Football is trade

I love football. Everybody that knows me know my passion for this sport, the most global of all sports. I also love trade, that is no surprise either.

Is football trade? Yes, it is. That is why I was exited to see the new partnership between World Trade Organization and the world of football, announced at the WTO Global Forum.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said at the WTO Public Forum: ’Everybody gets excited about football and it is also about trade. Football is great mover in relation to goods and services’.

Fortball units over and across borders, it brings solidarity and friendship to billions of people every day – and so does trade. We know that global trade is a driver of economies, of growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

The WTO and FIFA agreed to collaborate by exchanging views on their respective activities and by preparing and implementing common strategies and projects in areas of shared interest. Regarding the WTO’s Cotton programme, the WTO and FIFA will explore opportunities to enhance the participation of the “Cotton Four” (C4) countries (Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad and Mali) and other LDC cotton producers in global football apparel value chains.

’Football is trade I’m really excited at the prospect of collaborating with FIFA to try to leverage the cotton sector in a positive way for poor developing countries such as the Cotton 4. I’m really excited that collaboration with FIFA could help us pull these countries more into the global cotton value chain. I’m also thrilled at the prospect of working on gender empowerment. We have a big sports economy, and to the extent that we can pull this through trade to support women, this is a positive signal.” WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The two organizations will also work together in the development of publications, including a joint study on the economic impact of football and its role in unlocking global economic growth potential, and will explore options for the development of capacity-building activities that support the use of football as a tool for women’s empowerment, particularly in LDCs

Is this only a good initiative? This idäs a relevant question since many people have different views on how FIFA handles international football. Football fans questions working methods, transparency and processes around the major tournaments. This is fair and should be debated and discussed.

However the football family and world of football is so much larger than that. From youth academies in developing countries offering alternative worlds for so many young boys and girls – to the amateur players playing Sunday league football, and the joy of football fans all over the world watching their favourite teams win and lose every week. T

The power of football combination, in combination with the power of growing global trade – is an alliance of good for good. It is something that can only bring positive results to our world. That is why I am all for this initiative, may it be successful.

Read the article from WTO here: WTO FIFA Cooparation