2011 WTO Public Forum "Seeking answers to global trade challenges

The 2011 WTO Public Forum publication provides an overview of the discussions held at this year’s event, which was entitled “Seeking answers to global trade challenges”. Representatives from civil society, academia, business, the media, governments, parliaments and inter-governmental organizations participated. The main discussion themes in this year’s Forum were food security, trade in natural resources, the “Made in the World” initiative and the challenges ahead for the multilateral trading system. Debates revolved around the responses of international trade to challenges of food security and climate change; how trade negotiations in the WTO reflect the fact that a single product is produced in many different countries and what this means for the “made in” label; and how measuring trade flows in value added terms can affect the ways in which international economics are analysed and trade policy is conducted. The sessions held during the 2011 Public Forum triggered a frank and open debate on the principal global challenges for the multilateral trading system. The Forum also sought to identify practical and effective solutions and ways forward to enable the WTO to adapt and respond effectively to our fast-changing world. A chapter is devoted to each of the sessions held during the three-day programme.