Podcast
Let's talk trade by WTO
Hosted by World Trade Organization · EN
Trade can often feel impersonal but trust us – it is very personal.
Trade is about people. It is about the connections it creates, the challenges it can bring, and also about the opportunities it unleashes.
Let's Talk Trade brings these stories to the forefront. Every season we will dive into a different subject, and get people talking about how trade matters to them, and what the World Trade Organization has got to do with it.
So stay tuned, and Let's Talk Trade!
Brought to you by the World Trade Organization.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
World Trade Report 2024 (S8 - Ep4)
Dec 19, 202400:29:54Tap to summarizeOver the past 30 years, economic growth has improved living conditions for many people. However, not all individuals, regions and economies have benefited equally from the changes brought about by more open trade. The World Trade Report 2024 highlights trade’s role in supporting inclusiveness across and within economies. It was launched during the opening day of the 2024 WTO Public Forum by Ralph Ossa, Chief Economist of the World Trade Organization. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala gave opening remarks. Watch the full session here.For more details about the World Trade Report 2024 and to download the publication, visit this link. Speakers in this podcast: Peter Vanham, moderatorBusiness Journalist and Author, Fortune magazine Ngozi Okonjo-IwealaDirector-General of the WTO Ralph OssaChief Economist of the WTO Host: Javier GutiérrezCounsellor in External Relations, WTO
Transcribe →The Economic Case for Inclusivity (S8 - Ep 3)
Dec 16, 202400:37:03Tap to summarizeThe World Trade Organization (WTO) and the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) share a long history of collaboration in promoting international trade as a driver of economic development, particularly in supporting developing countries. In the episode “The Economic Case for Inclusivity”, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, and Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, share insights from a high-level panel exploring the economic imperative of mainstreaming inclusivity policies in global trade. Speakers in this episode: James Baxter, moderator, Australia’s Permanent Representative to the WTO Ngozi Okonjo-IwealaDirector-General of the WTO Rebeca GrynspanSecretary-General of UNCTAD Host: Javier GutiérrezCounsellor in External Relations, World Trade Organization
Transcribe →Re-globalizing trade: a youth perspective (S8 - Ep 2)
Dec 9, 202400:39:28Tap to summarizeOn the last day of the Public Forum 2024, we brought together a dynamic group of young entrepreneurs and activists from around the world for the plenary debate titled “Re-globalizing trade for an inclusive tomorrow: the youth perspective”. This episode brings their concrete proposals to shape a more sustainable and inclusive global economy that better serves future generations. Watch the full session here.Speakers in this podcast: Nicolás Albertoni, moderatorDeputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, UruguaySimon BerthoudHead of Communication and Member Engagement, Climate Alliance Switzerland Bonnie ChiuOwner and Managing Director, The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC) Stephanie Eyram AkrumahDirector, Centre for Green Growth (CenGG) Gerardo MatteoDirector of Government Platforms, GLASS Lili VessereauTeaching Fellow, Harvard UniversityNgozi Okonjo-IwealaDirector-General, World Trade OrganizationHost: Javier GutiérrezCounsellor in External Relations, World Trade Organization
Transcribe →Re-globalization: trade in a geopoliticized world (S8 - Ep 1)
Dec 3, 202400:40:17Tap to summarizeThis September, during the WTO Public Forum, we looked at the WTO's achievements since 1995, and what lies ahead for the world trading system. Discussions began with a plenary called “Re-globalization: Trade in a Geopoliticized World”, co-organized with the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and it brought together five of the most respected voices in international economics, to reflect on how trade remains a source of opportunities, jobs, and peaceful development, and how it benefits billions of citizens all over the world.Watch the full session here.Speakers in this podcast:Richard Baldwin, moderatorNonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Ngozi Okonjo-IwealaDirector-General, World Trade OrganizationAnabel GonzálezVice President for Countries, Inter-American Development Bank Cecilia MalmströmNonresident Senior Fellow , Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Mari PangestuDistinguished Visiting Fellow and former Indonesia's Minister of Trade, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Adam PosenPresident, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) Xiaozhun YiFormer Deputy Director General, World Trade OrganizationHost: Javier GutiérrezCounsellor in External Relations, World Trade Organization
