WINDHOEK, June 16 — Senior trade officials from the Commonwealth convened in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on Monday to explore strategies for enhancing trade and investment cooperation amid rising global trade tensions and economic uncertainty. Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Ruth Kattumuri, senior director of economic, youth, and sustainable development directorate at the Commonwealth Secretariat, highlighted the mounting challenges facing the global trading system, including growing protectionism, climate volatility, geopolitical shifts, and rapid technological transformation. Kattumuri stressed the importance of a unified Commonwealth response to these issues, noting that the 56-member bloc, with a combined population of 2.7 billion, possesses the demographic and economic strengths needed to drive inclusive and sustainable growth. “Trade and investment must be central engines for this transformation.
They are not only instruments of economic exchange but levers of innovation, resilience, job creation, and environmental stewardship,” she said. According to Kattumuri, the meeting is part of preparations for the 2025 Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting, where further decisions on enhancing food and energy security, reducing non-tariff barriers, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and improving regional integration will be made. “Our deliberations will help define practical pathways that promote economic resilience and prosperity for all our people, including women, youth, and marginalized communities,” she said. She also noted the Commonwealth’s growing focus on green trade, advancing the circular economy, and improving access to sustainable finance and green technologies, particularly as the global economy transitions to climate-aligned growth. The meeting was hosted by the government of Namibia, with the government of Samoa serving as Chair-in-Office.
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