WCP holds Research Hub at Public Forum 2026
The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) hosted a Research Hub on 17 September 2026 as part of the WTO Public Forum 2026, bringing together WCP Chairs, members of the WCP Academic Advisory Board, WTO officials, and leading researchers for a day of discussions on the evolving role of services in global trade and development.
The event featured six sessions covering a wide range of topics, including services trade, digital transformation, tourism, women's economic empowerment, and the contribution of services to economic development in developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs).
Opening the event, WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang underscored the importance of the WCP network and highlighted the success of the WCP Annual Conference held in July 2026. He also welcomed the strengthened role of the WCP Academic Advisory Board under the leadership of Professor Mark Wu, President of the Advisory Board. DDG Zhang emphasized the valuable contribution that WCP Chairs make to the work of the WTO. He noted the growing participation of WCP Chairs in the Public Forum, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding the programme's reach and impact.
A key highlight of the day was the participation of WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during the third session, entitled "Are Services Hubs Key to Structural Transformation in LDCs?" In her intervention, the Director-General reflected on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) and encouraged WCP researchers to contribute evidence-based analysis of the initiative, highlighting the importance of identifying both successful practices and persistent constraints, including infrastructure-related challenges.
Throughout the day, participants exchanged insights on a range of services trade issues, from sustainable tourism and creative industries to digitally delivered services and women's entrepreneurship. Discussions highlighted the growing importance of services as a driver of economic growth, structural transformation, and economic diversification in developing economies and LDCs. Panellists underscored the importance of strengthening digital and AI literacy, expanding trade-related skills, and investing in digital infrastructure to enable greater participation in services trade and ensure that its benefits are more widely shared.
The programme for the WCP Research Hub can be found here. Recordings of all sessions are available on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBcHf4v_hNEY
