WTO Public Forum 2025 Opens with Focus on Digital Trade and Global Cooperation

The 2025 edition of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Public Forum opened on 17 September in Geneva, gathering more than 4,200 participants from governments, businesses, academia, civil society, and international organizations. With the theme “Enhance, Create, and Preserve,” this year’s Forum seeks to examine how digital transformation is reshaping the global economy and to consider how trade can remain an engine for growth amid ongoing geopolitical, economic, and technological challenges.

A Platform for Dialogue on Trade and Innovation

The WTO Public Forum is the organization’s largest annual outreach event, designed to bring together diverse voices to debate pressing trade issues. The 2025 edition spans two days of high-level discussions, with over 350 speakers addressing how trade can adapt to fast-moving technological developments while preserving predictability and inclusivity.

The streamlined program reflects an effort to focus on key issues, notably:

• The impact of digitalization on global supply chains.

• Opportunities and risks for small businesses in the digital economy.

• How to preserve trust and predictability in international trade.

• The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping future trade dynamics.

Director-General’s Call for Optimism and Reform

Opening the Forum, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized that despite rising skepticism about globalization and multilateralism, the global trading system remains resilient. “The system is bent, not broken,” she said. Rejecting pessimism, she urged participants to focus on practical reforms and innovative solutions.

She reminded the audience that 72% of global goods trade continues to flow under WTO rules, underscoring the institution’s role as the anchor of predictability in world trade. However, she also acknowledged the urgent need for reforms to ensure the system remains relevant and effective.

Business Leaders Stress the Value of Trade

The first high-level panel, co-organized with the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), featured global business leaders who shared how companies navigate uncertainty in today’s trading environment.

• Cynthia Sanfilippo of L’Oréal highlighted how standardized customs and tariff rules under GATT and the WTO had boosted international trade and, by extension, prosperity.

• Rosario Navarro Betteley, President of SOFAFA Chile, noted that 50% of Chile’s GDP depends on trade, calling the WTO a “strategic necessity” for smaller economies.

• Philippe Varian, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), warned that rising costs and logistical barriers are hitting SMEs the hardest, making it harder for them to export.

• Lola Aworanti-Ekugo, founder of Afriborder, stressed Africa’s growing appetite for intra-continental trade but called on the WTO to provide clearer direction and inclusive policies.

• Yoji Saito of Mitsubishi Electric underscored the risks of sudden export restrictions on small suppliers, which can delay production and hurt consumers globally.

Their remarks highlighted the need for certainty, cooperation, and inclusive digital trade rules to protect both businesses and consumers.

World Trade Report 2025 and the Role of AI

Day one also saw the unveiling of the WTO’s 2025 World Trade Report, introduced by the DG and followed by a panel discussion on the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in trade. The discussion focused on how AI could increase efficiency, widen market access, and reduce costs, while also raising concerns about concentration of digital power, cybersecurity, and unequal access to technology.

New Additions: Research and Academic Hubs

Two new innovations were added to this year’s Forum:

1. The Trade Policy Hub – a collaboration with the Trade Policy Research Forum, held on 17 September. Its aim is to bridge the gap between research and policymaking, ensuring evidence-based insights are translated into practical trade policies.

2. The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) Research Hub – three sessions on 18 September showcasing contributions from universities and research institutions in developing and least-developed countries. Since its launch in 2010, the WCP has supported trade-related curriculum development, research, and outreach, helping strengthen the voice of developing economies in global trade debates.

Preserving Trust in a Fragmented Global Economy

The theme “Enhance, Create, and Preserve” reflects the WTO’s broader mission:

• Enhance global connectivity and market access through digital tools.

• Create opportunities for innovation, inclusive trade, and sustainable growth.

• Preserve the stability, fairness, and predictability of the multilateral trading system.

As fragmentation in global trade grows—fueled by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and protectionist trends—the WTO Public Forum provides a rare space for dialogue across sectors and borders.

Looking Ahead

By placing digital transformation and inclusivity at the heart of its discussions, the 2025 Public Forum seeks to chart a path forward for global trade that is resilient, equitable, and sustainable. Whether through AI-powered innovation, support for SMEs, or stronger multilateral cooperation, participants underscored a common message: trade remains a critical engine of prosperity, but its survival depends on adaptability and trust.