WTO: Between Fragmentation and Globalisation

With the theme ‘It's Time For Action’, the 2023 WTO Public Forum brought delegates and trade experts together to assess the state of trade multilateralism.
Many of these discussions focused on how trade can contribute to tackling climate change and promoting sustainability. A new sense of urgency was palpable this year. The 2023 WTO Global Trade Report, launched during the Public Forum, also raised concerns about the regionalisation or even fragmentation of the trade landscape. Protectionist tendencies remain strong and proliferating subsidies are posing a challenge to multilateral rulemaking. At the same time, in a context of rising geopolitical tensions, trade policy is increasingly seen through a national security lens.
Where does this gloomy outlook leave the WTO? What role can it play in reducing the risks of trade fragmentation and restoring the credibility and relevance of a rules-based system?

The AIG Global Trade Series 2023 is a series of podcasts analysing the complex interplay of factors shaping the global trade system. The Global Trade Series is a collaboration between AIG and the following international organisations with leading expertise on global trade: the Aspen Institute Germany; CEBRI - the Brazilian Center for International Relations; Chatham House (UK); the Clingendael Institute (The Netherlands); the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center (US); ISPI - the Italian Institute for International Political Studies; the Jacques Delors Institute (France); RIETI - the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan); and the St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity through Trade (Switzerland).
https://www.aig.co.uk/landing-pages/aig-global-trade-series