Receiving credentials from the new Ambassador of the Gabonese Republic to the WTO and UN Institutions, HE Rita Barreau Kambangoye Ankassa. Look forward to Gabon‘s continued active participation in the WTO as we prepare for an Africa-based 14th Ministerial.
Many thanks to Norway for its consistent and strong support of the multilateral trading system and of WTO reforms. Also with HE Amb Petter Olberg, Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Kravik and other trade colleagues from Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2/2)
At a round table in Norway with CEOs of top Norwegian companies, graced by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon. Also had meetings with HE Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and HE Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs. (1/2)
Tackling key questions on present global trade challenges and opportunities confronting Norwegian business. (3/3)
Addressing the topic of Navigating Trade in a Changing World.
Also participated in a panel with Børge Brende, CEO of WEF and former Foreign Minister of Norway, and HE Andrzej Domański, Finance Minister of Poland Andrzej Domański. (2/3)
In a snowy and cold Norway giving the keynote address at the annual NHO Business Conference with over 1400 participants - both large businesses and SMEs. (1/3)
A Happy and Healthy New Year to all my friends and followers. Thank you for your faithfulness and support. May 2026 bring you and your loved ones peace, joy, prosperity and your heart’s desires!
A Merry Xmas to all my friends and followers who celebrate! Thank God for allowing us to celebrate the birth of his son Jesus Christ for another year! A joyous Xmas and a Happy New Year. At our village church St James Methodist Umuda with pastors and part of the congregation
In the Christmas spirit. With Umu Ada Association and Umu Adukwu women in the village at Umuda Isingwu Umuahia.
Happy to be in the village for Xmas. And a nice surprise to join HE Governor Alex Otti to commission the first set of electric buses for Abia State. Abia is working hard to go Green and contribute to lowering Green house gas emissions in its urban centers! Congratulations to Gov Otti and his team!
Working together to better integrate LDCs into the multilateral trading system and boost their economies! (2/2)
Joining the WTO’s 37 Least Developed Country (LDC) members at their end of year retreat. Great to join and listen to a very important group of WTO members deliberate over issues of concern to them and the organization. (1/2)
Very productive meetings today with the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, HE Asad Alam Siam, and the Viceminister of International Trade of Peru, HE Cesar Llona. Focused on the present conjuncture and challenges of trade, the need for WTO reform and MC14. Also with HE Amb Nahida Sobhan of Bangladesh.
Discussing status and progress of Uzbekistan‘s accession with HE Azizbek Urunov, Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO. Great to see the progress made and the determination to keep working on the substance of the accession.
Appreciate Ethiopia‘s hard work on the accession process and thank you to HE Rebecca Fisher Lamb of the UK for her hard work as Ethiopia’s working party chair. (3/3)
A similarly productive meeting with HE Minister Kassahun Gofe Balami, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration of Ethiopia and Chief Negotiator for Ethiopia‘s accession and his team. (2/3)
Very productive meeting with HE Bjorn Kunoy, Head of Representation of the Faroe Islands to the US, and HE Elisabeth Rasmussen, Head of Representation of the Faroe Islands to the EU, on the Faroe Islands‘ request for WTO accession. (1/3)
We look forward to your warm hospitality and hosting in Yaoundé, March 2026. Thanks also to HE Prime Minister Joseph Ngute for his personal attention to the preparations for MC14. Look forward to continued work with HE Amb Salomon Eheth, Jean Jacques Sidje Weme and the rest of the team. (3/3)
Congratulations, Your Excellency, on your election as Chair along with Vice Chairs HE Minister Kamina Johnson Smith of Jamaica, HE Minister Todd McClay MP of New Zealand and HE Minister Francisco Tiu-Laurel of the Philippines. (2/3)
It was great to welcome our Fourteenth Ministerial Conference Chair, HE Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Commerce of Cameroon, to our end-of-year General Council Meeting. (1/3)
The report‘s key finding is that Global Value Chains are evolving in response to economic, technological and geopolitical pressures but they remain the backbone of the world economy with the GVC share in total trade registering just a small decline from its 2022 peak of 48% to 46.3% in 2024. (5/5)
Thanks to Albert Park, Chief Economist of Asian Development Bank, Zhao Zhongxiu, President of UIBE, and Fukunari Kimura, President of IDE-JETRO, for their participation. (3/4)
and the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan. Many thanks to our former Chief Economist Robert Koopman @rbkoopman.bsky.social of the American University, Washington, DC, who served as the Editor in Chief of the report. (2/4)
Participated in the launch of the important 2025 Global Value Chain Development Report to which the WTO has been a contributor since inception in 2017. Together with our partners, the Asian Development Bank, University of International Business and Economics in Beijing (UIBE), (1/2)
Also discussed Pakistan‘s stabilization program and its ongoing economic and trade aspects. Many thanks for Pakistan‘s leadership of agriculture negotiations at the WTO. Also with HE Amb Ali Sarfraz Hussain. (2/2)
On the occasion of the Senior Officials Meeting in Geneva, happy to receive the Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan, HE Jawad Paul, to discuss ongoing trade challenges, WTO reform efforts and MC14. (1/2)
Joining the staff for the End-of-Year Party. Many thanks to the WTO Employee Network for organizing. Love the fabulous costumes!
Excellent speech by Bernard Chiafuchu of Cameroon on behalf of all the Young Professionals. It was so nice to give the Nigerian YP, Ovonlen Ebhohimhen, a big goodbye hug. Looking to all the YPs to be ambassadors for the WTO. (3/3)
Many thanks to ITTC, Samer Seif El Yazal and his team, for their outstanding work on this. Thanks also to ambassadors who came for the ceremony. We’ll miss the two YPs who were in our office, Hiral Hirani and Stan Sanon, thank you for your hard work. (2/3)
It was time to say goodbye to our wonderful cohort of Young Professionals of 2025. Always a bittersweet experience. Thank you to the 19 young minds who have contributed so much to the WTO this year and I hope learned so much as well. (1/3)
