WTO Public Forum 2026 highlights the role of services as a driver of world trade

WTO Public Forum 2026 highlights the role of services as a driver of world trade

The WTO Public Forum, held in Geneva on 15-17 September, brings together more than 2,000 experts to discuss the role of international trade in promoting sustainable growth and prosperity. In the forum, Finland is organising a side event on the importance of services for sustainable mining, together with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) partnership programme.

The importance of services in the global economy continues to grow. They are no longer merely support functions for national economies but a key part of international trade, economic growth and employment. Digital services, logistics, and financial and professional services enable companies to operate across borders and create new opportunities in both developed and developing economies. Trade in services, especially digital services, is the most dynamic component of world trade, and its growth is projected to continue outpacing trade in goods in the coming years as well.

International trade in services is conducted under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Services are also a key focus of the WTO Public Forum, held in Geneva on 15-17 September. The Public Forum is the WTO's largest outreach event, bringing together more than 2,000 participants each year from WTO member governments, businesses, civil society organizations, academia, international organizations and the media to discuss how international trade can support sustainable growth and prosperity.

This year's theme is Powering the Future. The 2026 Public Forum will examine the role of trade in services as an engine of development, a source of income, and a driver of job creation and empowerment worldwide, particularly for women and young people. The event also aims to explore new ways to strengthen the multilateral trading system in a challenging geopolitical era and ensure that the benefits of trade are shared as widely as possible.

On Wednesday, 16 September, Finland will hold an event at the forum on sustainable mining and services, together with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), a partnership programme supporting least developed countries in harnessing international trade. The aim is to explore how services (such as geosciences, logistics, certification and finance) enable mining based on sustainability and circular economy principles, and to consider how these services can help least developed countries capture more value from global markets and integrate more effectively into global value chains.

Many of the forum's sessions can be followed online via live stream. Audio recordings of the sessions will also be available afterwards. Link to event's page.