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International Trade and Health Conference 2024
04.07.2024



"Enhancing 
Trade and Health Policy Coherence 
to Support Sustainable Development"
Monday 4 - Tuesday 5 November 2024 | The Sukosol Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand


REGISTRATION

1. Background and rationale

1.1 International Trade and Health Conference

The International Trade and Health (ITH) Conference has been organized annually since 2014 by the National Commission on International Trade and Health Studies (NCITHS) together with the International Trade and Health Programme and partners. The conference provides a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, capacity building, and policy recommendations. The outcomes of the conference have been provided to relevant agencies as input for policy decisions and their relevant work.


1.2 Rationale


1.3 ITH Conference 2023

The ITH Conference held on 25-26 January 2023 discussed evidence, actions and capacity needed to make a paradigm shift towards future international trade and health development. This covered the issues of trade and health preparedness for public health threats; geopolitics and international trade and its implications on health; global governance of international trade as challenges and opportunities for health; and the capacity building needs at the national level. Recommendations from the Conference reflect the need for collective actions at all levels as follows:

1. At the regional level:

2. At the country level:

- Strengthening knowledge and understanding of the current world situation in order to gain a clear understanding of the connection between trade and health
 - Generating and using evidence for policy decision and negotiation position for maximum benefit of both trade and health sectors
 - Studying the impact of globalization, deglobalization, digitalization, and entrepreneurship, both in the short term and in the long term


1.4 ITH Conference 2024

The 2024 Conference will advance the discussion considering the current trade and health situation and above recommendations and identify actions need to be taken to achieving a paradigm shift in trade and health, maximising trade for health development and vice versa. In addition, the conference will also discuss trade and health policy coherence to support sustainable development.


2. Objectives of the conference

1. To revisit the new trade issues relevant to health and their landscape

2. To discuss the opportunities of international trade and health in support of sustainable development

3. To identify evidence, actions and capacity needed to make a paradigm shift towards trade and health policy coherence

4. To expand network on international trade and health


3. Details of sessions

Session 0 : Setting the scene: Contribution of trade and health policy coherence to support sustainable development [the keynote speech]
 
Session 1 : Current and future international trade and health:  its landscape and its contribution to sustainable development
 
Session 2 : Developing a strategy to foster synergies between trade and health: Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
 
Session 3 : Revitalising trade in health services for sustainable development
 
Session 4 : Geopolitics and implication for international trade and health: The US election 2024
 
Session 5 : Actions envisaged at the national level to promote synergies between trade and health
 
Session 6 : Power of evidence to promote trade and health policy coherence


4. Expected outcomes

- Knowledge sharing and joint research and collaboration
 
- Policy recommendations for global, regional and national initiatives to improve international trade and health policy coherence
 
- ITH Call for Action “Enhancing Trade and Health Policy Coherence to support sustainable development”

- Expanded network and collaboration on international trade and health

 
5. Participants

Representatives from government agencies, academic researchers, civil society organisations, private sector, international participants and partners from global health community.


6. Dates and Venue

Monday 4 to Tuesday 5 November 2024, Bangkok, Thailand
Venue: The Sukosol Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.


7. Main co-organisers

8. Tentative Programme


  DAY 1:  Monday 4 November 2024  


Time

Session

08.00 - 09.00

Registration

09.00 - 09.10

Conference opening

 

Conference Introduction

  • Cha-aim Pachanee, Conference Secretariat

Opening remarks

  • Jos Vandelaer
    WHO Representative to Thailand
  • Sampan Silapanad, Chair of National Commission on International Trade and Health Studies [NCITHS]

09.10 - 09.45

Setting the scene: Keynote address

 

“Contribution of trade and health policy coherence for sustainable development

  • Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
    Director-General of the World Health Organization

09.45 - 11.00

Session 1:  Current and future international trade and health:  its landscape and its contribution to sustainable development

 

Key issues:

- Current trade issues related to health such as addressing climate change and human health, policy dimension for international trade, technology disruption, cooperation and synergies between trade and health at all levels.

- Preparation for the pandemic response, covering issues such as the need for the pandemic agreement, WTO ministerial declaration, and technical barriers to trade,

- Ongoing discussion in various forum on the current and future trade issues

- What is missing in the current landscape of the trade issues mentioned above.

 

Speakers:

  • Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization
  • Roger Kampf, Counselor, Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division, World Trade Organization
  • Manisha Shridhar, Regional Advisor, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office
  • Prong Kongsubto, Senior director - Chief of Staffs, Lumentum International (Thailand) Ltd.

Moderator:

  • Suwit Mangkhala, Deputy Director-General, Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

11.00 - 11.15

Coffee and networking

11.15 - 12.30

Session 2: Developing a strategy to foster synergies between trade and health: Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response

 

Key issues:

- Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response clearly need synergies between trade and health at all levels

- This session will discuss how the trade and health sectors can work together on issues related to trade and health under the new WHO Pandemic Agreement

 

Speakers:

  • German Velasquez, Special Advisor on Health and Policy, The South Centre
  • Nilesh Buddha, Lead - Regional Emergencies, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office
  • Priscilla Maria Dias Guimarães César, Senior Program Officer, Global Challenges Division, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Moderator:

  • Manisha Shridhar, Regional Advisor, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office

Session Organiser:

  • Manisha Shridhar, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office

12.30 - 13.30

Lunch and networking

13.30 - 14.45

Session 3: Revitalising trade in health services for sustainable development

 

Key issues:

- The rise of trade in services

Structural shifts in the world economy brought on by rapid technological developments have placed services and services trade at the heart of economic transformation.”

