EIF at WTO Public Forum 2026

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Trade in services is not just a driver of global economic growth. It is the most dynamic component of world trade. In 2026, services trade volume is projected to expand by 4.8%, significantly outpacing trade in goods.

This year’s Public Forum will place services at the centre of the conversation, examining their role as an engine of development, source of income, and driver of job creation and empowerment worldwide, particularly for women and young people.

Services account for more than two-thirds of global GDP and employ more people than any other sector. They are the primary source of new jobs in today’s economy, shaping labour markets and opening pathways to opportunity across regions and income levels.

At the WTO, governments work to strengthen the rules that underpin global trade in services, with the aim of extending market access, increasing transparency of trade measures and enhancing the predictability of services trade. Yet the global landscape is shifting rapidly, bringing both opportunity and uncertainty.

How do we regulate services trade without constraining innovation? How do we ensure that digital trade is inclusive and accessible? How do we expand access to markets, increase connectivity and improve skills so that the benefits of services trade are more widely shared?

As supply chains evolve and digital delivery reshapes how services are traded, and as the WTO seeks to adapt to a more complex global economy, the full potential of trade in services needs to be unlocked.

Join us at this year’s Public Forum to explore how trade in services is powering the future.

• Services in Sustainable Mining: Inclusive Trade for LDCs
  16 September 2026, 10:30-11:30, Room S3
• Diversifying for Resilience: Services, LDCs and the EIF
  17 September 2026, 09:00-10:00, Room E
• From digital access to economic opportunity
  17 September 2026, 12:00-13:00, Room F

For more information: WTO | - Public Forum 2026 - "Powering the Future"