Announcement was made by Swiss Ambassador Erwin Bollinger during the International Trade Centre’s annual stakeholders meeting.
(Geneva) – Switzerland today announced at the International Trade Centre’s Joint Advisory Group meeting that Geneva will host the second Global SME Ministerial Meeting from 25 to 27 May 2027.
The decision reflects Switzerland’s long-standing engagement with ITC’s Global SME Ministerial process through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and the country’s decades-long partnership with ITC, as well as Geneva’s role as a centre of international economic governance.
The event is expected to draw more than 1,000 participants, including ministers, heads of delegation, as well as business and institutional leaders.
The inaugural ITC Global SME Ministerial Meeting took place in Johannesburg in July 2025, in partnership with the South African Department of Small Business Development. It created an international political space dedicated to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
That meeting brought together ministers and heads of delegation responsible for SMEs, trade and economy from 60 countries, who endorsed a Global SME Call to Action establishing three key enablers for the sector -access to finance, digital transformation and green transition - mandating ITC as the focal point for information and policy sharing between countries, and agreeing on a roadmap to hold the Ministerial on a biennial basis.
Since Johannesburg, the process has built momentum. The Global SME Digital Knowledge Platform, launched in February 2026, has attracted policy contributions from numerous countries.
Intersessional community meetings now regularly convene more than 120 delegates representing more than 74 countries. The Ministerial has been raised at key political global spaces, such as the G20 South Africa presidency, the East African Community Summit, COP30 and the 2026 WTO Ministerial Conference.
Swiss Ambassador Erwin Bollinger said ‘Switzerland is pleased to host the next SME Ministerial in Geneva in May 2027, which reflects the trust placed in our longstanding partnership with the ITC. The SME Ministerial in Geneva represents an opportunity for Switzerland to advance SME competitiveness and trade-driven development, while reaffirming Geneva’s central role in global trade and multilateralism.'
ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said: ‘Switzerland as host of our next Global SME Ministerial Meeting will elevate the global conversation on the role of small businesses in trade. Geneva is not only a trade hub where global trade rules are negotiated, translated and delivered on – Switzerland’s leadership on sustainability, innovation and economic resilience will add depth to discussions. We look forward to it.’
ABOUT THE SECOND GLOBAL SME MINISTERIAL MEETING
The Second Global SME Ministerial Meeting will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 25 to 27 May 2027. The three-day event is expected to bring together over 1,000 participants including 150–200 ministers and senior officials from more than 80 countries, alongside trade promotion organization leaders, entrepreneurs, international institutions and the private sector.
The programme will include closed-door Ministerial Roundtables on the three pillars of the Call to Action, a Business and Innovation Space for public-private engagement, a Global Trade Promotion Organization Leadership Dialogue, and a closing session to reflect the next steps for the following two years, through 2029.
Notes to the editor
About the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs - SECO is the federal government’s centre of expertise for core issues relating to economic policy. SECO implements Switzerland’s economic and trade policy measures. It also works in developing countries, where it promotes socially, environmentally and climate-friendly economic growth with more and better jobs across all sectors of the population.
For more information, visit SECO's economic development cooperation / SECO Coopération et développement économiques | LinkedIn
About the International Trade Centre - ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on X | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Flickr
Media contact
Susanna Pak Senior Strategic Communications Officer Office of the Executive Director International Trade Centre
The outgoing Chair of the JAG, H.E. Mr. Mzukisi Qobo of South Africa, handing over the chairmanship to incoming Chair, H.E. Mr. Erwin Bollinger of Switzerland.