Book launch: "Investing in Skills for Inclusive Trade"

“Investing in Skills for Inclusive Trade”, co-published by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Labour Office (ILO), is to be launched at the WTO on 4 July. Building on previous collaboration between the WTO and the ILO, this publication focuses on the linkages between trade and skills and between trade and skills development policies.

The publication argues that in the fast-changing context of globalization, where technology and trade relations evolve rapidly, the responsiveness of skills supply to demand is particularly important. Drawing on the findings from relevant literature and from the ILO's Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) programme, this publication shows that appropriate skills development policies are key to helping firms participate in trade, and also to helping workers find good jobs.

Programme

Welcome address and launch of the publication

10.00 – 10.30

Roberto Azevêdo
WTO Director-General

Guy Ryder
ILO Director-General

Question and answer session
Moderated by Keith Rockwell, WTO Spokesperson

Presentation of the publication

10.30 – 11.10

Introductory remarks by the session chairs

Azita Berar Awad
Director of the ILO's Employment Policy Department

Robert Koopman
Director of the WTO's Economic Research and Statistics Division

Presentation by the lead authors

Marc Bacchetta
Counsellor, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO

Cornelius Gregg
Senior Technical Specialist, Skills and Employability, Employment Policy Department, ILO

Comments by discussants

11.10 - 11.30

Questions and answers

11.30 - 12.00