The World Trade Organization (WTO) has introduced a new publication titled "Trade for Peace: Pathways to Sustainable Trade and Peace." This book aims to assist policymakers, academics, and practitioners by examining the intricate relationship between trade and peace. The publication consists of 16 chapters contributed by 31 authors from over nine partner institutions, including the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), International Labour Organization (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Trade Centre (ITC), Interpeace, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the World Economic Forum.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala states in the foreword, “Trade is an indispensable part of building the secure, sustainable, and inclusive world we want and need.” She emphasizes that collaboration within the trade community is crucial to achieving peace dividends.
WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang highlighted the publication's significance during challenging times. He remarked that it serves as a product of the Trade for Peace Programme's research pillar aimed at understanding how trade can promote economic development and stability.
The event featured panellists such as Mustapha Sadni Jallab from WTO; Alan W. Wolff from PIIE; Itonde Kakoma from Interpeace; Franck Bousquet from IMF; Barbara Ramos from ITC; Serge Stroobants from IEP; Maika Oshikawa from WTO Accessions Division; Patrick Low, former WTO Chief Economist; Roberta Piermartini from WTO Applied Economic Research Section. The discussion was moderated by Amanda Miashiro of WTO Accessions Division.
Panellists addressed increasing global fragility with historical lows in peace levels. They discussed legal frameworks necessary for trade to drive peace and stability while enhancing actors' capacities in fragile contexts to contribute positively to peace outcomes.
They also noted how fragility impacts societies economically and stressed understanding conflict drivers to strengthen macroeconomic policies. According to IEP data, violence cost more than US$ 19.1 trillion globally in 2023, sparking discussions on how trade could mitigate economic violence through promoting peace.
Additionally, a new Trade for Peace Research and Knowledge Database was unveiled during this session. This hub aims to gather ongoing research studies related to trade-peace linkages supporting evidence-based policy development.