EIF at WTO Public Forum 2026

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Trade in services is not just a driver of global economic growth. It is the most dynamic component of world trade. In 2026, services trade volume is projected to expand by 4.8%, significantly outpacing trade in goods.

This year’s Public Forum will place services at the centre of the conversation, examining their role as an engine of development, source of income, and driver of job creation and empowerment worldwide, particularly for women and young people.

Services account for more than two-thirds of global GDP and employ more people than any other sector. They are the primary source of new jobs in today’s economy, shaping labour markets and opening pathways to opportunity across regions and income levels.

At the WTO, governments work to strengthen the rules that underpin global trade in services, with the aim of extending market access, increasing transparency of trade measures and enhancing the predictability of services trade. Yet the global landscape is shifting rapidly, bringing both opportunity and uncertainty.

How do we regulate services trade without constraining innovation? How do we ensure that digital trade is inclusive and accessible? How do we expand access to markets, increase connectivity and improve skills so that the benefits of services trade are more widely shared?

As supply chains evolve and digital delivery reshapes how services are traded, and as the WTO seeks to adapt to a more complex global economy, the full potential of trade in services needs to be unlocked.

Join us at this year’s Public Forum to explore how trade in services is powering the future.

Services in Sustainable Mining: Inclusive Trade for LDCs

Wednesday, 16 September | 10:30–11:30 | Room S3
Co-organized by Finland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and EIF

Services are an important part of sustainable mineral value chains, including in areas such as geoscience, logistics, certification and finance. The session will examine how LDCs can use services to increase value addition from mineral resources, support more sustainable and circular mining and strengthen their participation in global markets.

View the WTO session page

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Diversifying for Resilience: Services, LDCs and the EIF

Thursday, 17 September | 09:00–10:00 | Room E
Co-organized by the World Trade Institute, Denmark and EIF

Services can support diversification, structural transformation and resilience in LDC economies, yet LDC participation in global services trade remains limited. The session will examine constraints affecting services competitiveness and discuss how policy and regulatory capacity, skills, investment facilitation and targeted support can help LDCs expand their participation in services trade.

View the WTO session page

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From digital access to economic opportunity

Thursday, 17 September | 12:00–13:00 | Room F
Co-organized by Ericsson and EIF

As digital trade continues to transform economies, trusted digital connectivity is an important enabler of growth, innovation and inclusion. The session will explore how digital services, including mobile payments, can help MSMEs in LDCs access markets and finance, as well as the infrastructure and policy conditions needed to turn digital access into economic opportunity.

View the WTO session page

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WTO World Trade & Tech Day: Beyond AI Adoption: Advancing Developing Countries and LDCs' Participation in the AI Value Chain
 

Monday, 14 September | 15:00–16:00 | Room W
Co-organized by WTO, EIF, World Bank and East Africa Community

AI is transforming the development prospects of developing economies. This session will examine how developing countries and LDCs can move beyond AI adoption to participate more fully in the AI value chain, and how trade policy can help support wider participation and ensure that the economic opportunities created by AI are more broadly shared. The discussion will also inform EIF’s forthcoming work on AI, trade and investment in LDCs.

View the WTO session page

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WTO Public Forum: Trusted Digital Trade Corridors for Inclusive Trade

Wednesday, 16 September | 09:00–10:00 | Room D
Organized by Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT)

The session will explore how trusted digital trade corridors can make it easier for SMEs, women entrepreneurs and underserved businesses to participate in international trade. It will consider how digital connectivity, compliance, finance, procurement and market access can work together to support more inclusive and scalable digital trade corridors.

View the WTO session page

Geneva Trade Week – Curated Conversation: “Trade Under Pressure: Can Trade Facilitation Strengthen Resilience in Fragile Contexts?”

Wednesday, 16 September | 12:00–13:00 | Room A
Invitation-only event | Organized by German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) Secretariat | For registration, please contact GIZ at josra.riecke@giz.de

This Curated Conversation will examine how trade facilitation can contribute to resilience in fragile contexts, bringing together perspectives on practical approaches to keeping trade moving and strengthening trade systems under pressure.

Learn more about the Curated Conversation

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For more information: WTO | - Public Forum 2026 - "Powering the Future"