On 2 December 2020, the ILO and the WTO co-organized a Session (Session 5) of the Trade for Peace Week on "Trade for Peace through decent job creation". The following speakers represented ILO´s three constituencies (government, employers, workers) and the different international organizations engaged in the triangle of trade, jobs and peace (WTO, ILO, UNDP):

•  Mr. Mozammil Shinwari, Former Chief Negotiator for the Accession of Afghanistan to the WTO
•  Mr. Matthias Thorns, Deputy Secretary General, International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
•  Mr. Omar Faruk Osman, General Secretary, Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU)
•  Ms. Mito Tsukamoto, Chief, Development and Investment Branch, Employment Policy Department, ILO Geneva
•  Ms. Luisa Bernal, Policy Specialist, UNDP Geneva
•  Ms. Roberta Piermartini, Chief of Section, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO (Moderator)

The speakers from fragile and conflict-affected countries (provided concrete examples for the positive contribution of the WTO accession process to decent job creation, and through this, peace. This was confirmed by the business sector representative who highlighted the importance of international trade, especially through diversified engagement in global value chains in eradicating poverty and thus, conflict. The representatives of international organizations called for more collaboration between social partners and multilateral organizations, underlining that conducive and cooperating macroeconomic policies are needed to ensure that increased trade opportunities contribute to the creation of the right jobs. As a follow-up action to the fruitful discussion, it was proposed that the WTO and the ILO deepen, and possibly institutionalize, their cooperation in the field of trade for peace for decent job creation.

Download the full report of the event here.