"Re-globalization presents an opportunity for developing countries to
move beyond their traditional areas of specialization in exporting primary products,
and to occupy a more prominent place in the spheres of innovation, transformation,
industrial production and marketing." That was the key message on 29 October
of H.E. Alassane Ouattara, President of Côte d'Ivoire, who delivered the latest
edition of the Presidential Lecture under the WTO's Presidential Lecture Series.
·
Call
for Re-globalization: Côte d'Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, addressing the
WTO Presidential Lecture Series on 29 October 2026, highlighted re-globalization
as an opportunity for developing countries to move beyond traditional exports of
primary products.
·
Focus
on Value Addition: He called for developing economies to strengthen their role in
innovation, industrial production, processing, transformation and marketing rather
than relying mainly on raw material exports.
·
Key
Requirements: Re-globalization requires improved infrastructure, skill development,
easier access to finance, technology transfer, coherent public policies and stronger
international cooperation.
·
Côte
d'Ivoire's Economic Growth: Côte d'Ivoire recorded average economic growth of approximately
7% annually between 2012 and 2025, despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
·
Economic
Diversification: The country's growth was supported by expanding trade, diversification
of export markets, improved production capacity, a better business environment,
stronger governance and sound macroeconomic management.
·
Importance
of AfCFTA: President Ouattara highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) as an important instrument for expanding market access, facilitating trade
and developing regional value chains.
·
Regional
Market Integration: Stronger African regional integration can help businesses access
larger markets, achieve economies of scale, recover investments and improve international
competitiveness.
·
WTO's
Position: WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the challenges of
uncertainty and fragmentation in global trade, particularly for African economies,
while stressing the opportunities for trade-led growth and employment generation.
·
Need
for Reforms: The WTO Director-General emphasised that
national leadership and domestic policy reforms must be complemented by reforms
within the WTO and the wider international trading system.
·
Way
Forward: Re-globalization should promote inclusive and resilient global trade by
enabling developing countries to diversify production, increase value addition,
strengthen industrial capacity and generate employment.
[ABS News Service/02.11.2026]
Re-globalization is a process
in which globalization is made broader, more resilient and more inclusive. President
Ouattara noted Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's call for a focus on re-globalization,
and emphasized such an effort requires improving infrastructure, developing skills,
facilitating access to financing and promoting technology transfer.
Re-globalization also requires
coherent public policies, strengthened international cooperation and having trade
rules that enable the most vulnerable countries to better seize the opportunities
offered by the global economy, said President Ouattara. The aim is to enable developing
countries such as Côte d'Ivoire to move from focusing primarily on the export of
raw materials to targeting value creation, competitiveness and productive transformation,
the President added.
The experience of Côte d'Ivoire
provides a concrete example of this ambition, he said, noting that the country achieved
sustained economic growth of 7 per cent on average between 2012 and 2025 despite
shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This period was characterized by significant
growth in trade, a gradual diversification of markets and a consolidation of Côte
d'Ivoire's production capacity based on an improved business climate, strengthened
governance, a sound macroeconomic framework and sustainable debt management.
President Ouattara said African
regional integration also represents a major opportunity to further achieve this
ambition. Businesses need sufficiently large markets to achieve economies of scale,
recoup their investments and improve their competitiveness.
In this regard, the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) serves as an important lever for expanding market opportunities
for Ivorian businesses, facilitating trade and fostering the emergence of regional
value chains, President Ouattara said.
In her welcoming remarks, DG
Okonjo-Iweala noted the global trading system is currently
going through a difficult period and that African economies in particular face uncertainty
and fragmentation in accessing external markets.
Yet, amidst these challenges,
there are promising opportunities for Africa to use trade as a driver of growth,
development and job creation, she said, noting that several African countries, including
Côte d'Ivoire, have recorded some of the highest growth rates in the world in recent
years.
To seize these opportunities,
however, leadership and policy change at the national level are essential. These
domestic efforts must also be complemented by reforms undertaken elsewhere, including
at the WTO, the Director-General added.
The WTO's Presidential Lecture
Series provides a platform for distinguished speakers from around the world to deliver
lectures on various aspects of multilateral cooperation and global governance. Several
events are held each year.