On 16 October 2026, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2026.

The meeting followed up on their bilateral discussion on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India. Both sides exchanged views on cooperation under the Thailand-Africa Initiative (TAI), in which the WTO plays a role in supporting the development of African countries and the work of the African Union (AU). On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also expressed his intention to promote ASEAN-AU cooperation during Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2028.