The Trade for Peace Programme aims to promote trade as a pathway to development and sustainable peace in fragile and conflict-affected states by highlighting the potential role of trade and economic integration in the peace, security and humanitarian fields. The Programme seeks to strengthen interdisciplinary insights into relationships between trade, peace, stability and shared prosperity.

The Trade for Peace Programme is now looking to gather, generate and deepen knowledge and understanding on the linkages between trade and peace. The research seeks to identify the socio-political, governance and economic conditions that enable trade to make a positive contribution to peace.

A new publication is planned which will feature the research papers selected from submitted proposals. Selected research papers will also be invited to be presented at the Trade for Peace Conference, tentatively scheduled to be held on the first quarter of 2022. Applicants are welcome to submit proposals on topics relevant to the trade-peace nexus. The following themes are among those on which the Programme would welcome proposals:

• The role of trade policy in conflict and fragility contexts
• The impact of trade agreements in peacebuilding
• The role of the WTO accession process in strengthening institutions that contribute to more peaceful and inclusive societies
• Mechanisms to measure the linkages between trade and peace in the form of a Trade for Peace Index
• Trade for peace, social inclusion and decent job creation
• Trade for peace and the role of the private sector, including in respect of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
• Trade for peace and the role of women, youth and gender equality
• Trade for peace and global crises/pandemics
• Trade for peace, climate change, disaster resilience and food security
• Migration and the trade-peace nexus
• Trade, peace, poverty and inequality
• Trade for peace and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the role of partnerships for development

The call is being issued by the WTO's Accessions Division, in partnership with the Economic Research and Statistics Division and the Knowledge and Information Management, Academic Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme.

Applicants are invited to submit a preliminary paper and/or a detailed abstract defining their research questions, methodological approach, and anticipated outcomes. Submitted abstracts must include sufficient detail in order to provide a fair understanding of the work to be expected in the final paper.

Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected]
with the subject “Trade for Peace — Call for Papers” by 15 November 2021.

Selected applicants will be notified by 30 November 2021.