The eleventh edition of the WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Minister Susana Malcorra of Argentina chaired the event. ITC’s interventions in the margins of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) included:

• placing women’s economic empowerment at the heart of trade policy, also through the ITC SheTrades initiative;
• highlighting the importance of trade and market intelligence for MSMEs through the launch of the joint ITC-UNCTAD-WTO Global Trade Helpdesk;
• exploring the role of e-commerce in MSME inclusion in trade; launching the Sustainability Map in Spanish;
• discussing competitiveness issues through the lens of its flagship report, the SME Competitiveness Outlook; and
• working with the C4 to launch their new Cotton Portal.

Launch of the joint ITC-UNCTAD-WTO Global Trade Helpdesk
11 December 2017, 13:00 – 14:00, Atlantico A and B, Hilton Hotel

This session is organised by ITC hosted by the Friends of SMEs. The global online Global Trade Helpdesk will improve quality and transparency of trade-related information and strengthen public-private dialogue by providing a unique entry point to existing trade-related information; translating trade-related information into trade intelligence; and raising awareness and capacity of MSMEs on the use of trade information.

Launch of the WTO-ITC Cotton Portal
11 December 2017, 15:00 – 16:00, Buen Ayre A, Hilton Hotel

The session, organised by the International Trade Centre, the WTO and the “Cotton Four” (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad), introduced the new ITC – WTO Cotton Portal. This web platform provides a single entry point for all cotton-specific information available in WTO and ITC databases on market access, trade statistics, country-specific business contacts and development assistance-related information, as well as links to relevant documents and webpages. It also links to relevant information on cotton from other organizations.

E-commerce and MSMEs: towards more inclusive trade
11 December 2017, 17:00 - 18:30, Bolsa de Cereales

In the margins of WTO 11th Ministerial Conference, ITC organized a session on “E-commerce and MSMEs: towards more inclusive trade”, to explore what kinds of obstacles MSMEs encounter when conducting cross-border e-commerce and how they can be better supported, with insights from public, private and academic stakeholders. Discussions also addressed how e-commerce can serve as a tool for inclusive trade. The potential for a more inclusive e-commerce ecosystem for micro and small firms, for women entrepreneurs and for developing countries was highlighted with the help of findings from the recent ITC publication New Pathways to E-commerce: A Global MSME Competitiveness Survey

Sustainability Map: Driving innovation and building inclusive value chains
12 December 2017, 10:45 - 12:15, Bolsa de Cereales

Sustainability Map is a new online gateway connecting businesses and producers by offering users access to wide-ranging information related to sustainability initiatives and standards. This allows businesses on all levels to deploy better sustainability practices in international trade and governments to access data in support of trade-related policy decisions. In this session with a focus on Latin America, innovative approaches that help empower upstream value-chain actors and connect them with downstream buyers will be presented. On this occasion, the Spanish version of Sustainability Map will be launched.

Women and Trade: SheTrades Argentina and the Buenos Aires Declaration, Launch of SheTrades Argentina
12 December 2017, 14:45 - 16:00, Centro Cultural Kirchner

Headlined by H.E. Gabriela Michetti, Vice-President of Argentina, the panel discussion will highlight key priorities for an inclusive trade agenda, with a particular focus on ensuring equal access and opportunities for women entrepreneurs. On this occasion, WTO member states will announce the Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade, and InvestArgentina will officially launch SheTrades Argentina, a national programme of ITC’s SheTrades initiative to connect one million women to market by 2020. The initiative supports the greater integration of women entrepreneurs into the global economy through enhanced policies, capacity building, financial services and access to markets. More information on the Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade at genderchampions.com.

SheTrades Forum
13 December 2017, 9:00 – 11:30, Hotel Emperador

After SheTrades Argentina launch on 12 December, this Forum explores policy considerations, the role of technology and practical interventions in support of inclusive supply chains and tools for export that contribute to trade-led inclusive development.

The region: A door to global trade for SMEs
13 December 2017, 17:00 – 18:30, BOlsa de Cereales

The trade landscape continues to transform and many companies are exploring how to remain profitable and operate in this changing scenario. One response has been to strengthen operations where the policy environment is most stable and where trade costs are lowest. For many companies, ‘their region’ represents such a place. This session will explore how SMEs can benefit from participating in value chains, with a focus on how regional trade agreements may create and support greater value chain operations and ensure that SMEs can enter them, operate successfully and upgrade. Key findings from ITC’s flagship publication SME Competitiveness Outlook 2017 - The region: A door to global trade will underpin the discussions.