Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have elected Ambassador Eheth as the new Chair, succeeding Ambassador Raimondas Ališauskas of Lithuania. Members expressed gratitude for the outgoing Chair's leadership over the past year.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Eheth emphasized the ongoing importance of technology transfer. He stated that it is crucial for "strengthening productive capacity, upgrading infrastructure, and building resilience." He also noted its role in "supporting structural transformation, responding to environmental challenges, and ensuring that the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and its applications in trade benefit all and do not further widen the gap between members at different stages of development."
During a discussion initiated by India, members shared ideas on advancing work on technology transfer in preparation for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2026.
Ambassador Eheth encouraged members to "continue sharing national experiences on how trade has facilitated technology transfer and supported development." He reaffirmed the value of hearing from chairs of other WTO bodies as introduced by his predecessor. This practice "enriches the Group's work by illustrating the cross-cutting nature of technology transfer and its relevance across the WTO's agenda."
Looking forward, Ambassador Eheth announced plans to hold informal consultations in September to gather members' views on advancing the Group's work. "I am committed to helping advance not only the mandate of this Group but also the broader objectives of the Organization as set out in the preamble of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO: raising standards of living, ensuring steadily growing real income, and supporting sustainable development in a manner consistent with the needs and aspirations of all members," he said.
The next formal meeting is scheduled for November 2025.