UAE Contributes to WTO-ITC Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund

(Geneva, Switzerland) Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton delivered her remarks at the signing ceremony of the UAE’s contribution to the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund, which took place during the WTO Public Forum 2024.

Greetings and thank you for joining us.

Seven months ago, we launched the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy Fund in Abu Dhabi.

It’s a moment that will be forever imprinted on my memory—one that reaffirmed just how far we’ve come in changing how the world thinks about women’s role in our economy.

I remember, all too well, the naysayers who insisted that trade didn’t affect women and men differently. Who told us to invest our time and resources elsewhere.

I’m glad we didn’t listen.

Because what I saw in Abu Dhabi in February reaffirmed that when we invest in women, the results are nothing short of sensational.

By being our first donor to the WEIDE Fund, the United Arab Emirates showed us what real leadership looks like: that it’s not just about talk, but about action. We will forever be grateful for your support.

And we couldn’t be more grateful to have Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a true gender champion and my sister in arms, as our partner in this Fund.

DG, thank you for being an inspirational partner, day in and day out, throughout this journey.

Today only one in five exporting firms are led by women. If we want a fairer, more resilient, prosperous society—one that we’re proud to pass on to the next generation—we cannot afford to let that stand.

At ITC, we work closely with women-led businesses around the world, and we’ve seen that many are clearly ready to trade, having defied countless odds to turn their passions into full-fledged enterprises.

The WEIDE Fund was set up with a clear and simple purpose: to help these women-led businesses take full advantage of the digital revolution so they could grow, trade, and take the world by storm.

It’s also our promise to women entrepreneurs around the world that we will never falter in our commitment to gender equality, underpinned by women’s economic empowerment.

It’s our announcement that we aren’t afraid to be bold, to go the distance to champion better trade for a better world.

And it’s what compels us to call on everyone here today to step in, and step up, so that this WEIDE Fund can live up to the expectations of women entrepreneurs around the world—and surpass them.