Deputy Chairman of Shura Council Financial and Economic Affairs Committee participates in WTO Public Forum 2025
Geneva, Sep. 19 (BNA): Redha Abdullah Faraj, Deputy Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee at the Shura Council and member of Bahrain’s parliamentary delegation, participated in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Public Forum 2025 held in Geneva from September 17 to 18.
Faraj emphasised that enabling small and micro enterprises in developing and African countries to access global markets requires an integrated system, beginning with effective marketing, followed by access to appropriate finance, and ending with guidance and technical support. He said this would allow them to grow and adapt to the rapid pace of digital transformation shaping the global economy and trade. He underlined the vital role the WTO must play in this regard, in a way that enhances competitiveness, fairness and transparency in international trade.
During a session on the role of digital public infrastructure (DPI) in driving inclusive growth, Faraj noted that the forum discussed how DPI can bring transformation to digital manufacturing and create equal opportunities for developing and least developed countries. The commercial dimension of DPI was highlighted through global success stories, with emphasis placed on the necessity of advancing international cooperation, both within and beyond the WTO framework.
Faraj also participated in a dedicated session on global maritime trade and geopolitical tensions in shipping. The discussions underlined that the international shipping sector moves goods worth more than US$14 trillion, about 90% of global trade in goods, and that rising trade tensions, protectionism and geopolitical instability are intensifying supply chain disruptions, driving up costs and posing unprecedented risks to the future of global shipping, on which all economies depend. The session gathered industry leaders and policy experts to explore the challenges and opportunities facing international shipping in supporting global trade and driving economic growth.
He also joined a panel on digital trade agreements, bridging internet gaps and enabling digital development. The session discussed how digital trade frameworks affect international trade law and development, and whether such law enables or restricts digital progress. It also considered regulatory convergence and open internet access, with case studies from Latin America and Asia offering practical insights on how digital trade agreements can either ease or deepen internet fragmentation.
