The Public Forum is the WTO’s largest annual outreach event, which provides a platform for participants to discuss the latest developments in world trade and to propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system. The event regularly attracts over 1,500 representatives from civil society, academia, business, the media, governments, parliamentarians and inter-governmental organizations.
In recent months trade has moved from the business pages to the front pages. It has rarely had a higher profile. This session brings together a range of experts who will seek to look behind the headlines and assess the reality of trade in today's fast-moving global economy. Our eminent panel will consider how trade is interacting with other major forces of economic change, how trade can help to respond to the major challenges facing our economies, and how the trading system can be improved to deliver greater benefits to people around the world.

Panel discussion:

Dr. Naushad Forbes, Co-Chairman, Forbes Marshall
Paul Krugman, Distinguished Professor, City University of New York Graduate Center and Columnist, The New York Times
Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
Susana Malcorra, Minister Advisor, Government of the Argentine Republic
Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Executive Chairman, Econet Group
Bruce Stokes, Director, Global Economic Attitudes, Pew Research Center
Moderator: Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General, World Trade Organization

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