“…services account today for 50 per cent of global trade in value-added terms, compared to 16 per cent for agriculture and 34 per cent for industry.” [1]

As quoted above, trade in health services should be looked into details. During the pandemic services delivered through digital technology, such as cross-border health services, and online technology transfer, became increasingly important.

 - How trade in services can contribute to sustainable development.

 - Related research and development

 

Speakers:

  • Kenji Shibuya, Chief Executive Officer, Medical Excellence Japan
  • Rupa Chanda, Director of Trade and Investment, UNESCAP
  • Joscelyn Magdeleine, Counsellor, Trade in Services and Investment Division, WTO
  • Suchaya Prukbamroong, Trade Officer, Expert Level, Bureau of Trade in Services and Investment Negotiations

Moderator:

  • Matthias Helble, Global Lead, Scientific Ecosystems, Research for Health Department, World Health Organization

Session Organisers:

  • Matthias Helble, World Health Organization, Geneva

13.45 - 15.00

Coffee and networking

15.00 - 16.15

Session 4: Geopolitics and implication for international trade and health: The US election 2024

 

Key issues:

- The geopolitical changes resulting from several elections in 2024 such as in Indonesia, India, the European Parliament, Russia, south Africa, and the United States further adds to the complexity of the global challenges and the landscape that may have implication for trade and health

- The US elections have led to changes in international trade direction. During the current Biden administration, the Indo Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was introduced and covers issues beyond traditional scope of economic cooperation but with trade elements.

- Enhancing trade and health policy coherence beyond geopolitical factors

 

Speakers:

  • Prapee Apichatsakol, Srinakharinwirot University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Law Program /Vice President of American Studies Association in Thailand (ASAT)
  • Kannikar Kijtiwatchakul, FTA Watch

Moderator:

  • Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director, ASEAN Foundation

16.15 - 16.30

Wrapping up for Day 1


  DAY 2: Tuesday 5 November 2024  


Time

Session

8.30 - 09.00

Registration

09.00 - 09.05

Key messages from Day 1 and introduction to Day 2

09.05 - 10.20

Session 5: Actions envisaged at national level to promote synergies between trade and health

 

Key issues:

Promoting synergies between trade and health at the national level requires a multi-sectoral approach that aligns economic, social, and public health goals.

This session will discuss the actions to be envisaged at the national level, focusing on the following issues:

- How trade and health sectors work together to maximize benefits for both health and economy, including country experience, and to draw recommendations on enabling factors

- Strengthening the capacity of the health sector to support the implementation of future trade and health-related mechanisms such as the new pandemic agreement, new standards, green trade, etc.

- Involvement in other sectors such as food security, the environment, the finance sector/bankers, e-commerce

- Shifting the function of the health sector to be an enabling factor for economic development

 

Panelists:

  • Ana Clara Duran, Center for Food Policy and Studies, University of Campinas, Brazil
  • Erica MaesinceeChen, Youth in Charge, Thailand
  • Wimon Punkong, Deputy Director, Institute for Trade and Development (ITD)
  • Benjamin Morley, Commercial Counsellor, British Embassy
  • Tiffany Chen, Policy Experimentation Analyst, Thailand Policy Lab, UNDP

Moderator:

  • Parinthorn Apinyanunt, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

10.20 - 10.35

Coffee break and networking

10.35 - 11.50

Session 6: Power of evidence to promote trade and health policy coherence

 

Key issues:

- This session is the follow up on the recommendations from the previous meeting in 2023 such as the regional trilateral cooperation

- Highlighting the importance of using scientific evidence to address the health and trade linkages and identify capacity needed.

- The importance of using scientific evidence to address the health and trade linkages

- Research capacity strengthening; and establishing regional platform for evidence generation

- Using evidence to identify capacity needed

- The International Trade and Health Conference as a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, capacity building, and policy recommendations to support trade and health policy coherence

 

Panelists:

  • Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization
  • Nima Asgari, Director, Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
  • Erika Dueñas Loayza, Access to Medicines and Health Products Division

Moderator:

  • Weerasak Putthasri, Chair, WEE Health Development Foundation

11.50 - 12.10

Conference summary and recommendations

 

Providing the audience with the key summary and recommendations from the conference for further discussion.

Conference Secretariat and rapporteur team

12.10 - 12.25

Final words

  Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Advisor, National Commission on International Trade and Health Studies [NCITHS]
12.25 - 12.30 Conference closing
 

Sampan Silapanad, Chair, National Commission on International Trade and Health Studies [NCITHS]

12.30 - 14.00

Lunch and networking

14.00 - 15.30

Meeting of the Conference Organizing Subcommittee

REGISTRATION

Please contact chaaim@ihpp.thaigov.net  / or  ith.programme@gmail.com for more information.

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