The WTO is facing a number of challenges, including differing positions among WTO Members on priorities, resulting in prolonged and unresolved negotiations; lack of consensus on how best to reflect the nexus on trade and development; and the ongoing impasse on new appointments of WTO Appellate Body members.

Against this backdrop, and in an effort to contribute to strengthening and modernising the WTO, Canada convened a group of 12 other likeminded WTO Members (Australia, Brazil, Chile, EU, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and Switzerland) to create the Ottawa Group. Ottawa Group Ministers have met four times over the past two years. To date, discussions have focused on three main areas: dispute settlement, negotiations, and transparency/notifications. The 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), which will be held in Kazakhstan this June, is the next critical juncture point for the WTO.

Ms Kendal Hembroff, Director General for Trade Policy and Negotiations at Global Affairs Canada, will discuss the work of the Ottawa Group.

DATE AND VENUE

Date                6 March 2020, 3:00 PM 5:00 PM

Venue              Meeting Room 3-4, ERIA Annex Office, Sentral Senayan II, 5th Floor,

                        Jalan Asia Afrika No. 8, Gelora Bung Karno, Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia

Moderator       Ms Anita Prakash, Director of Policy Relations, ERIA

Discussant     Dr Intan Murnira Ramli, Policy Fellow, ERIA

SCHEDULE

REGISTRATION

Click here to register http://bit.ly/ETT-WTO

ERIA Trade Talk - WTO Reform