On campus, people from the economics/trade and peace/security disciplines do not mix naturally. This trend continues as they start their careers in their respective fields. One of the goals of the Trade for Peace (T4P) Programme is to break down the silos between the disciplines by bringing them into a conversation. In this 3rd episode of the youth series: "When Trade and Peace Young Leaders Meet", Ms. Tamara Persaud from the WTO and Ms. Medea Segantini from the Peacebuilding Initiative at the Geneva Graduate Institute come together to discuss the challenges and opportunities in building bridges between the trade and peace communities. By sharing their experiences, they highlight the importance of fostering dialogue between different disciplines, and also the crucial role that youth can play in using trade integration to achieve sustainable peace. Join our Trade for Peace Future Leaders, Tamara and Medea, as they discuss how youth from different disciplines can work hand in hand to build economic growth, enhance food security and achieve inclusive sustainable peace.   Guests: Tamara Persaud, Young Professional, Agriculture and Commodities Division, WTO Medea Vanessa Segantini, Head of Events, Peacebuilding Initiative, The Graduate Institute Geneva Hosts: Nour Kabbara, Co-focal Point, Trade for Peace Programme, WTO Souksana Sisomphone, Co-focal Point, Trade for Peace Programme, WTO

Episode 11 – Season 2 of the Trade for Peace podcast Goodbye Conflict, Welcome Development: A Conversation with the g7+ is now available! Join General Secretary Dr. Helder da Costa and Deputy General Secretary Habib Mayar of the g7+ Secretariat to understand the challenges faced by the 20 fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) which make up the g7+ association, a platform to promote peace and stability through advocacy on aid effectiveness and peer learning on good development practices. Established in 2010, the g7+ provides a platform to conflict-affected countries to collectively voice the need for national dialogue and reconciliation to address conflicts. In this episode, Helder and Habib shed light on the impediments to development caused by fragility and conflict, by sharing their personal experiences in Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and other FCS in the g7+. They present the activities and achievements of the g7+, in terms of peacebuilding and recovery from fragility, as well as how their work relates in the context of trade and integration to the multilateral trading system. They highlight how WTO accession and membership can contribute to building pathways towards development to secure self-reliance and lasting peace.   Guests: Helder da Costa, General Secretary of the g7+ Secretariat. Habib Mayar, Deputy General Secretary of the g7+ Secretariat. Host: Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO.

Tune in today for a special Trade for Peace podcast episode, A TRADE FOR PEACE APPROACH FOR AFRICAN STABILITY, released just in time for the US-Africa Leaders' Summit, taking place in Washington DC this week! Don't miss this enthralling and timely discussion on fragility in Africa! Please join Dr. Joseph Sany, Vice President of the African Centre of the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), an independent institute founded by the US Congress dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical and essential for U.S. and global security. In this episode, Dr. Sany shares his personal and professional experiences in working in fragile and conflict affected states (FCS). He talks about the challenges and drivers of instability and conflict in Africa and how this affects people's daily life. He also explains the United States Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability as well as the Global Fragility Act and its role in building sustainable peace by including all stakeholders in the process of resolving conflicts. In particular, Dr. Sany emphasizes the importance of local ownership in addressing fragility. He ends the conversation by sharing his views on the role of the international trading system in fostering and sustaining peace and stability in African countries, particularly those currently acceding to the WTO.   Guest: Joseph Sany, Vice President of the Africa Center, United States Institute for Peace (USIP) Host: Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO.

In his book "Power and Plenty", Kevin O'Rourke explains how war and conflicts affect the world's economy and trade prosperity. By highlighting insights from his research and using several economic crises as examples, he shares lessons learned from economic history to better understand the relationship between globalization, trade and war. He also shares his thoughts on the economic challenges the world is facing today and what an entity regulating world trade – the WTO – can do to address them. The discussion also brings him to answer a very important question: "Is the world as bad as it looks, or has humanity survived worse?" Tune in to find out more!   Guest: Kevin O'Rourke, Professor of Economics, NYU Abu Dhabi Host: Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO.

South Sudan is not only the youngest country in the world, but it is also home to a large youth population: more than 70% of South Sudanese are under the age of 30! It also has one of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the world according to the World Bank.   Today, South Sudanese women are often excluded from taking part in policy-making and decision-making processes. Yet, many of them have become strong advocates for building a more peaceful and inclusive society by demanding their meaningful participation at all levels of decision making. In fact, women are key drivers, not only in promoting socio-economic development, but also in addressing conflict resolution in South Sudan. As a passionate advocate for women and youth participation in political processes in Africa, Honorable Yar Telar Deng, one of the youngest members of Parliament in South Sudan, helps uncover how trade and trade policy can contribute to the economic and political empowerment of women.   Guest: Honorable Yar Telar Deng, Member of Parliament, South Sudan. Host: Axel M. Addy, former Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chief Negotiator of Liberia's accession to the WTO.