2021 part4

74/ DDG Zhang champions cross-cutting partnerships as way forward for peacebuilding efforts

5 NOVEMBER 2021

Deputy Director-General Zhang Xiangchen highlighted the important role played by the multilateral trading system in promoting economic integration, sustainable development and poverty reduction at the closing ceremony of the Geneva Peace Week 2021 on 5 November. DDG Zhang also outlined recent efforts by the WTO and fragile and conflict-affected states to use accession to the organization as a catalyst for peace. His full remarks are here.

How can trade be a leverage for peace efforts? In particular, can you please give us concrete examples of peace outcomes that WTO contributed to achieve through working at the linkages between trade and peace?

First of all, let me start by thanking you for inviting me to this Closing Session. I am honoured to attend the Geneva Peace Week this year, on behalf of the WTO. In fact, the WTO has participated in the Geneva Peace Week since 2018, where we held a session on ‘Trade for Peace: WTO Membership for Peace and Nation-Building’. In 2019 and 2020, we also led discussions on ‘Trade for Peace: Opportunities for Creating Jobs’ and ‘Trade for Peace Pathway from Aid to Trade and Employment’ respectively. At the Geneva Peace Week, over the years, we have showcased the activities which the WTO has undertaken under the Trade for Peace Programme and highlighted the evolution and expansion of the Programme.

From the beginning, the multilateral trading system has played a critical role in supporting peace outcomes. In 1947, in the aftermath of the Second of two World Wars, when most of the world are left with remnants of violence, destroyed infrastructure, families torn apart, children growing up with no parents, nations with hostility and distrust with each other, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established as one pillar of the tripod of the global economic architecture, along with the IMF and the World Bank. The goal of the GATT was based on a shared vision to promote peace and stability and prevent future inter-state conflicts through creating economic interdependence and generating prosperity. Since then, the trade and peace linkages have served well the global economy which has experienced unpreceded levels of economic prosperity and poverty reduction in human history. In 1995, the GATT was transformed into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The WTO is the only global body whose rules are regulating trade flows in the world, covering 164 states and customs territories, and over 98% of world trade. It provides a forum for negotiating agreements aimed at reducing obstacles to international trade and ensuring a level playing field for all, thus contributing to economic growth and development. The WTO also provides a legal and institutional framework for the implementation and monitoring of these agreements, as well as for settling disputes arising from their interpretation and application. The WTO today, driven by the efforts of its Members, has adapted to meet contemporary global issues, such as trade-focused responses to COVID-19, climate change, and peace.

Recently, a group of fragile and conflict-affected least-developed countries which have recently joined or are in the process of joining the WTO, has made once again the case to use trade integration to promote peace and stability. The g7+ WTO Accessions Group, was launched at the 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in 2017, by countries in accession — Comoros, Sao Tomé and Principe, Somalia, South Sudan and Timor-Leste — which came together with recently acceded LDCs — Afghanistan, Liberia and Yemen. This was the beginning of the Trade for Peace Initiative, which reinvigorated the focus on trade as a means of achieving peace through WTO membership. Since then, it has grown, with the support of WTO Members, Secretariat, and its partners to a Programme and activities taking place under four main pillars: Political Engagement and Partnerships; Outreach and Dialogue; Research; and Training and Capacity Building.

Across these various pillars, we have built partnerships between the trade and peace communities with a view of establishing long-term infrastructure for exchange and collaborative efforts. In December 2020, the WTO organised the first‑ever Trade for Peace Week, a series of webinars featuring representatives from the trade and peace communities with specific regional and thematic expertise. In March this year, we launched the Trade for Peace Podcast, hosted by Mr. Axel Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia’s accession to the WTO, aimed at bringing different voices on the trade and peace nexus from policy makers and those on the ground in fragile and conflict-affect situations.  To date, 13 episodes have been released and many more are in the pipeline.

Also, in March, we consolidated and institutionalised partnerships through the establishment of the Trade for Peace Network. In July, we launched the Research and Knowledge Hub to share knowledge and coordinate research activities amongst trade and peace experts, which was followed by a Call for Papers on a new publication on Trade for Peace.  We are planning more activities next year, including the organisation of a Trade for Peace Conference during the first half of 2022.

