DDG Ellard expressed gratitude to retirees for their contributions during a General Assembly meeting at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Addressing both online and in-person participants, she stated, "I want to thank you because everything that you did at the WTO over the years has been the foundation for the work that we do now."
Ellard emphasized the widespread appreciation for retirees within the Secretariat and senior management. "I think there's a sense of appreciation among the members, certainly within the Secretariat and senior management within the Secretariat, of how much we owe those who have retired from the WTO and who have dedicated so much of their careers to the work that we do here," she remarked.
During her briefing, Ellard covered outcomes from MC13 earlier this year and discussed key issues on the negotiating agenda. These included fisheries subsidies, agriculture, dispute settlement reform, and development. She highlighted progress in plurilateral negotiations concerning domestic regulation of services and investment facilitation. Additionally, she mentioned proposals from some members regarding new discussion topics such as subsidies, environmental concerns, and decision-making processes at the WTO.
Ellard also addressed questions from retirees about matters of interest, particularly focusing on proposed reforms to the WTO's pension plan.