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
4. Expected outcomes
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
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Time |
Session |
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08.00 - 09.00 |
Registration |
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09.00 - 09.10 |
Conference opening |
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|
Conference Introduction
Opening remarks
|
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09.10 - 09.45 |
Setting the scene: Keynote address |
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“Contribution of trade and health policy coherence for sustainable development”
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09.45 - 11.00 |
Session 1: Current and future international trade and health: its landscape and its contribution to sustainable development |
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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. |
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Speakers:
Moderator:
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|
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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 |
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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 |
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Speakers:
Moderator:
Session Organiser:
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12.30 - 13.30 |
Lunch and networking |
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13.30 - 14.45 |
Session 3: Revitalising trade in health services for sustainable development |
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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:
Moderator:
Session Organisers:
|
|
|
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 |
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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 |
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Speakers:
Moderator:
|
|
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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 |
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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 |
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Panelists:
Moderator:
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10.20 - 10.35 |
Coffee break and networking |
|
10.35 - 11.50 |
Session 6: Power of evidence to promote trade and health policy coherence |
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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 |
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Panelists:
Moderator:
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|
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11.50 - 12.10 |
Conference summary and recommendations |
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Providing the audience with the key summary and recommendations from the conference for further discussion. Conference Secretariat and rapporteur team |
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|
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] |
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12.30 - 14.00 |
Lunch and networking |
|
14.00 - 15.30 |
Meeting of the Conference Organizing Subcommittee |
Please contact chaaim@ihpp.thaigov.net / or ith.programme@gmail.com for more information.
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