Progress takes time; however, the Trade for Peace Programme is contributing to raising awareness, increasing understanding, and fostering interdisciplinary approaches to peacebuilding. Peace is an ideal that we continue to work towards, adjusting our approaches to peace and striving to improve our understanding of it to reflect the world we live in today.

Membership accession by fragile or conflict affected countries can be a key moment for building more sustainable peace. How does the WTO envision membership accession and what synergies are created with ongoing humanitarian, development and peace activities in this context?

At the core, WTO accession is about building institutions, based on WTO core principles of non‑discrimination, transparency, and the rule of law. These principles are designed to promote predictability, create a conducive business environment, encourage fair competition, and support integration of developing countries into global value chains.

However, the benefits of WTO membership are not restricted to economic stability and growth. By supporting institutional reform, WTO accession directly responds to SDG 16, “peace, justice and strong institutions”, which rests on the premise that conflict, insecurity, weak institutions, and limited access to justice are fundamental threats to sustainable development.

Strong belief in the contributions of WTO accession to peace and development is shared with LDCs and fragile and conflict-affected states, which represent many of the countries currently in accession and are among the most vocal supporters of using WTO membership as a tool for peace. We are committed to supporting them in their transition from fragility to stability and maximizing the benefits of trade to inclusive and sustainable development.

How is WTO presence in Geneva used to advance its peace strategy? And what are the missing linkages/partnerships that we should all pursue to advance that agenda?

Operating from Geneva, the Trade for Peace Programme is uniquely placed to benefit from the large presence and proximity of leading experts on trade and peace. In this regard, we greatly appreciate the efforts of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform to connect the trade and peace communities, including through this week’s sessions. These two communities have long worked in silos and building connections between them is one of the main priorities of the Trade for Peace Programme. Good progress has already been registered in this area, but we must continue to diversify our partnerships to include the voices of those promoting peace from different angles and in their own contexts.

It was a pleasure to listen to such voices throughout this Week, which highlighted key issues, such as addressing global challenges through multilateral solutions; breaking the silos between various fields that impact peace; and, creating trust between partners as the first step towards building peace.

Particularly, I noted the remarks of the Director of the Graduate Institute, Dr Marie-Laure Salles, who advocated for supporting institutions that move beyond a specific thematic focus and towards a more systemic perspective to reflect the interconnected nature of many global issues.  The Graduate Institute has been our strong partner in the Trade for Peace Programme from the very beginning, having sponsored a capstone research project on Trade for Peace in 2019. Housing both the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and the Geneva Trade Platform, it offered a forum for WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to speak on Trade for Peace at the Opening Plenary of this year’s Geneva Trade Forum in late September.

I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Salles’ view that we all need to work together to address global issues in a systematic way and it is one that is being operationalised by the WTO Trade for Peace Programme. By creating a mechanism for sustained communication and coordinated research and action between different fields, we are working to build such systems to address peace and conflict in their various manifestations. For this approach to work, however, we need to continue to expand and deepen our partnerships to overcome a one‑sided approach to peace.

What message do you have to the Geneva Peace Week audience globally looking ahead to 2022?

To build inclusive and sustainable peace, all of us must recognize the interconnected nature of trade, peace, and development. However, recognition is just the first step. There is a lot left to do to break the silos between trade and peace.

The Trade for Peace Programme looks forward to engaging with new partners, especially those at the Geneva Peace Week. We are looking to you — panellists and audience in Geneva and abroad — to share with us your stories and experiences of harnessing trade for peace to enrich our understanding and push the Programme forward.

We invite you to join us at the second Trade for Peace Week on the week of November 15‑19, which is exactly 10 days from now. The program is designed with 5 sessions, focusing on the mutual contribution of trade and peace through different thematic lenses. This year, we will particularly focus on Trade, Peace, and Security from a Eurasian perspective. Follow us at @Trade_for_Peace on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep updated.

Thank you to the Geneva Peace Platform for allowing me to join this important forum and discuss these multi-faceted issues in trade and peace. I hope to see you all again at Geneva Peace Week 2022 with more insights, questions, and progress on trade for peace.

Source: wto.org