TRADE AND INVESTMENT: Seminar

Seminar on E-commerce and Investment Facilitation

“Bridging the Digital Divide: Harnessing E-commerce and Investment Facilitation for Inclusive Trade and Development”

A joint seminar organized by the Friends of E-commerce for Development (FED)(1) and the Friends of Investment Facilitation for Development (FIFD)(2)

Geneva, WTO Headquarters - Room S1
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Facilitating investment in digital infrastructure is critical if developing countries are going to participate in – and benefit from – e-commerce. This FED-FIFD joint seminar will highlight the synergies between e-commerce and investment facilitation discussions in the WTO, and explore what steps developing and least-developed countries can take to scale up investment in "hard" and "soft" infrastructure to help them leverage e-commerce for development.  It will also explore how creating an enabling environment for e-commerce can help to encourage investment in digital infrastructure. Drawing on insights from policy experts and private sector investors, the seminar will examine:

  • where developing countries' digital infrastructure needs and priorities lie;
  • how developing countries are facilitating investment in digital infrastructure and what additional steps might be taken;
  • what role public-private partnerships can play in building digital connectivity;
  • how synergies between e-commerce and investment facilitation can be harnessed; and,
  • how the WTO – and more coherent trade and investment policies - can contribute to increasing digital connectivity in developing countries.

Programme

15:00-15:30

Opening Remarks

  1. Ambassador Syed Tauqir Shah, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO
    Opening Remarks
  2. Ambassador Roberto Zapata, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the WTO
    Opening Remarks
  3. Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Trade Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of Nigeria
    Opening Remarks
15:30-17:00

Moderator

Ms. Irene B.K. Young, Permanent Representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the WTO (Moderator)
Remarks

Speakers

  • Mr. James Zhan, Director, Investment and Enterprise Division, UNCTAD
    Presenting the World Investment Report 2017 – Investment and the Digital Economy
    Presentation
  • Mr. Bilal Khan, Telenor, Pakistan
    The contribution of mobile infrastructure to leveraging e-commerce for development
    Presentation
  • Mr. Pierre Sauvé, Senior Trade Specialist, World Bank Group
    The complementary components of digital development strategies
    Presentation
  • Ms. Kimberley Botwright, Policy Analyst, Digital Trade, World Economic Forum
    Exploiting synergies between investment facilitation and e-commerce to promote trade connectivity and development
    Presentation
    Statement
  • Mr. Hamid Mamdouh, Director Trade in Services and Investment Division, WTO
    Investment facilitation, e-trade and development
    Presentation

Panel discussion followed by a Q & A session.

17:00-17:30

Closing Remarks

  1. Mr. Roberto Azevêdo,, Director-General, WTO
  2. Ambassador Marcelo Cima, Permanent Representative of Argentina to the WTO and Coordinator of the WTO Informal Dialogue on Investment Facilitation for Development
  3. Ambassador Zhang Xiangchen, Permanent Representative of China to the WTO
    Closing Remarks

Notes

  1. FED consists of the following 12 WTO members: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uruguay. Back to text
  2. FIFD consists of the following 12 WTO members: Argentina; Brazil; Chile; China; Colombia; Hong Kong, China; Kazakhstan; Korea; Mexico; Nigeria; Pakistan; and, Qatar. Back to text