Samoa says its participation in the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Geneva Weeks helped strengthen its role in global trade discussions and laid the foundation for more active engagement in the multilateral trading system.
In an interview, Samoa’s Ambassador Nella Pepe Tavita-Levy said the country faced significant challenges before establishing a permanent mission in Geneva in 2022.
“Until 2022, Samoa did not have a permanent mission in Geneva. This meant that Samoa’s trade officials had limited opportunities to attend WTO meetings, follow trade negotiations or engage with its trading partners on a daily basis to participate effectively in the multilateral trading system.
“There was a real risk that Samoa’s voice and interests would be absent from discussions that directly affected the country,” she said.
Ambassador Tavita-Levy said Geneva Weeks became an important tool during Samoa’s WTO accession process, which began with its application for membership in April 1998.
“Samoan officials used Geneva Weeks, which provided opportunities to learn about recent developments taking place at the WTO, to combine Accession Working Party meetings with bilateral negotiations and direct consultations with the WTO Accessions Division.
“Instead of dealing with Geneva from a distance, they could ask questions in real time, clarify obligations and return home with practical guidance,” she said.
Ambassador Tavita-Levy said the programme also changed the way Samoa develops its trade policies.
“One of the clearest outcomes is how Samoa now develops trade policy. Officials began cross-checking domestic regulatory decisions against WTO rules, ensuring that national policies are consistent with international obligations.
“This was a meaningful shift in how trade decisions are made at home,” she said.
Ambassador Tavita-Levy said one of the major outcomes was the development of Samoa’s first unified trade policy document after joining the WTO.
“One major result was Samoa’s first unified trade policy document following its WTO accession. This was an important step that helped lay the foundation for broader engagement at the WTO. Samoa has since become actively involved in regional and bilateral trade negotiations.”
She said Samoa’s permanent mission in Geneva had strengthened the country’s engagement with the WTO.
“Since Samoa established a Permanent Mission to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, including the WTO, in 2022, this presence in Geneva has allowed Samoa to follow WTO activities more closely, understand trade rules better, and meet its obligations, including submitting the notifications that WTO membership requires.”
Ambassador Tavita-Levy said Samoa’s experience highlighted the value of in-person participation in international trade discussions.
“Samoa’s experience shows that in-person participation matters. Building networks, understanding how the WTO works in practice, and engaging directly with other members are difficult to replicate remotely.
“For smaller and developing members, programmes like Geneva Week can meaningfully strengthen trade capacity over time and support more effective participation in the multilateral trading system,” she said.