Transcribe →Christine Lagarde and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on women empowerment
Mar 8, 202400:46:16Tap to summarizeLast year, on International Women's Day, the WTO community was treated to a special event. Two prominent women in the global economy came together for a candid conversation about women's economic empowerment, gender balance in the workplace, and more. The discussion with Christine Lagarde, who serves as the President of the European Central Bank, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, was moderated by CNN International's Eleni Giokos. The event was held on 8 March 2023. You can watch the full event, including the segment with questions from the audience, here: https://www.youtube.com/live/l61qfHp32Bg?si=NOOakQF_wTQpiIPz Learn more about the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, launched at the sidelines of the WTO's Thirteenth Ministerial Conference in February 2024, here: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news24_e/women_25feb24_e.htm
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Feeding the world. Food Safety as a key to access export markets. (S7 - Ep 5)
Dec 14, 202300:26:30Tap to summarizeFood safety is a collective responsibility. Producers, businesses, , governments, and international agencies all contribute to ensuring that the food consumers receive is safe to eat. In this podcast episode, our guest, Francis Chama of York Farms, a Zambian agricultural producer, sheds light on how his company tackles the issue of pest management. Adherence to sanitary and phytosanitary measures is key to accessing export markets explains Simon Padilla of the Standards and Trade Development Facility at the WTO. Simon offers context about the trade policies and collaborative efforts at the international level that enable businesses like York Farms to supply agricultural produce to consumers worldwide and locally. In the podcastFrancis Chama, Packhouse Manager, York Farm, Lusaka, Zambia Simon Padilla, Economic Affairs Officer, Standards and Trade Development Facility Section, Agriculture and Commodities Division, WTO Kimonique Powell, Podcast Host, WTO Young Professional LinksExplainer video about the SPS AgreementLet's Talk Food SafetyWTO SPS Agreement WTO | Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - text of the agreementStandards and Trade Development Facility STDF (standardsfacility.org)False Codling Moth False codling moth, photos and article - WikipediaPest fact sheet from Stellenbosch University, South AfricaFalse Codling MothU.S. Department on AgricultureFalse Codling Moth | National Invasive Species Information Center
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Never give up. Export ambitions in the face of natural disasters (S7 - Ep4)
Dec 5, 202300:24:40Tap to summarizeThe people of Tonga, a Small Island Developing State in the Pacific, know a thing or two about living with natural disasters. In 2022, their archipelago was first hit by a giant volcanic eruption and then went through a prolonged period of drought. Farmer and entrepreneur Minoru Nishi Jr is not prepared to give up on expanding his export activities in the face of natural hazards. Minoru is joined in this episode by Esterlina Alipate, a Tongan trade official who currently is with the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation at the WTO. Esterlina explains how natural disasters and climate change constitute a setback for the development efforts of her country. In the podcast:- Minoru Nishi Jr, farmer and entrepreneur, Managing Director of Nishi Trading Co. Ltd, Tonga- Esterlina Alipate, principal trade officer of the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development of the Kingdom of Tonga. Esterlina is currently stationed at the WTO under the Netherlands Trainee Programme where she works with the Aid for Trade Unit and the Trade Facilitation Unit.- Kimonique Powell, Podcast Host, WTO Young Professional If you want to go deeper on the topic, here are a few reading suggestions:Minoru Nishi Jr's family-owned agricultural business:Nishi Trading Co. LtdSatellite animation of the initial ash plume and shockwave on 15 January 2022:The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruptionDeveloping, stimulating, and promoting economic development in Tonga:Ministry of Trade and Economic DevelopmentThe Tonga Trade Portal is a trade facilitation platform implemented by the government of Tonga:Tonga Trade PortalA dedicated WTO website on trade and natural disasters provides access to research papers and WTO-organized symposia dealing with this topic:Research on natural disasters and tradeWhat is the scope that exists under WTO Agreements for Members to adopt trade measures in support of disaster response, disaster recovery and disaster resilience?Natural disasters and trade: a legal mapping
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Go local. Gaining a foothold in the global IT services market (S7 - Ep3)
