World Trade Organization 2026 Global Review Meeting Begins in Geneva

The World Trade Organization (WTO) launched its two-day 2026 Global Review meeting in Geneva on October 29, 2026. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaking at the event marking the 20th anniversary of the Aid for Trade initiative, emphasized the need for stronger partnerships to enable developing and least-developed countries to transform trade opportunities into economic growth.

Since its inception, the Aid for Trade initiative has facilitated a total of $795 billion in investments aimed at strengthening the trade infrastructure and capacities of developing economies. However, Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that despite these investments, the share of African economies in global exports remains at approximately 3%, while the share of least-developed countries remains at 1%.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and JICA President Akihiko Tanaka, who attended the event, emphasized the importance of private sector partnerships and mutual trust in development cooperation. A new joint OECD-WTO report presented at the meeting warned that although developing economies account for nearly half of global merchandise exports, bilateral Aid for Trade funds could fall by 22% between 2024 and 2026.