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10 March 2021 ICC and Finastra join forces to develop a financing marketplace for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises. ICC and Finastra have committed to a strategic initiative to tackle the growing trade finance gap. Both organisations are orchestrating an ecosystem and exploring the development of a financing marketplace that will provide micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to a broader set of alternative finance resources in order to help keep the global economy moving forward. The ICC TRADECOMM™ marketplace, powered by Finastra, will reduce trade finance barriers for SMEs and enable all parties to benefit from improvements in matching supply

9 March 2021 ICC Trading Thoughts speaks with Cecilia Malmstrom, the former EU Commissioner for Trade and one of the final OECD Secretary-General candidates. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is celebrating it’s 60 anniversary this year. Since entering into force in 1961, the OECD has played a critical role in advancing multilateral solutions to global challenges. As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis and other policy challenges, like climate change and global inequality, the OECD is in the process of selecting its next Secretary General. ICC speaks with Cecilia Malmstrom, the former EU Commisoner for

9 March 2021 As part International Women’s Day 2021, ICC’s employees are choosing to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. In recognition of this year’s #ChooseToChallenge theme, ICC employees and staff from around the world are raising their hand to call out gender inequality and celebrate women’s achievements. Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, ICC Executive Board member and CEO of Sintesa Group, joined World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to discuss the importance of ensuring women equitable access to vaccines and trade finance as part of the WTO’s event on Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. International Women’s

4 March 2021 ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO has issued the following statement in response to breaking news that Italy has used EU export controls to block the export of COVID-19 Astra Zeneca vaccines to Australia. Mr Denton said: “While we understand the political pressures at play within Europe, blocking exports to meet domestic vaccination targets is a very dangerous card for policymakers to play. Vaccine manufacturing within the EU relies on an inherently global supply chain that – as we’ve repeatedly warned – is vulnerable to any escalation of retaliatory trade measures. These global production networks are already

4 March 2021 Eduardo Silva Romero, Co-Chair of Dechert’s International Arbitration Global Practice, was elected as Chair of the ICC Institute of World Business Law last year. Having stepped into his role officially in January, he has an ambitious agenda for the global think-tank. We sat down with Mr Silva Romero to learn about his plans to prioritise diversity and expand the focus of the Institute to ensure it remains a driver of world business law excellence. Eduardo Silva Romero, Chair of the ICC Institute of World Business Law; Co-Chair of Dechert’s International Arbitration Global Practice Prioritising diversity and inclusion ICC: What

2 March 2021 ICC Secretary-General John W.H. Denton AO and Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, have penned a joint op-ed highlighting the urgency of addressing barriers to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Recognising UNICEF’s role as the procurement partner for the Global COVAX Facility, leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, the ICC and UNICEF chiefs have called on world leaders to address the “rounding error” presented by the US$659 million funding gap needed to support UNICEF’s role in the delivery of all COVID-19 tools and vaccines, country preparedness and roll out in communities. The op-ed references

26 February 2021 On the latest episode of ICC Trading Thoughts, Karima-Catherine Goundiam, the founder of B2beeMatch, speaks about the importance of creating a digital network for small and medium-sized enterprises. ICC sat down with Karima-Catherine Goundiam, the founder of B2bee Match to discuss her background as an entrepreneur and how business leaders and policymakers can enable SMEs with the tools and resources that they need to digitise their operations. B2bee Match is one of the official partners of ICC’s Centre of Entreprenuership and will contribute to ICC’s campaign to digitise 5 million SMEs in Africa. Listen now on Soundcloud | Spotify | Apple Podcasts Check out all

25 February 2021 As we wrap up the end of the ICC MENA Conference on International Arbitration, Faris Shehabi, Managing Associate of Ince, explores specific issues that can arise in periods of economic downturn and the available tools to combat them. In any arbitration, there will be a number of interested actors–the claimant and the respondent (there may be more than one of each); the arbitral tribunal; and, where chosen by the parties, the institution. Each of these actors will have different and sometimes competing interests and motivations. This conflict can give rise to a multitude of issues in the arbitration

23 February 2021 Hamad Buamim, Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) World Chambers Federation (WCF) has officially launched the World Chambers Competition. The 2021 edition of the Competition will recognise chambers of commerce around the world that are striving to keep their business communities functioning even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the video The sudden coronavirus outbreak led to unprecedented disruption and hardship for many businesses across the world, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises. However, chambers of commerce globally have been stepping up to provide tools and resources to help business communities survive and build resilience

19 February 2021 Calling for global action plan to beat the pandemic, ICC, the institutional representative of over 45 million businesses – has issued a statement following the conclusion of the G7 leaders’ summit. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “G7 leaders have sent a very welcome signal today of their intent to correct the failings in international cooperation that have blighted the response to Covid-19 over the past year. But warm words alone won’t mitigate the severe downside risk posed to the global economy by the very real prospect of a prolonged pandemic in the developing world. “A