WTO update

 

17 Sep 2025 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website which match with your news preferences.

NEWS ITEM AI to boost trade by nearly 40% by 2040 if gaps are bridged, World Trade Report 2025 finds The 2025 edition of the World Trade Report reveals that, with the right enabling policies, artificial intelligence (AI) could boost the value of cross-border flows of goods and services by nearly 40% by 2040 thanks to productivity gains and lower trade costs. However, the flagship publication by the WTO Secretariat notes that for AI and trade to contribute to inclusive growth — with benefits shared widely — policies need to be in place to bridge the digital divide, invest in workforce skills, and maintain an open and predictable trading environment. News item   ⟶ The Report   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Director-General announces appointment of new Chief Economist Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced on 16 September the appointment of Robert W. Staiger as the new WTO Chief Economist and Director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division (ERSD). Mr Staiger will take up his post at the start of 2026. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM WTO hackathon showcases youth proposals on trade and food security The WTO, in partnership with Geneva Trade Platform and CropLife International, hosted the finals of its first global policy hackathon on trade and food security on 16 September. The competition brought together 58 student teams from over 30 countries, challenging them to “hack” solutions for how international trade rules can contribute to ending hunger. Over two days, the teams produced a wide range of creative proposals, from digital traceability systems for food products and food safety knowledge hubs to infrastructure financing, biofuels strategies and new forms of agricultural negotiating coalitions. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM DG Okonjo-Iweala: Partnerships are vital for needs assessments to implement IFD Agreement At a high-level dialogue on 16 September, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the benefits of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement for developing and least-developed members. She also emphasized the importance of stronger partnerships to identify what is needed by these members to prepare for implementation of the Agreement. The event was co-hosted by the permanent missions of Chile and the Republic of Korea. Chilean Ambassador Sofía Boza and Korean Ambassador Sung-yo Choi, the two co-Coordinators of the IFD Agreement, moderated the event. News item   ⟶