Trade for Peace

A European Tale

In Episode 10 of the Trade for Peace Podcast, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for the WTO accession of Liberia, interviewed H.E. José Manuel Barroso, a European leader who, among his many high-level positions, served as President of the European Commission and in this capacity accepted the Nobel Peace Prize of the European Union in 2012.

As a former Commission President, Portuguese Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the current Chair of the Board of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, Mr Barroso gives unique insights into the European integration process and the lessons it has to offer to those outside of Europe seeking to use trade and economic integration to achieve the political goal of peace. He also highlights the WTO's role in this process, especially in the current Covid-19 pandemic situation.

 

Guest:

- H.E. José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, Former Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce & Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

The Case of Sudan and South Sudan

After over 20 years of civil conflict, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Since then, in both countries, efforts have been made to combat domestic civil conflicts, including through the signing of peace agreements, inter alia the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in 2018 and the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan in 2020. What implications do peace agreements have on wealth sharing and the allocation of natural resources? How can Sudan and South Sudan rise from fragility and engage with the international community? How can trade integration, including through WTO membership, contribute to the durability of peace agreements? Sudan and South Sudan are in the process of accession to the WTO since 1994 and 2017, respectively.

 

Tune in to this episode to hear Dr. Paul Williams, Co-founder of the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), share his insights on the economic and legal implications of various peace agreements, including the 2020 Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan, and the implementation challenges of peace agreements. He also proposes avenues for building synergies between the trade and peace communities to work closer together to combat fragility.

                                                    

Guest:

- Dr. Paul Williams, Co-founder of the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG)

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO

Afghanistan in Focus

Five years following its successful accession to the WTO, join us in celebrating Afghanistan's economic transformation journey and its continued efforts to harness regional and multilateral integration as instruments of peace.

In this special episode, our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, interviews H.E. Mr. Sulaiman Bin Shah, Deputy-Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan and Ms. Mariam Solaimankhil, Member of Parliament of Afghanistan. Both guests delve into the reasons why Afghanistan joined the WTO and give their assessment on Afghanistan's participation in the WTO to date. Guests also highlight the importance of inclusive participation, particularly of women and the youth in Afghanistan's economy.

Guests:

- H.E. Mr. Sulaiman Bin Shah, Deputy-Minister, Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan

- Ms. Mariam Solaimankhil, Member of Parliament of Afghanistan

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO

A Conversation with Nobel Peace Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Five years following its successful accession to the WTO, join us in celebrating Liberia's economic transformation journey and its continued efforts to harness regional and multilateral integration as instruments of peace.

 

In this special episode, our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, interviews former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate, H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, on the key lessons and pieces of advice drawn from this LDC's integration into the multilateral trading system. H.E Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president elected in Africa and a renowned global leader in women empowerment, champions the critical importance of trade in disincentivising conflict in fragile and conflict-affected countries and the central role of women in the process of transitioning towards sustainable peace.

 

 

Guest:

- H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

Voices from Yemen

In this episode, our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, interviews two practitioners with first-hand experience and knowledge in promoting Yemen’s peace, stability, and economic prosperity through participation in international trade and cross-sectoral collaboration.

 

Ms. Afrah Al-Zouba, currently Managing Director of the Executive Bureau for Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms, shares her on-the-ground perspective with the audience, drawing upon years of extensive field experience in development, conflict resolution, peacebuilding and research in Yemen. She shares her insights on working with youth and women organizations, with governmental processes such as the National Dialogue Conference, and with donor organizations aimed at capacity building of Yemeni state institutions. Mr. Rafat Ali Al-Akhali, who worked with the WTO Accessions Division after Yemen's accession, is currently the Global Engagement Lead of the State Fragility Initiative at the International Growth Centre. He discusses how private sector development and international trade can contribute to Yemen’s long-term development, address the current humanitarian crisis, and facilitate institution building to promote predictability and transparency.

 

Guests:

- Ms. Afrah Al-Zouba, Managing Director of the Executive Bureau for Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms

- Mr. Rafat Ali Al-Akhali, Global Engagement Lead of the State Fragility Initiative at the International Growth Centre

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

Business and Peace

This episode provides insights into how a thriving private sector can stimulate economic recovery and influence peace processes. Our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, spoke with Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Mr. John Denton AO, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Ms. Coke-Hamilton highlights the inextricable links between economic security, social security and peace, and gives examples of ITC's projects on expanding opportunities for economic empowerment. Mr. Denton explains the role of the ICC as a bridge between the real economy and international policymaking, and stresses the importance of public-private partnerships, especially how they can be maximised to address specific challenges faced by businesses and traders on the ground. Together, Ms. Coke-Hamilton and Mr. Denton champion entrepreneurship, especially of small and medium-sized enterprises, including those led by women and youth, for economic development and stability.

