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Day 1 - 20 March

9:00 - 9:30








 Opening Session

Welcome Remarks (video):     Masatsugu Asakawa
                                                 President, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
                                                  
                                                 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala 
                                                 Director General, World Trade Organization (WTO) 
 
Opening Remarks:                   Fatima Yasmin
                                                 Vice President (Sector and Themes), ADB

Keynote Speaker:                    Allan B. Gepty
               Undersecretary, Department of Trade and Industry
               Government of the Philippines

9:30 - 10:40

Roundtable Discussion on Trade and Climate Change Mitigation in Asia and the Pacific
Trade has played a central role in rapid economic development across Asia and the Pacific over the past decades, but this has come at a steep ecological cost.

This roundtable will discuss how trade policy can be leveraged to support climate change mitigation and adaptation in the region and explore possible avenues of cooperation between development institutions like ADB and trade bodies like WTO to formulate integrated, context-specific solutions supporting climate-resilient sustainable trade.

Moderator: Noelle O’Brien, Director, Climate Change, Resilience, and Environment Cluster,
                  Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department (CCSD), ADB 

Special Address:
  • Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment Trade and Industry, Malaysia (virtual)
Speakers:
  • Bruno Carrasco, Director General, CCSD, ADB
  • Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General and Group Chief, Sectors Group, ADB
  • Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division, WTO

10:40 - 11:10

 Coffee Break 

11:10 - 12:40

Session 1: Mobilizing Climate Related Trade Finance
ADB's Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) and the International Trade Centre are working to address the $2.5 trillion trade finance gap, by supporting inclusive trade for SMEs, and also women-led businesses through the new SheTrades program, to leverage trade finance for a green transition to net zero.

Moderator: Steven Beck, Advisor and Head, Trade and Supply Chain Finance, ADB

  • Steven Beck, Advisor and Head, Trade and Supply Chain Finance, ADB– Presentation on ADB’s Trade and Supply Chain Program (TSCFP)
  • Neha Noronha (Relationship Manager, ADB) –TSCFP Gender Initiatives and collaboration between ADB and SheTrades
  • Joseph Wozniak, Head, Trade for Sustainable Development, International Trade Centre (ITC) and Bianca Pearl R. Sykimte, Director and SheTrades Philippines Hub Focal–SheTrades

Signing of the ADB’s TSCFP and ITC SheTrades Agreement (Bruno Carrasco, Director General, CCSD, ADB)

  • Aparna Soni Bhalla (Relationship Manager, ADB) and Joseph Wozniak, ITC–TSCFP Green initiatives and collaboration between ITC and ADB on toolkit and ESG Directory

Panel Discussion - Role of Trade Finance in Mobilizing Climate Related Financing
Panelists:
  • Keiko Nowacka, Principal Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality, ADB
  • Joseph Wozniak, ITC
  • Sam Mathew, Global Head, Flow & FI Trade
  • Patrik Jonasson, Global Head of Retail, GS1
  • Pham Minh Chau, Executive Vice President, Deputy Head, Corporate Product Policy
12:40 - 14:00 Lunch (The Haven, 2nd Floor, Staff Hub, ADB)

14:00 - 15:30















Session 2: Enhancing Sustainable and Resilient Trade Facilitation
This session will explore the efforts of ADB’s developing member countries to facilitate trade and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by implementing the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement, digitalizing customs and trade processes, promoting paperless trade and digital tracing technologies, enhancing border cooperation, and incorporating climate considerations into its projects.

Moderator: Julian L. Clarke, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CCRC, ADB

Presentations:
  • Mohammad Ehteshamul Hoque, Trade Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration and Trade Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
  • Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration Unit, Central and West Asia, ADB
  • Yesim Elhan-Kayalar, Advisor, Economic Research and Development Impact Department, ADB 
Q&A

Good Practices:
  • Rebecca Stapleton, Transport Specialist, Transport Sector Office, Sectors Group, ADB
  • Kanya Sasradipoera, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist, South Asia Department, ADB (TBC)
  • Yuya Yamamoto, Trade Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration and Trade Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
  • Kaukab Naqvi, Principal Economist, Pacific Department, ADB (TBC) 

Q&A

15:30 - 15:45 Coffee Break

15:45 - 17:15








Session 3: Internal Taxation and Carbon Pricing
This session will focus on the growing realities of carbon pricing and internal taxation and explore what a growing momentum to utilize the broad landscape of carbon pricing means for international trade, while acknowledging the various pathways to carbon pricing must address climate change in a way that positively impacts trade.

Moderator: Cleo Kawawaki, Head, Office of Markets Development and Public-Private Partnership, ADB

Panelists
  • Virender Kumar Duggal, Principal Climate Change Specialist, CCSD, ADB
  • Milan Elkerbout, Fellow, International Climate Policy, Resources for the Future
  • Ridho Meyrandoyo Hastjarjo, Trade Analyst, Ministry of Trade of Indonesia
  • Mateo Ferrero, Counsellor, Trade and Environment, WTO (virtual)

18:00 - 20:00 Cocktail Reception (ADB Courtyard)