Latest content: Trade and economy

India has always had much less trade and investment with the United Kingdom (UK) than with the European Union (EU).

Very slow progress has been made in multilateral trade negotiations since the initiation of the Doha Development Round in November 2001.

The scale of the challenge posed by the recent universal adoption of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to the achievement of economic, social and environmental objectives is formidable.

In a dynamic, rapidly liberalising and fiercely competitive international environment, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries see the pooling of their national efforts through the Caribbean Single Market and Economy as a central plank for overcoming their numerous constraints and advancing their economic growth and sustainable development. However, to succeed in the often challenging and fiercely competitive international setting, strategic and supportive external partnerships are vital. The region has therefore been exploring new relationships while it seeks to strengthen and deepen those that have existed for some time, to ensure that they make the intended contribution to helping the region achieve its goals.

This issue of Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics highlights some broad WTO-related factors that need to be considered as a post-Brexit UK reinstates the sovereignty of its trade policy.

Outsourcing – transferring a portion of an organisation’s processes to external entities – has grown significantly over the last 20 years.

This paper examines the interaction of the international fisheries trade regime, global value chains in tuna and socio-economic development in low-income Commonwealth countries.

This paper examines global value chain (GVC) activity in the Caribbean, through the lens of
newly assembled data on value added trade.

This paper examines global value chain (GVC) activity in the Pacific, through the lens of newly assembled data on value added trade.

This paper examines global value chain (GVC) activity in Sub-Saharan Africa, through the lens of newly assembled data on value added trade.

Achieving the Istanbul Programme of Action by 2020: Tracking Progress, Accelerating Transformations is the second contribution from the LDC IV Monitor – an independent partnership set up to assess the outcome of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UN LDC IV) with a view to accelerating the delivery of the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA).

The ‘blue economy’ is an evolving concept that recognises the need to maximise the enormous economic potential of oceans while preserving it for future generations.

The single undertaking negotiating model, whereby consensus agreement must be reached on all issues on an agenda, has led to a stalemate in the Doha Round negotiations.

The final paragraph of the ministerial declaration of the 10th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, held in Nairobi, Kenya, created the possibility of bringing so-called ‘new issues’ to the WTO.

The paper seeks to identify key issues and priorities for small states in the WTO in relation to advancing the Work Programme on Small Economies (WPSE), of which affirmation was made at the Nairobi Ministerial Conference.

Small island developing states (SIDS) have common economic challenges and are faced with high costs for energy, infrastructure, transportation, trade logistics and public administration.

This paper asks what implications the agreement to address the challenges of climate change from the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) might have for trade and investment policy in Commonwealth member countries.

This paper assesses the export-oriented clothing industry in the five main sub-Saharan African (SSA) clothing exporter countries (Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya, Lesotho and Swaziland).

Fundamental changes are taking place in the global trade landscape, and the Commonwealth, with its diverse membership, is adapting to and coming to terms with these changes. This shifting landscape offers tremendous potential for Commonwealth countries to expand their trade – both between members and their overall trade. Although it is not a trading bloc, member countries can also take advantage of and leverage the Commonwealth for greater gains, while focusing on several broader priorities to improve their trade performance.

Since the expiry of the ‘peace clause’ at the end of 2003, it has been unclear which obligations under the WTO SCM Agreement apply to subsidies granted to agricultural products.

This paper examines the importance of gender equality in trade and asks if an increase in the participation of women in senior roles in trade negotiation processes can result in more gender-equitable trade outcomes.