1 / 27

Trade Policy-Related Activities

Trade Policy-Related Activities . Commonwealth Secretariat. The Commonwealth Secretariat: a catalyst for global consensus-building a source of assistance for promoting democracy and poverty eradication.

zaza
Download Presentation

Trade Policy-Related Activities

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Trade Policy-Related Activities

  2. Commonwealth Secretariat • The Commonwealth Secretariat: • a catalyst for global consensus-building • a source of assistance for promoting democracy and poverty eradication • On int’l trade, ComSec long-term goal is to support pro-poor policies for economic growth and sustainable development

  3. ComSec Strengths and ITRC • C’welath Culture of amicable partnership • Non-confrontational dialogue • One quarter of world’s govts, one-third of world population and one-fifth of global trade • Diverse community of nations – rich and poor, large and small, Islands and Landlocked • Diversity with shared inheritance of language, institutions and culture • Commendable reputation – impartial and non-ideological grouping • Track record of South-South collaboration

  4. Trade policy activities: Context and Objectives • ComSec work in Trade - consensus building, advocacy, advisory services and capacity building • ITRC undertakes policy-oriented research and analysis providing informed inputs • Implementation related activities – ITRC and other sections/divisions are involved

  5. ITRC - Challenges • Highly diversified member groups and issues of interest • A Dynamic Landscape – issues in multilateral and regional forums • Technical Issues – demanding urgent attention

  6. ITRC Approach • ITRC scans the development landscape and identifies areas where orthodoxy is not providing solutions and seeks to develop heterodox approaches to address these.

  7. Three Main Scopes of ITRC Work Capacity Building • Support on trade & devt issues • Strengthening trade policy formulation and management • More active and effective participation in trade negotiations (both global and regional) 1

  8. Main Scopes …. Think Tank • Analysisof relevant and issues and developments in the area of Int’l Trade • Analysis of issues upon members’ request 2

  9. Main Scopes…. Advocacy and Contribution to Consensus-building • Facilitating and supporting the positions and participation of LDCs and SVS, in regional and multilateral trade talks. 3

  10. ITRC: Recent Activities • Recent work focused on • Global Economic Crisis • Assisting countries in Doha Round • ACP/EU EPA negotiations • Conducting analytical studies on a variety of trade policy issues.

  11. ITRC: Recent Activities – Global Economic Crisis Monitoring situations for Commonwealth developing countries …

  12. Commonwealth developing countries: Vulnerability to the global economic crisis Trade FDI Cameroon PNG Zambia X Ghana Malawi Nigeria Sri Lanka St Lucia SVG Cameroon The Gambia India Nigeria PNG Uganda Sierra Leone Bangladesh Guyana Dominica Mozambique Sierra Leone Note: Based on IMF projections on prospects for Trade, FDI, Aid & Remittances. Red = High risk, Orange = Medium risk, Green = Low risk Remittances Aid

  13. Economic Crisis: Poverty effects .... Source: ODI

  14. ITRC: Recent Activities – Global Economic Crisis • Monitoring situation for SVEs and LDCs • Potential medium to longer term implications being studied • New rules and implications • Competitiveness • Securing trade and development objectives through Doha and EPAs • Our response to the crisis

  15. ITRC: Recent Activities Doha Round • Reviewing issues and progress • Helping countries assess, review, and strategize • Hampshire conference in April 2009 with experts and negotiators from LDCs and SVEs • Consensus building efforts in larger forums - workshop for G90on Enhancing Synergy for G-90 and Other Developing Countries in Doha Negotiations. • Monitoring developments in G-20 meetings and championing concerns of poorer countries

  16. Doha Round …. • Doha-mandated Small States work programme - ITRC provides technical advice to Geneva-based missions. • Helping Commonwealth ACP small states in formulating proposals for development-friendly fisheries policies • Assessing potential implications arising out of various agreements

  17. Activities Related to EPAs • ITRC – maintains close contacts with various ACP regional groups and provides support & TA to assess • the progress of EPA negotiations • ACP development objectives in EPAs negotiations • better appreciate investment provisions in EPAs • assist the Caribbean and Pacific regions in the preparation of their requests and offers • ComSec facilitates/supports High Level Meetings to

  18. Other ITRC Activities • Not only trade negotiations, but also issues of general trade and development interest • Regional Integration and development (South Asia and Pacific) • services trade and domestic regulation • Aid for Trade • Investment and Bilateral Investment Agreements • HIPIC Initiative • Small states • Reform of the international trade and financial structure

  19. Analytical works • Our workshops/seminars are supported by analytical works • ITRC track record on analytical work • Aid for Trade work (by Prof Stiglitz) • Pioneering research on Mode IV • Small states work • Comprehensive assessment of EPAs

  20. Selected Analytical Works • LDCs and SVEs in the global economic system • EU-India FTA and implications for excluded countries • Bilateralism and Development • Agricultural Trade Liberalisation: Poverty and Welfare Implications • Navigating New Waters: A Reader on ACP-EU Relations (vol 1&2) • Commodity Prices and Development

  21. Selected Works …. • Rise of BICS in World Trade and potential implications for other developing countries • Aid effectiveness and quantifying AfT • Services trade and domestic regulations • Review of EPA development issues • Bilaterally negotiated government procurement and intellectual property rights issues

  22. ITRC Work and Partnership • Collaboration around issues – such as LDCs and small states • Collaboration with international organizations (e.g. UNCTAD, ACP Secretariat, EC, World Bank, CUTS) • Partnership with regional organizations, think tanks and civil societies

  23. Our work and the role of commercial diplomacy • Relevance to commercial diplomacy of certain countries/country groups • Pro-active role played by certain groups • Taking interest about work being carried out • To influence the mandate

  24. Key Lessons Learnt • Strengthening the skills of officials in trade negotiations/policymaking is crucial. • More emphasis on strategic alliance on key issues to maintain our active presence and ensure effective advocay. • More interactions with regional think tanks and civil society groups to identify emerging issues of interest to members and prepare responses.

  25. Thank you very much.

More Related