The previous hosting of a WTO Ministerial Conference on African soil, MC10, was in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2015. Photo: Sopotnicki / Shutterstock

SAVE THE DATE

Date: Friday, 5 December 2025
Time: 09:30 – 17:00 EAT (GMT +03)
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Format: Hybrid (In-person & Virtual)

Description

As the global trading system faces unprecedented geopolitical shifts and economic challenges, reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) has become a top priority for almost all member states. However, the meaning of ‘reform’ varies widely, and for African countries, advancing WTO reform with a strong development focus remains essential to addressing trade and development challenges effectively.

The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled for March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, will be a pivotal moment for shaping the future of global trade – and Africa’s place within it. Key expected outcomes include the accession of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) such as Ethiopia and the launch of the third phase of the Enhanced Integrated Framework, a critical Aid for Trade programme supporting LDCs.

Reflecting on the historic gains from the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC10), hosted in Nairobi in 2015, which produced the landmark “Nairobi Package,” this event aims to build on that legacy and prepare Africa to secure strong, unified priorities for MC14.

This high-level conference, organised in collaboration with the Trade Negotiations & Investment Forum (TNIF), will explore the crucial intersection of global WTO negotiations and African continental initiatives, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Participants will discuss:

• How WTO negotiations on e-commerce and digital trade intersect with the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, potentially shaping global digital trade rules.
• Emerging challenges at the trade-climate nexus, especially frameworks for carbon monitoring and border carbon adjustments affecting African exporters.
• The evolving African regional integration agenda and its implications for trade, development and Africa’s role in the global trading system.
• WTO reform and Africa’s development mandate.

This event marks a timely opportunity – ten years after MC10 in Nairobi – to galvanise African voices and strategies ahead of MC14 in Yaoundé.

Important information:

• Please note that participation is by invitation only. If you are interested in attending, please register your interest by emailing IEDGevents@odi.org.uk. Registrations will be reviewed, and invitations issued accordingly.
• The conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, in a hybrid format. A registration link will be provided to invited participants.
• The full agenda, including speaker details, will be announced on this page in due course. In the meantime, for any enquiries and to register your interest, please send an email to IEDGevents@odi.org.uk.

Partners