Global supply chains have been wracked in recent years by wars, a worldwide pandemic, financial crises and geopolitical rivalries. Long-established routes of supply, distribution and sales have been upended, while escalating tariffs add further complexity for companies seeking to access foreign markets.
On 17 September 2025, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Geneva, hosted a session titled ‘Harnessing AI for Trade Amid Global Tariff Pressures’ at the WTO Public Forum 2025 in Geneva. The discussion explored how AI and digital solutions can help monitor and mitigate supply chain barriers and adapt to global supply chain governance in a multipolar, high-tariff world.
Moderated by SAIIA Chief Executive Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, the panel featured:
- Emilie Delattre – Head of Machine Learning, Besso (AI RegTech startup)
- Sayo G Looky Djobo – Head of the Database and Application Unit, Togolese Revenue Authority (OTR)
- Laura Naliaka Napwora – Trade Policy Expert, Africa Trade Policy Centre at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
- Anita Prakash – Head, Trade Infrastructure Research Lab & Director for Partnership, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
This year’s WTO Public Forum, held under the theme ‘Enhance, Create, and Preserve’, gathered more than 350 speakers and 4 200 participants to reflect on the contribution of trade to world growth and to explore how digital transformation is reshaping the global economy.
Listen to the full recording here.
