This year's forum, scheduled from September 26-28, will be an opportunity to analyze both the benefits and difficulties of trade at a time when the debate on that kind of exchange "has acquired major importance and has raised an unprecedented controversy," according to the information released by the WTO today.
The organization considers that the meeting, called "Trade: Behind the Headlines", will provide a platform for frank discussions among policy makers, civil society representatives, business people and researchers.
While trade has indeed pulled millions out of poverty, the reality is that for some the experience has been different, WTO experts think.
For many, trade has represented an opportunity to for growth, job creation and progress, they say.
In order to take advantage of its benefits, some difficulties have to be overcome.
The least developed countries, which are the poorest and most vulnerable in the world, have increased their participation in the world exports of goods and commercial services over the past two decades, according to statistics released by the WTO.
Trade has provided job opportunities in some cases, but it has created unemployment in others.
The WTO points out that for the small- and medium-size enterprises, which are the world's largest employers, as well as for some segments of the workforce, like women and youths, the difficulties to access international markets have limited their possibilities benefit from trade.
According to the organization, the solution is that everyone, at all levels - internationally and nationally - collaborates in favor of a multilateral system of fair and inclusive trade. And that result can only be achieved by keeping the markets open instead of building obstacles.
Protectionism will only weaken a multilateral trade system that, on the contrary, needs to get stronger, the WTO stresses.

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