Geneva Peace Week event spotlights role of trade in promoting dialogue, peacebuilding

Discussions centred on the role of trade as a platform for promoting dialogue and stability, looking at the experiences of conflict-affected WTO members, including Liberia and Mozambique, as well as Oman's role in fostering peace and mediation in their region.

"In today's interconnected world, the boundaries between trade, peace and development are increasingly blurred," Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang said in a video message. "The multilateral trading system provides a framework for predictability, inclusion and dialogue - all essential for sustaining peace. To make this framework truly meaningful, it must respond to the needs of those most affected by fragility and conflict. That means supporting capacity-building, reducing barriers to participation and fostering partnerships that support this effort."

Reflecting on his country's transition from civil war to post-war recovery, Ambassador Geraldo Saranga of Mozambique underscored the key role trade has played in promoting economic growth, boosting livelihoods, connecting communities and reducing dependence on conflict-affected economies. "The opening of markets," he said, "brought investment, jobs and infrastructure to Mozambique", adding that economic reforms and regional cooperation - such as the Maputo Development Corridor - also helped rebuild institutions and generate visible peace dividends. Key drivers of stability are nationally owned, inclusive and conflict-sensitive trade policies that empower women, youth and smallholder farmers, said Ambassador Saranga.

Representing Liberia, Chargé d'affaires Ezekiel Pajibo recalled how the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission was ahead of its time by including the dynamic of economic perspective, which had a trade element in it. He also emphasized that post-conflict reconstruction consisted of reforms, including those related to the WTO accession, that were crucial in helping to redirect trade toward reconstruction and recovery. He further noted that while accession brought investment - totalling about USD 3 billion - there should be strengthened efforts to ensure trade benefits reach the population through skills development and job creation.

Oman's Deputy Permanent Representative, Mohammed Al Balushi, highlighted the deep historical roots of Omani diplomacy in trade and navigation, emphasizing that "throughout history, trade and peace have been inseparable - two sides of the same coin." He noted that Oman's long-standing maritime connections, dating back to its early trade across the Indian Ocean, have shaped a foreign policy grounded in balance, realism and constructive engagement. Tracing the country's tradition of mediation and dialogue, he recalled that Oman's diplomacy is guided by the principle of being "a true friend to all, and an enemy to none," and continues to prioritize consensus, cooperation and inclusivity in multilateral settings.

He further underscored that Oman's active engagement in the WTO, its participation in agreements such as the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, and its commitment to sustainable development all reflect Oman's conviction that shared economic interests and trade-driven cooperation are powerful foundations for peace and stability.

Closing the session, Interpeace President Itonde Kakoma commended the panel for illustrating how trade, when guided by peace-responsive strategies, can serve as a bridge between development and stability. "Trade is not inherently positive or detrimental - it depends on the policies that shape it," he said. "By understanding trade as an opportunity and applying intentional, peace-responsive strategies, we can turn it into an instrument that fosters cooperation and sustainable peace." He reiterated that Interpeace's collaboration with the WTO's Trade for Peace initiative helps to demonstrate how accession processes - such as Somalia's - can strengthen state institutions, inclusion and resilience.

This event was organized as part of the 2025 Geneva Peace Week, which took place from 13 to 17 October. More information can be found here.

The WTO's Trade for Peace Programme aims to highlight the role of trade and economic integration in promoting peace and security. The Programme calls for collaboration between the trade, peace and humanitarian communities to enhance opportunities to leverage the multilateral trading system to promote peace and stability. It was launched with the G7+ WTO Accessions Group - an association of 20 fragile and conflict-affected states - at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in December 2017.