55th Global Business Forum: Guyana engages global trade leaders in France, discuss trade investments

Guyana, through the World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG) is currently participating in the 55th Annual General Assembly and Global Business Forum of the World Trade Centres Association (WTCA) in Marseille, France, from April 6 to April 9.

This event brings together over 300 participants from more than 50 countries and territories, reflecting the organisation’s extensive global network, which comprises more than 300 WTC locations across nearly 100 nations. The participating countries this year include Albania, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Nigeria, the United States (US) and many others.
The Forum, themed “Gateway to the Mediterranean” will feature an extensive programme designed to address various pressing issues in global trade and commerce. Key topics include “Strategies for Success in an Evolving Marketplace,” “Free Trade Zones as Engines of Growth,” and “Navigating Trade, Real Estate and Investment Trends in 2025.
Navigating trends and new developments in global trade will be a critical aspect of the meeting’s deliberations as participants analyse what will define international trade and investment in the year ahead.
Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Angela Ellard will address the forum today as a panel of top experts is convened to examine emerging challenges and opportunities shaping the global economy.
WTCG’s Executive Chairman, Komal Samaroo said that the Forum is taking place at the most opportune time.
“As nations around the world are evaluating the impact of Tariffs imposed on their exports to the world’s largest economy, the USA. As the WTO celebrates its 30th anniversary we look forward to the address by its Deputy Director General and the ensuing discussion and analysis which would help provide some certainty of the future global trading system that must drive the development of small nation states like Guyana.”
Another key issue to be discussed at the meeting is closer collaboration between the private sector and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in advancing sustainable industrial practices within the Blue Economy.
UNIDO’s Blue Industry Programmatic Framework aims to foster a symbiotic relationship between people, the planet, and prosperity by cultivating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient blue industries. This initiative emphasises enhancing productivity, promoting innovation, facilitating technology transfer, and supporting investment in sectors such as sustainable coastal tourism, marine spatial planning, infrastructure development, and maritime activities like shipbuilding and logistics management and the role of Ports in the Blue Economy.