The participants of the meeting discussed the challenges of economic development, sustainable agriculture in light of climate change, and international trade issues in light of global challenges.

In the introductory part of the meeting, the participants were addressed by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, APF Delegate-General Amelia Lakrafi, and WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam. They highlighted the importance of the WTO in times of global challenges and called for cooperation, particularly emphasising the significance and important role of parliaments and parliamentary diplomacy, and called for joint projects with APF representatives.

In her presentation, MA Jadranka Jovanovic said that for Serbia, which is in the process of joining the WTO, this process has both an economic and strategic dimension, because joining the WTO represents an important step in the context of the European integration process. The WTO also plays an expert and educational role through the ongoing trainings for representatives of our state administration, in the areas of trade, intellectual property, customs and non-customs barriers and dispute resolution, which contributes to strengthening the institutional capacities of our administration and a better understanding of modern trade processes. She stressed that the parliamentary diplomacy we are developing within the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, can make an important contribution to strengthening trust, understanding and cooperation in the area of international trade.

The meeting of the APF Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs Committee at the WTO in Geneva included a number of interactive sessions aimed at parliamentarians and their engagement in the field of trade policy and strengthening the links between the national level of policy-making and the multilateral trading system. The Committee meeting brought together 70 participants from 10 delegations of APF member states, associate members and observers, representatives of the APF secretariat, WTO representatives and experts in the field of international trade.