants.
Over 50 participants joined the session, including members of FMG, Ambassadors/DPRs of WTO members, Directors of WTO divisions, representatives from related international organizations, and experts from renowned think tanks and universities etc.
Recording of this session can be watched via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6msJMDgufCc.
Annex 1: Programme
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14:00-14:02 |
Opening Remarks Speaker: Xiankun Lu (FMG) |
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14:02-14:05 |
Introduction Speaker: Jonathan T. Fried (FMG) |
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14:05-14:45 |
Presentations Moderator: Jonathan T. Fried (FMG) |
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14:05-14:15 |
Speaker 1: James Baxter (Australia) |
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14:15- 14:25 |
Speaker 2: Li Chenggang (China) |
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14:25-14:35 |
Speaker 3: Pimchanok Pitfield (Thailand) |
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14:35-14:45 |
Discussant 1: Cecilia Malmström (FMG) |
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14:45-14:55 |
Discussant 2: Peter Ungphakorn (FMG) |
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14:55- 15:30 |
Discussions Moderator: Jonathan T. Fried (FMG) |
Annex 2: List of participants
FMG/FFMG
Mercedes Araoz (FMG)
Clemens Boonekamp (FMG)
Wendy Cutler (FMG)
Jonathan Fried (FMG)
Stuart Harbinson (FMG)
Henry Gao (FMG)
Patrick Low (FMG)
Wenhua Ji (FMG)
Mario Matus (FMG)
Mia Mikic (FMG)
Petros Mavroidis (FMG)
Cecilia Malmström (FMG)
Janet Macharia (FMG)
Hamid Mamdouh (FMG)
Hamish McCormick (FMG)
Evan Rogerson (FMG)
Sherry Stephenson (FMG)
Xinquan Tu (FMG)
Peter Ungphakorn (FMG)
John Weekes (FMG)
Anabel González (FFMG)
WTO Missions
Australia: James Baxter, Ambassador
Austria: Brigitte Luth, Counsellor
Argentina: Josefina Bunge, Ambassador
Barbados: Matthew Wilson, Ambassador
Bulgaria: Tsvetelina Dimitrova, Ambassador
Brazil: Guilherme Patriota, Ambassador
China: Li Chenggang, Ambassador
Egypt: Ahmed Ihab GAMALELDIN, Ambassador
Egypt: Ahmed Maghawry Diab, Minister Plenipotentiary
Hongkong, China: Winky SO, Permanent Representative
Korea: Jung Sung PARK, Ambassador
Latvia: Renārs Danelsons, Counsellor
New Zealand: Clare Kelly, Ambassador
Norway: Petter Ølberg, Ambassador
Russia: Platonov Nikolai, Ambassador
Switzerland: Martin Zbinden, DPR
Slovenia: Maruša Baus, Counsellor
Thailand: Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador
Uruguay: Alvaro Moerzinger, Ambassador
WTO Secretariat
Willy Alfaro, Director, Trade Policies Review Division
Think Tanks
William Reinsch, CSIS
Jeff Schott, PIIE
International Organizations
Rolf Traeger, UNCTAD
Adam Jakubik, IMF
Others
Werner Zdouc, former Director, Knowledge and Information Management, Academic Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme
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