AfDB Approves a USD 100 million Risk Participation Agreement with Commerzbank AG to Boost Trade Finance in Africa

This facility will help address critical market demand for trade finance in Africa TUNIS, Tunisia, May 23, 2013/ — The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) (http://www.afdb.org) approved on Tuesday, May 22, a USD 100 million unfunded Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) between the AfDB and Commerzbank AG under which the two banks…

Global Trade Logistics Advisory program of the World Bank

The Global Trade Logistics Advisory program of the World Bank Groups’ Investment Climate Department (IC) has been dedicated to assisting countries in creating simple, efficient and accountable trade logistics systems and services that have a dramatic impact on economic development. The team has produced a video that highlights client success stories from Colombia, Liberia and…

Aid for Trade to Africa surpasses other regions, says ECA-led study

Aid for Trade to Africa surpasses other regions, says ECA-led study ECA Press Release No. 90/2011 Web: http://www.uneca.org/ Addis Ababa, 21 June 2011 (ECA) – African trade experts from member State capitals and the Geneva-based African trade negotiators assembled on Tuesday in Geneva for a roundtable organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa…

Governing Development in Africa – Economic Report on Africa 2011 – Focused industrial policy

To catch up and, more important, to meet its own development objectives, Africa needs to promote rapid industrialization that will promote innovation, technological adoption, entrepreneurship, high value added and employment-generating manufacturing. This will enable the continent to overcome the low contribution of industry and manufacturing to GDP and employment. The formulation and implementation of industrial…

WTO: Trade likely to grow by 13.5 per cent in 2010

Following faster than expected recovery in global trade flows so far in 2010, WTO economists have revised their projection for world trade growth in 2010 upwards to 13.5 per cent. The WTO’s March forecast was a 10 per cent expansion in trade volumes. This would be the fastest year-on-year expansion of trade ever recorded in…

New information on Aid for Trade from the EC

The European Commission has published a new document on Aid for Trade. This publication provides a clearer picture of this development assistance strategy. It examines the broad scope of Aid for Trade, explains the key types of Aid for Trade under the themes of ‘‘narrow” Aid for Trade (Trade Related Assistance) and ‘‘Wider” Aid for…

Report shows EU imports from developing countries growing

The European Commission has presented to the European Parliament its regular report on the openness of the European market to imports from developing countries. The report sets out how the EU has continued in 2007 to use its trade policy to advance a pro-development agenda and analyses the relevant data for which the most recent…

Discussion Forum: Which factors are necessary to the achievement of a positive relationship between Trade and Sustainable Development?

”Trade liberalization and sustainable development are not unavoidably incompatible. Trade liberalization can advance sustainable development goals, just as it can retard their achievement. The same can be said for foreign direct investment. Appropriate investment can spur sustainable development, but much investment in developing countries has been environmentally, socially and often economically questionable.” (IISD Statement on…

DISCUSSION FORUM on Trade and Sustainable Development

Which factors are necessary to the achievement of a positive relationship between Trade and Sustainable Development? ”Trade liberalization and sustainable development are not unavoidably incompatible. Trade liberalization can advance sustainable development goals, just as it can retard their achievement. The same can be said for foreign direct investment. Appropriate investment can spur sustainable development, but…

Economic Partnership Agreements Negotiations: Where do we stand?

At a time when the pace of the EPA negotiations has increased in all regions, and the state of play is ever changing, accessing the latest information available on these wide-ranging agreements is of essence. Pursuing its efforts to increase the transparency of the highly sensitive EPA negotiations, ECDPM has decided to set up dedicated…

World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008 (WESP 2008)

According to WESP 2008, the world economy is facing serious challenges in sustaining the strong pace of economic growth seen over the past few years. While the baseline forecast is for world economic growth to moderate somewhat in 2008, the risks associated with the bursting of the housing bubble in the United States, the related…

12th UN Conference on Trade and Development

UNCTAD XII (http://www.unctadxii.org) will be held at ministerial level next April, 20-25, 2008 in Accra, Ghana. The conference is not only about defining UNCTAD’s programme but also about what is important for developing countries: a kind of development and trade paradigm which is later sometimes used, or abused by official institutions and donors. As developing…

Updated WTO trade statistics online

Updated WTO trade statistics online The WTO has released two updated statistical publications. This year’s edition of the annual “International Trade Statistics”, and an updated “Trade Profiles”, which offers a quick but comprehensive look at WTO members’ trade statistics and policy measures as well as those of countries negotiating WTO membership. http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2007_e/its07_toc_e.htm