FMG Online Brainstorming on Food Security: What Can the WTO Do in Times of Crisis

FMG Online Brainstorming on Food Security: What Can the WTO Do in Times of Crisis?

On 26th May 2022, the Friends of Multilateralism Group (FMG) organized an online brainstorming session on food security. Ahmad Mukhtar, Senior Economist at the Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) moderated this session.

Simon Evenett, FMG member, and Professor of International Trade and Economic Development at the University of St. Gallen; Evan Rogerson, FMG member and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies; Bernard Hoekman, FMG member and Professor of Global Economics at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute shared their views and suggestions on the food crisis and the important role that trade and WTO can play in addressing those challenges.

Nearly 30 participants joined the brainstorming, including members of FMG, Friends of FMG and Punta del Este Group (PEG), Ambassadors/DPRs of WTO members, representatives from related international organizations and experts from renowned universities.

Annex 1: Programme
15:00-15:02 Opening Remarks
Speaker: Mia Mikic (FMG)
15:02-15:05 Introduction
Speaker: Ahmad Mukhtar (FAO)

15:05-15:45 Presentations
Moderator: Ahmad Mukhtar (FAO)
15:05- 15:15 Speaker 1: Simon Evenett (FMG, on export restrictions)
15:15- 15:25 Speaker 2: Evan Rogerson (FMG, on WTO negotiations)
15:25- 15:35 Speaker 3: Bernard Hoekman (FMG, on WTO regular work)
15:35-15:45 Discussant: Doaa Abdel-Motaal (WTO)

15:45- 16:30 Discussions
Moderator: Ahmad Mukhtar (FAO)

Annex 2: List of confirmed participants
I.FMG/FFMG
Axel Addy (FMG)
Mercedes Araoz (FMG)
Simon EVENETT (FMG)
Harmid Mamdouh (FMG)
Jonathan T. Fried (FMG)
Xiankun Lu (FMG)
Pradeep S Mehta (FMG)
Mia Mikic (FMG)
Victor Do Prado (FMG)
John M Weekes (FMG)
Alan Wolff (FMG)
Brad Mcdonald (FFMG)

II.WTO Missions
Egypt: Ahmed Ihab Gamaleldin, Ambassador
Russia: Dmitry Lyakishev, Ambassador
Thailand: Pimchanok Pitfield,Ambassador
The Netherlands: Marcel Vernooij, DPR

III. WTO Secretariat
Werner Zdouc, Director, Knowledge and Information Management, Academic Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme
Gabrielle Marceau, Counsellor for Research on Legal Policy, Economic Research and Statistics Division

IV.Think Tanks
Peter Van den Bossche, WTI
William Reinsch, CSIS
Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, ECIPE

V.Universities
Henry Gao, Singapore Management University