Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Wednesday announced the establishment of two advisory groups, one comprising leaders from the business community and the other bringing together prominent civil society representatives.
The establishment of these groups aims to strengthen the Director-General’s engagement with businesses and civil society. They will provide an informal platform for the exchange of views and discussions with key stakeholders. The primary purpose of the business and civil society advisory groups is to allow business and civil society to share their perspectives and insights on relevant international trade issues with the Director-General. She will chair both groups. It is expected that these groups will meet several times a year. DG Okonjo-Iweala has set up the groups in recognition of the importance of engaging with the business community and civil society.
She said: “During my engagements with these groups, I have observed a strong desire to share perspectives on the impact of trade and trade rules on their constituents. By establishing the advisory groups, I aim to facilitate such exchanges on a more regular basis.”
The formation of these groups builds on past practice and the WTO's experience with bringing diverse stakeholder perspectives to the trade debate.
The composition of these advisory groups takes into account geographical and sectoral diversity, as well as gender balance.
The first meeting of the Civil Society Advisory Group was held on Wednesday while the Business Advisory Group will meet on 4 July.
