The unprecedented scale of the climate crisis requires all sectors, all constituencies and all of us to act. Trade Day during COP28 puts a focus on accelerating climate action through trade, using coordinated and inclusive approaches to ensure a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
This high-level event, jointly organized by the WTO, UNCTAD and ITC, will engage the Coalition of Trade Ministers for Climate, other Ministers and Heads of Agencies on fostering inclusive international cooperation and collective action to promote a positive trade contribution to the climate agenda.
The event will highlight the importance of Ministerial leadership for inclusive international cooperation on trade, climate and sustainable development. The Coalition and participating Ministers will be invited to share their views and priorities for trade and investment to foster the diffusion, development, accessibility and uptake of goods, services and technologies that support climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as trade-related strategies supportive of developing and least developed countries in the climate transiton.
Heads of Agencies will share their views on how their organizations are supporting trade-related cooperation for climate action as well as the concrete trade tools that they are bringing to COP28 to foster climate action, transitions, and climate-resilient development on the ground.
In particular the discussion will focus interalia on:
- State of play and prospects of international trade initiatives aiming at supporting the achievements of global climate objectives;
- Identification of specific trade tools and policies that can be mobilised in support of climate objectives;
- Role of international organizations in supporting cooperation and coherence for a just transition; and
- Capacity building to support MSMEs, developing and least-developed economies to respond and integrate into green supply chains
This event will be live streamed
Programme
Moderator:
- Ms. Monica Araya, Executive Director for International Affairs at the European Climate
Foundation
Ministerial Coalition/Ministerial perspectives: (30 minutes)
Minister/s representing the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate on the topic "Leading by example: A concrete contribution of trade policy for climate"
- Hon. Minister Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry of Kenya
- H.E. Mr Germán Umaña Mendoza, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia
- Hon. Rohey John Manjang, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, The Gambia
- H.E. Mr José Valencia, Ambassador of Ecuador to the WTO
- Ms Dora Correia, Deputy Director-General, DG Trade, European Commission
Sharing perspectives and views from trade-related international organizations (30 minutes)
- Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO
- Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, UNCTAD
- Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, ITC
- John Denton, Secretary General, ICC
- (Concluding remarks) Mr. Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Climate Action
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.
