Major Forum connects partners to advance interoperable digital trade ecosystem   

Co-hosted by the International Chamber of Commerce Digital Standards Initiative (ICC DSI), the World Trade Organization and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the forum focused on developing a roadmap for interoperability across industry and global supply chains.  

Forum discussions built on a recent ICC DSI report on digitalising global trade, signalling a new phase in efforts to align industry practices worldwide. 

ICC Chair Philippe Varin said: 

“Digitalisation – with interoperability as a core guiding principle – is central to ICC’s mission to build a multilateral trade system fit for the future. Together with our partners, the Digital Standards Initiative has begun to establish the essential pillars around standards, legal reform and trust and we look forward to continuing this collaboration to make this vision a reality.” 

The Forum brought together key players in the trade ecosystem with major Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and IT Infrastructure providers who enable trade document creation and corporate data repositories.    

The Forum featured keynote remarks by WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders, ICC Chair Philippe Varin, and ADB Vice President Bruce Gosper.  

WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said:

“Digitalisation of trade – that is, the shift from paper and manual systems to digital, automated ones – is potentially one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce costs, improve transparency and accountability, and build a trading system that works better for everyone – from multinational corporations to small entrepreneurs in developing economies. Existing WTO rules already support the shift to digitalisation.”    

She added: “Moving to cross-border paperless trade requires more than a supportive legal framework. It requires interoperability: data elements that make up trade documents need to be understood, exchanged, and usable across multiple systems, jurisdictions, and stakeholders.” 

Forum speakers voiced strong support for digitalisation to drive efficiency and transparency in trade, as well as to expand opportunities for more companies to enter global supply chains and expand global trade as a growth driver and jobs creator.  

World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders said:

“Digitalisation is not only about creating efficiency but also strengthening supply chain integrity. When processes are digital, transparent, and traceable, opportunities for corruption diminish. Customs officers can base risk assessments on high-quality data, stopping illicit actors while facilitating legitimate ones. The result is faster clearance, greater predictability, and increased opportunities for MSMEs to enter the global economy.”   

Participating IT companies included Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services and SAP, joining trade and finance players including the Digital Container Shipping Association, BIMCO, Fiata, International Port Community Systems Association, Swift, JP Morgan, HSBC, Louis Dreyfus, and others.   

Steven Beck, Head of Trade & Supply Chain Finance of ADB said:

“The digitalisation of trade—moving documents seamlessly from exporters to shipping, ports, customs, logistics, and financiers—will be transformative. It will boost productivity, enable inclusive growth and unlock development opportunities. ADB’s partnership with WTO and ICC is critical to delivering our shared goal of replacing paper with interoperable digital trade documents by 2030.” 

Pamela Mar, Managing Director of ICC DSI said:

“Progress towards a fully digitalised interoperable global trading system occurs mainly in small steps, even when the key stakeholders overwhelmingly agree on the objective. The Digital Trade Transformation Forum was conceived with the idea that bringing ERP and IT infrastructure providers on board would be key to solving many interoperability gaps in the digital chain. The discussion confirmed this, but also highlighted that every stakeholder, public or private, must continue to take steps in their own domains to address these gaps and push the digitalisation agenda toward pilots, operations and change on the ground. While we acknowledge the enormity of the task, the forum also allowed a moment of appreciation for the great support to the cause, and for that, we, DSI, and all of our partners, are grateful. Now, for the next steps!”