“I was delighted to welcome members of the Civil Society Advisory Group during the Ministerial Conference and hear their perspectives on the issues facing the multilateral trading system,” said the WTO Director-General. “I'm firmly committed to our engagement with the civil society community.”

Today's meeting was the third time that the group has met with the Director-General and the first time that they have been able to exchange views in person. Following an overview of the state of play in ongoing WTO negotiations, the group shared perspectives on how to make trade more inclusive and to ensure it can respond to pressing global challenges, such as climate change and inequality.

The group built on the conversations taking place this week among ministers and ongoing discussions on WTO reform. The group members also shared their views on the 2030 Secretariat Strategy, which aims to create an agile and forward-looking organization that more effectively services its members. 

The Director-General said: “Our discussions today were fruitful and enormously valuable, coming as they did at the outset of our Ministerial Conference here in Abu Dhabi and at a challenging yet potentially rewarding time for international trade. Civil society input is crucial. Today's discussion provides us with valuable inputs as we continue to build a WTO fit for the 21st century.” 

Background

The Director-General established two Advisory Groups in June 2023, one comprising leaders from the business community and the other bringing together prominent civil society representatives. The establishment of these groups is part of a strengthened engagement between the WTO Director-General and business and civil society. The two groups provide an informal platform for the exchange of views and discussions with key stakeholders.

Click here to view the membership list of both groups.