Oct 31, 202300:22:36Tap to summarizeDigitally transmitted services are the fastest-growing segment of international trade. They offer huge opportunities for SMEs in emerging markets and developing economies. But how do you convince potential clients that you offer cutting-edge IT services when your country is mainly known as an exporter of pineapples and coffee? In this episode we talk to Albán Sánchez, an IT entrepreneur from Costa Rica who decided that the way to deal with outdated perceptions of his country was to establish a business presence in his target market. Albán is joined by Antonia Carzaniga of the WTO's Trade in Services Division who puts his experience into the bigger services trade context. In the podcast:- Albán Sánchez, Co-Founder and CEO of Lantern Technologies and LinkAmerica Labs, Costa Rica and Dallas/Texas.- Antonia Carzaniga, Counsellor, Trade in Services and Investment Division, WTO - Kimonique Powell, Podcast Host, WTO Young Professional The IT business of Albán SánchezLinkAmerica LabsCosta Rica's Trade Promotion AgencyProcomerFind out more about services trade and the WTOServices TradeThe future of services tradeWorld Trade Report 2019The contribution of services to economic growth and developmentTrade in services for development
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Bittersweet. Exporting cacao beans for a living (S7 - Ep2)
Oct 11, 202300:19:19Tap to summarizeCocoa is an important export crop for West African countries. Yet, many of the smallholder cocoa farmers struggle to earn a decent livelihood. Assata Doumbia, president of the ECAM cooperative in Côte d'Ivoire, applies a mix of strategies to obtain higher and more predictable incomes for her fellow farmers. The cooperative works with trusted international partners, invests in improving productivity and enables women to join the workforce. Assata even tackles the challenge of moving up the cocoa value chain through a cacao-processing business. In this podcast episode, she is joined by Kobby Bandoh, Economic Affairs Officer in the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO. In the podcast:- Assata Doumbia, President of the ECAM cooperative (Entreprise Coopérative des Agriculteurs de Méagui) and founder of "La Paysanne" - Kobby Bandoh, Economic Affairs Officer in the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO- Kimonique Powell, Podcast Host, WTO Young Professional Links :Website of the ECAM Cooperative (in French)https://www.ecam-meagui.com/ Tony's Chocolonely, a Netherlands-based chocolate producer, and a major business partner of ECAMhttps://tonyschocolonely.com/nl/en/strong-farmers-professional-cooperatives The chapter on "Cacao" is co-authored by podcast host Kimonique PowellSustainable Production and Trade: Perspectives from the Commonwealth A report about how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can enhance farmers' livelihoods, promote trade, and provide price transparency across value chains.Global Market Report: Cocoa prices and sustainability | International Institute for Sustainable Development (iisd.org) Reorganizing the cocoa farming business to enable farmers to obtain higher prices:Cocoa Industry: Integrating Small Farmers into the Global Value Chain | UNCTAD One example of a certification scheme that monitors social, economic, and environmental standards in the cocoa sectorCocoa - (fairtrade.net)
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Just do it. Learning to trade internationally (S7 - Ep1)
Sep 28, 202300:23:50Tap to summarizeLack of information about export procedures is a known obstacle to trade for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. But there are learning tools available to get newcomers started. Confronted with the need to cut costs during the pandemic, Natali Tjahjadi, Operational Manager of CV Triguna Widya, a garment manufacturer in Bali, Indonesia, took things into her own hands. In this episode, Natali talks about her learning experience and the thrill she gets from successfully handling trade-related paperwork herself. Kathryn Lundquist, economic affairs officer at the WTO, joins in to fit Natali's experience into the bigger picture of small businesses in international trade. In the podcast:- Natali Tjahjadi, Operating Manager, CV Triguna Widya, a garment manufacturer in Bali, Indonesia.- Kathryn Lundquist, Economic Affairs Officer at the WTO- Kimonique Powell, podcast host, WTO Young Professional The Global Trade Helpdesk is a multi-agency initiative jointly led by ITC, UNCTAD, and the WTO that aims to simplify market research for companies, and especially micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs), by integrating trade and business information into a single online portal. Another gateway to trade information is trade4msmes.org with guides and resources for MSMEs, policymakers, and researchers on topics of international trade.This website also includes a Trade Game.Learn about what the WTO does for Small business and trade More about Natali Tjahjadi's family business CV. Widya Triguna
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