 

Guests:

- Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Centre (ITC)

- Mr. John Denton AO, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

 

A Story from the Balkans

In Episode 6 of the Trade for Peace Podcast, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, interviewed two Trade for Peace champions who have first-hand experience and knowledge in leveraging trade policy in a way that supports economic development in their country.

 

As the former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Dr Igor Lukšić offers a rare insight into the historical and contemporary economic landscape of Montenegro, which gained independence in 2006, and reveals how the country has used trade to reclaim its economic sovereignty and voice on the international stage. Ms Zorica Maric Djordjević, former Ambassador of Montenegro to the WTO and Senior Peace Fellow at the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), elaborates on how the multilateral trading system and the expansion of trade reinforces the likelihood of peace in the Balkans. Together, they paint a clear picture of economic and political transformation that has facilitated Montenegro's development and share with us the lessons it may hold for other states.

 

Guests:

- Dr Igor Lukšić, former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro

- Ms Zorica Maric Djordjević, former Ambassador of Montenegro to the WTO and Senior Peace Fellow at the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG)

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

Perspectives from Academia

In Episode 5 of the Trade for Peace podcast, our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, sat down with two renowned academics: Dr. Patrick Low, Fellow of the Asia Global Institute and former Chief Economist of the WTO and Dr. Achim Wennmann, Advisor to the Director of Strategic Development and Partnerships at the Graduate Institute and former Executive Coordinator of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform.

 

Patrick and Achim argue that although there is a discernible relationship between trade and peace, determining the causal directions can be challenging. On the one hand, it can be argued that new markets and economic opportunities arising from reforms could be realised by the cessation of conflict and thus trade could contribute to the maintenance of the newfound peace. On the other hand, while the revenues generated from trade could make people and societies better-off, they could also be used to finance conflict, if placed in the wrong hands.

 

To make trade work for peace, our guests suggest a range of accompanying infrastructures aimed at reducing inequality, improving predictability, transparency, and security in the trade and business environment.  They also make the case for granular research on post-conflict transition processes, bridging knowledge between the trade and humanitarian communities, better understanding of the relationship between trade in natural resources and civil strife, and exploration of the different impacts of multilateral and regional trade arrangements, etc.

 

Guests:

• Patrick Low, Fellow of the Asia Global Institute and former Chief Economist of the WTO 
• Achim Wennmann, Advisor to the Director of Strategic Development and Partnerships at the Graduate Institute and former Executive Coordinator of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform

Host:

• Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

Stories from Iraq

Our host, Mr. Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator for WTO accession of Liberia, interviewed two brilliant women who are working towards transforming the Iraqi economy through their respective roles in the public and private sectors. Ms. Nidhal Sebri, Director of the WTO Section in the Ministry of Trade, explains how the multilateral trading system and WTO accession can support the Government's efforts in addressing the drivers of conflict in Iraq. Ms. Alice Bosley, who is the co-founder of Five One Labs, a start-up incubator in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, points to the role of the private sector in harnessing meaningful employment and economic inclusion to disincentivise conflict and support peace.  Together, they illustrate the critical importance of public-private collaboration and dialogue to support peace and economic prosperity through trade.

 

Guest:

- Ms. Alice Bosley, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Five One Labs

- Ms. Nidhal Sebri, Director, WTO Section, Ministry of Trade, Iraq

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO

A Conversation with Mr. Pascal Lamy

In this episode, former WTO Director-General, Pascal Lamy in conversation with host Axel M. Addy, tells the audience how trade opening, regional economic integration and aid for trade are pathways to economic prosperity for long-lasting peace. After introducing the innovative approach being undertaken by the Paris Peace Forum to promote peace, he shares his views on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fragility risk, as well as the role of regional economic  integration in supporting peacebuilding efforts, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He also touches on the role of the WTO accession process in driving countries to institute domestic reforms which can be conducive to peace. Finally, he provides advice to Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the most pressing issues facing the WTO today

 

Guest:

- Mr. Pascal Lamy, Former Director-General, World Trade Organization

 

Host:

- Mr. Axel M. Addy, Former Minister of Commerce and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's Accession to the WTO