2023 WTO Final Report

Overview

As the Canadian youth delegation to the 2023 World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum, we are pleased to present the final report summarizing our achievements, key learnings, and reflections.

The WTO Public Forum is an annual, multi-sectoral event that brings together over 2,000 representatives from civil society, academia, business, government, and international organizations. It is intended to provide a unique platform to discuss the latest global trade developments and advance the WTO’s agenda on enhancing the multilateral trading system.

This year's Forum theme was, "It is time for action", which focused on how trade can be leveraged towards a more resilient future. The programme consisted of 134 sessions exploring three main topics: (1) “The role of the services sector in sustainable trade,” (2) “Inclusive policies for the advancement of green trade,” and (3) “Digitalisation as a tool for the greening of supply chains.” The delegation explored over 40 sessions per their professional experiences and interests. Recurring and common themes included: (1) the ongoing need to align the trade agenda to climate ambitions; (2) digitalisation to support data exchange across borders and value chains; and, (3) the meaningful participation of marginalized communities in trade and climate.

Our delegation had the opportunity to engage with and learn from Nadia B. Theodore, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the WTO, along with Deputy Martin Moen, Heather Smeeton, and Nicola Waterfield. And in true form to serendipitous connections, it was a pleasure to be acquainted with Raylene Whitford as she represented INDIGI-X alongside Indigenous leaders from Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, and Ecuador. Finally, our fireside chat with Anoush der Boghossian, WTO Head of Trade and Gender Office, was an impactful and inspiring discussion on the WTO, building capacity for the gender-trade nexus, and what it means to break glass ceilings. Thank you to these leaders for generously sharing your time and knowledge with our delegation.

Finally, building on key learnings from previous Young Diplomat of Canada (YDC) delegations, we provide tactical recommendations to lean on YDC alumni and broader youth networks to enrich the Forum experience.