Register for in-person participation HERE.
Remote participation is available using the following zoom link.
In order to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations-sanctioned day that is celebrated internationally on 3 December, the Permanent Missions of Finland and South Africa, in partnership with the Inter-Agency Technical Working Group on Trade and Disability Inclusion and UN Women, are organising a hybrid event to forward the work agenda on trade and disability inclusion issues.
Persons with disabilities account for one in six adults worldwide, yet this diverse group remains largely overlooked in international trade discussions. Even more so, the impact of international trade on persons with disabilities has been given little consideration in discussions on ensuring inclusive trade. As such, there is a need to integrate disability inclusion into these discussions, drawing parallels with recent strides made in mainstreaming gender into trade discussions and echoing the imperative of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to "leave no one behind”.
The purpose of this hybrid event is to seek views from key stakeholders for this issue to become a fully integrated part of the global trade agenda, as well as further research that would support this potential inclusion. In particular, the meeting seeks to increase the interest among member States to include persons with disabilities on the trade agenda.
This event represents a continuation of activities by the Inter-Agency Technical Working Group on Trade and Disability Inclusion, following side events earlier this year at the Aid for Trade global review on 26th June and the WTO Public Forum on 11th September. This newly created Working Group brings together Geneva-based international organizations to focus on integrating and enhancing disability inclusion within trade and development agendas. The group established in early 2024 by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In September 2021, Rebeca Grynspan was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), becoming the first woman to lead the organization in its 60-year history.
Rebeca Grynspan, an economist and former Vice President of Costa Rica, is an experienced leader of international institutions with a substantive track record in government, UN diplomacy, economic policy and multilateral cooperation at the global level.
Prior to joining the United Nations, she was Vice President of Costa Rica and held cabinet positions as Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs and Deputy Finance Minister.
Previously, she served as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference (2014–2021), chairing regional summits of Heads of State and Government; United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. She was a member of the UN Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti, representing the UN Secretary-General.
At UNCTAD, Grynspan has been at the centre of critical negotiations to address global trade and development challenges. She played a decisive role in the successful Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered between the UN, Türkiye, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which enabled the safe export of over 32 million tons of grain, lowered global food prices by 22% and prevented millions from falling into food insecurity. She also leads the UN Global Crisis Response Group on food, energy and finance, and has represented the UN in G20 summits.
Her leadership has been recognized widely. In 2024, she received the Doha Negotiator of the Year Award for spearheading UN efforts to restore Black Sea trade routes. In 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation awarded her the inaugural Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism International Prize for her contribution to multilateralism.
Ms. Grynspan holds degrees in economics from the University of Costa Rica and the University of Sussex, and honorary doctorates from several European universities.
Mxolisi Nkosi is Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organisations in Switzerland. He has served in several senior positions in the Foreign Ministry of post-Apartheid South Africa. Between February 2012 and March 2016 was the South African Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Head of Mission to the European Union. Until his appointment as South Africa's Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, he was the Head of Global Governance and Continental Agenda in the South African Foreign Ministry, and President Cyril Ramaphosa's Sherpa to G7 Outreach Sessions.
An expert in the field of international relations and diplomacy, Nkosi previously headed Africa Branch in the Foreign Ministry. He has travelled extensively throughout the world and in Africa, and accompanied high-level delegations of former President Thabo Mbeki, President Jacob Zuma, former Foreign Ministers Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and now President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Naledi Pandor.
Ambassador Schroderus-Fox is the Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and Conference on Disarmament. She comes to this position from the United Nation Headquarters in New York, having served as the Director of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) from 2012 to 2023. In this capacity, she recently served as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations 5th Conference on the Least Developed Countries, in Doha,
Ms. Schroderus-Fox joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1988, and has previously served at Finnish missions in Paris, Washington DC, Tel Aviv, Pretoria and New York. She served as Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations in New York during 2006-2010. During her work for Finland, she has made significant contributions in the areas of intergovernmental policy dialogue, partnership building and negotiations. Earlier in her career she focused particularly on Security Policy, Arms Control and the Middle East, chairing many international negotiations relating to these issues.
In 2010–2011, she served as the Head of Policy Issues for the Office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly.
She holds a degree of Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration. She is also an alumni of the executive program of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
Ms. Schroderus-Fox is married to Mr. Alan Fox and they have two children.
Ms. Celeste Drake was appointed as the Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in August 2023. She is a seasoned policy advisor with extensive experience in labour, trade and economic policy.
Ms. Drake began her professional career as a high school economics and world history teacher before transitioning into key advisory roles within the U.S. government.
Most recently, she served as the Deputy Director of the National Economic Council and top labour advisor to President Joseph R. Biden, where she played a pivotal role in shaping labour and industrial strategies. Prior to this, Ms. Drake was appointed as President Biden’s first-ever Made in America Director, where she established and led an office within the Office of Management and Budget, working with employers and trade unions to implement infrastructure, industrial, and procurement policies.
Her previous roles include leading government affairs at the Directors' Guild of America and serving as the Trade and Globalization Policy Specialist at the AFL-CIO. At the AFL-CIO, Ms. Drake was instrumental in advocating for trade policy reforms to support inclusive growth and shared prosperity. She worked closely with governments, trade unions, and employers on major international trade initiatives, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Master’s degree in Public Policy, and a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Ms Angela Paolini Ellard has served as WTO Deputy Director-General since June 2021. She is responsible for dispute settlement/reform, trade remedies, market access/trade facilitation, and ongoing negotiations on fisheries subsidies. She supervised the Secretariat's facilitation of the successful conclusion of the 2012 Fisheries Subsidies Agreement. She also oversees the WTO budget.
Previously, DDG Ellard had a distinguished 26-year career as Majority and Minority Chief Trade Counsel in the United States Congress. She achieved significant bipartisan trade policy outcomes with Congressional leaders and five Presidential administrations. She practiced law, focusing on trade litigation, policy, and legislation.
She is renowned for her expertise in trade and international economic policy, resolving trade barriers, and negotiating outcomes. She earned her J.D. cum laude/Tulane Law School, M.A. in Public Policy/Tulane, and B.A. summa cum laude/Tulane's Newcomb College.
She speaks and lectures worldwide and has received numerous awards for her contributions to trade law and policy.
Ms. Dorothy Tembo has served Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre since June 2014.
A Zambian national, prior to her roles at ITC, Ms. Tembo served as the Executive Director of the multi-donor funded Enhanced Integrated Framework Programme (EIF) at the World Trade Organization (WTO), supporting Least Developed Countries. Prior to the WTO, she held various other positions, including serving as Zambia’s Chief Trade Negotiator and Director Foreign Trade in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Deputy Chief of Party, USAID Zambia Trade and Investment Enhancement Project, as well as Senior Advisor, USAID RAPID project in Botswana supporting the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade.
