‘An FTAAP should be pursued as a comprehensive free trade agreement by
developing and building on ongoing regional undertakings, such as ASEAN
[Association of Southeast Asian Nations]+3, ASEAN+6, and the Trans-Pacific
Partnership, among others,’ said the declaration released at the end of the
meeting.
Leaders also mapped out an action plan for their growth strategy encompassing
structural reform, human resource and entrepreneurship development, green
growth, knowledge-based economy and human security.
The declaration also included a commitment to ‘moving toward more
market-determined exchange rate systems’.
For further information visit www.apec.org.
G20 Summit pledges to help
developing countries through Seoul Consensus
At the G20 Summit in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 11–12 November, G20 leaders
formally endorsed a G20 development agenda, the ‘Seoul Development Consensus for
Shared Growth’ (the Seoul Consensus). Under this consensus, G20 countries have
committed to help developing countries ‘build the capacity to achieve and
maintain their maximum economic growth potential’ – particularly in the areas of
food and income security, financial inclusion, domestic resource mobilization,
infrastructure, trade, human resources development, private investment job
creation, and knowledge sharing. G20 leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to
meeting the Millennium Development Goals and aid pledges.
On the trade front, leaders made broad pledges not to pursue protectionist
policies and to work towards concluding the long-stalled Doha Round of trade
liberalization talks.
For more information visit www.seoulsummit.kr/.
Joint report highlights benefits of
trade for employment and growth
A joint report, submitted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development, the International Labour Organization, the World Bank and the World
Trade Organization (WTO) at the G20 Summit in November, highlighted the benefits
of trade liberalization for worldwide employment and economic growth.
Drawing on the latest research from the four collaborating organizations, the
report, Seizing the Benefits of Trade for Employment and Growth, cited
cross-country evidence suggesting that a 10 per cent increase in total trade
openness reduces unemployment by about 1 per cent.
The report demonstrated that the benefits of trade generally outweigh the
costs associated with the reallocation of labour and capital to more efficient
uses, but warned that in order for open markets to be sustained those costs need
to be recognized and policies put in place to assist workers and communities to
adjust to a more competitive environment. The report called for further
liberalization of trade in goods and services, as well as the need for
complementary action at national and international levels to facilitate
adjustment and ensure that the benefits of trade are widely shared.
For more information visit www.oecd.org/dataoecd/61/57/46353240.pdf.
WTO launches new trade-related technical assistance
database
WTO has developed the Global Trade-Related Technical Assistance Database
(GTAD) to ensure a coordinated approach to the design and implementation of
technical assistance programmes among partner agencies, including ITC,
beneficiaries and donors. By displaying the future technical assistance
activities of partner agencies, the database will bring transparency and will
help to reduce the duplication of activities and enhance the efficiency of their
delivery.
In addition to providing a comprehensive listing of activities, GTAD also
offers a step-by-step users’ guide, selected documentation from reporting
institutions, such as the WTO’s Biennial Technical Assistance and Training
Plans, annual reports on technical assistance and training activities, and
guidelines for conducting needs assessments. The database also provides links to
other organizations’ websites and databases.
For more information visit http://gtad.wto.org/.
ITC launches enterprise
competitiveness trainers and advisers’ network for
Africa
ITC has launched a new network of trainers and advisers for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa to facilitate increased export growth
and better integration into global markets.
The network will provide an ideal platform for maximizing synergies across
business advisory services and extending awareness of the existence of such
qualified training, counselling and advisory services in Africa, for Africa.
With the help of the donor community and its partners in the field, ITC has
created a strong training and advisory network for SMEs in Africa, covering key
aspects of the export business including export management, the export value
chain, standards and quality management, packaging, export marketing and
branding, and e-solutions.
‘The immediate challenge is to empower the network to play its role and to
ensure its sustainability, with the active support of the trade support
institutions involved,’ says Aicha Pouye, ITC Director of the Division of
Business and Institutional Support.
In the medium term, ITC aims to create and link expert support networks for
SMEs across different regions of the continent, using web-based networking
technologies.