Two Te Taumata Directors, Hone McGregor and Carrie Stoddart-Smith, will jet set to Switzerland this month to represent Te Taumata and Māori at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 2022 Public Forum.
This year’s Public Forum will look at how trade can contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery.
Specifically, it will consider how trade rules can be strengthened, and government policies improved to create a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive trading system.
As part of this, Hone and Carrie will be involved in an Aotearoa-led session on “Indigenous perspectives on a sustainable trade agenda”.
Hone and Carrie say there are four key kaupapa to the haerenga they will be on as indigenous representatives from Aotearoa.
- Tū Mai – sharing our individual, Māori views on what sustainable trade agenda means.
- Haere whakamua – progressing forward together, going to and engaging in other World Trade Organisation Public Forum sessions.
- Whakawhanaungatanga – attending side events hosted by numerous different networks, as part of ‘Geneva Trade Week’.
- Te tutaki a tātou taniwha – making contacts with officials from WTO Missions of other countries, such as Canada, Australia, Te Moananui a Kiwa – Pacific Islands Forum and other indigenous peoples.
Te Taumata is proud to be able to contribute a strong Māori voice to these global conversations and bring back trade-led opportunities for our whānau. We wish Hone and Carrie safe travels and look forward to their updates.
About the Public Forum
The Public Forum is the World Trade Organisation’s biggest annual outreach event. It provides a platform for participants from around the world to discuss the latest developments in global trade and to propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system between nations.
It’s held over four days from 27 to 30 September. The event regularly attracts more than 1500 representatives from civil society, academia, business, the media, governments, parliamentarians and inter-governmental organisations.
