- May 08, 2023
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- May 08, 2023

The geopolitical environment is changing profoundly: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing strategic rivalry between the United States and China have made multilateral trade cooperation much more difficult. Although the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022 was considered a success, the futures of the multilateral trading order and EU trade with the Global South – particularly countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America – look uncertain. How can new alliances be built while keeping the multilateral trading order from disintegrating? Is there a way for closer economic cooperation between the EU and countries like India or Uruguay to foster trade cooperation and enhance resilient supply chains? How can modern trade agreements be made fit-for-purpose both today and for the future?
On May 8, 2023, the Aspen Institute Germany – in cooperation with The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) hosted an Expert Conference “Global Trade in Troubled Waters” of the Study Group on Globalization and the World Economy.
We were delighted to announce the high-ranking panelists: Stefan Rouenhoff, MdB, CDU; Anabel Gonzalez, Deputy Director General, WTO; Ignacio Garcia Bercero, Head of Multilateral Affairs, Strategy, Analysis, Evaluation, DG Trade, European Commission; Abraham L. Newman, Professor, School of Foreign Service and Department of Government, Georgetown University, H.E. Harish Parvathaneni, Ambassador of India to Germany; José Luis Cancela, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the WTO; Sarah Bäumchen, Member of the Executive Board, German Electro and Digital Industry Association. The panels were moderated by Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany and Dr. Claudia Schmucker, Head of Geoeconomics Program, DGAP