BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a9ea3f99d8fd DTSTART:20260916T134500Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20260916T144500Z LOCATION:Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:Services trade for development partnerships: Italy and Africa – s ession at the WTO Public Forum 2026 CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Services are increasingly central to the future of trade\, inve stment and development. This session\, led by Italy and co-organized with UNCTAD\, discusses how trade in services can support concrete development partnerships\, with a focus on the Italian experience in Africa. It highli ghts examples from engineering\, infrastructure design\, digital solutions and technical assistance\, while UNCTAD provides context on the growing r ole of services trade in structural transformation and development. The di scussion explores how services-led partnerships can support growth\, emplo yment\, skills and sustainable value chains.As Ambassador Luigi Maria Vign ali\, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other in ternational organizations in Geneva\, notes:“UNCTAD report\, “Measurin g servicification and impacts of services trade and policy”\, provides p ractical tools to make better use of data. This is key to identify opportu nities for trade partnerships. Trade in services can provide the services inputs that can transform economies. This is at the heart of the WTO Publi c Forum session “Services Trade for Development Partnerships: Italy and Africa”\, organised by Italy and UNCTAD on 16 September 2026.”Objectiv eThe session is intended to support a better understanding of how trade in services partnerships can contribute to structural transformation by conn ecting countries with the services inputs needed to enhance productivity\, diversify economies and strengthen participation in value chains\, while highlighting the importance of better data to identify partnership opportu nities\, inform policymaking and assess development impacts.This session a ims to:Discuss the importance of trade in services partnerships in support ing economic transformation and stronger participation in value chains\, w ith particular attention to the African context\;Share key messages and in sights from developed and developing economies\, international organisatio ns and the private sector on the opportunities and challenges associated w ith services-led development partnerships\, including in engineering and d igital services\;Discuss how UNCTAD new report\, Measuring servicification and impacts of services trade and policy\, can be applied to make better use of trade in services data\, identify partnership opportunities and ass ess their development impact.To pursue these objectives\, this session:Bri ngs together perspectives from an African country\, international organisa tions and Italian companies with experience in Africa.Combines policy and analytical perspectives on the role of services in structural transformati on with practical examples of partnerships in engineering and digital serv ices.Considers the role of better data and measurement in identifying serv ices-related opportunities\, informing policymaking and assessing the cont ribution of services trade and partnerships to development.ParticipantsThe session can support a broad range of stakeholders from the trade and deve lopment community\, including:Policymakers\, particularly from developing economies\, with an interest in services trade\, economic transformation\, digitalization and development partnerships.Trade officials and negotiato rs\, including those working on trade in services\, who have an interest i n the role of services in development and in identifying opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.Representatives of development cooperati on institutions and agencies\, interested in how services can support the transformation of developing economies.Private-sector representatives\, in cluding companies providing engineering\, digital and other knowledge-inte nsive services\, with an interest in international services-led partnershi ps.Researchers\, analysts and data specialists\, working on trade in servi ces\, servicification\, economic transformation and the measurement of dev elopment impacts.Representatives of international and regional organisatio ns\, interested in knowing of experiences to strengthening services trade and its contribution to development.Other stakeholders from the trade and development community\, interested in the role of services partnerships an d better data in supporting economic transformation.ModalitiesThe session is in English. Participation is in-person\, open to all participants to th e WTO Public Forum 2026. <\;p>\;Services are increasingly central to the future of trade\, investment and development. This session\, led by It aly and co-organized with UNCTAD\, discusses how trade in services can sup port concrete development partnerships\, with a focus on the Italian exper ience in Africa. It highlights examples from engineering\, infrastructure design\, digital solutions and technical assistance\, while UNCTAD provide s context on the growing role of services trade in structural transformati on and development. The discussion explores how services-led partnerships can support growth\, employment\, skills and sustainable value chains.<\ ;/p>\;<\;p>\;As Ambassador Luigi Maria Vignali\, Permanent Represent ative of Italy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva\, notes:<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;“UNCTAD report\, “Measuring servicification and impacts of services trade and policy”\, provides pra ctical tools to make better use of data. This is key to identify opportuni ties for trade partnerships. Trade in services can provide the services in puts that can transform economies. This is at the heart of the WTO Public Forum session “Services Trade for Development Partnerships: Italy and Af rica”\, organised by Italy and UNCTAD on 16 September 2026.”<\;/p> \;<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Objective<\;/strong>\;<\;/p>\;<\;p& gt\;The session is intended to support a better understanding of how trade in services partnerships can contribute to structural transformation by c onnecting countries with the services inputs needed to enhance productivit y\, diversify economies and strengthen participation in value chains\, whi le highlighting the importance of better data to identify partnership oppo rtunities\, inform policymaking and assess development impacts.<\;/p>\ ;<\;p>\;This session aims to:<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li data-list -item-id="\;ebf3f56217899adbf974180824cdc105f\n\nView meeting on uncta d.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/services-trade-development-partnerships- italy-and-africa-session-wto-public-forum-2026 DTSTAMP:20260907T114601Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR