May 09, 2012

Lamy: Continue Moving in ‘Small Steps’ on Doha

Five months on from the eighth WTO ministerial conference, members are still looking at options for moving out of the Doha Round impasse, with the contentious issues of industrial market access and agriculture having seen little progress during recent negotiations in Geneva. Read more

May 09, 2012

Unctad criticises inconsistent attempts at global financial reform

In the face of attempts to clip its wings, secretary general Supachai Panitchpakdi has defended Unctad's global role Read more

May 09, 2012

Doha Round nearing death, says economist

AFTER years of trying to reach an agreement, world-renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs issued a warning that the Doha Round of negotiations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) may never see completion. Read more

Apr 25, 2012

BRICS urge G20 to push for fair trade

The BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has called on the G20 to strengthen its coordination and find ways to improve the multilateral trading system in order to address current global economic uncertainties. Read more

Apr 17, 2012

The Rio+20 Earth summit must back peasant farmers on land rights

Fred Pearce addresses how the June summit in Rio needs to call a halt to governments in the global south are claiming farmland is 'empty' and 'unused' – and flogging it off to foreigners who promise investment. Read more

Apr 17, 2012

Bust up over World Bank as new head is named

Jim Yong Kim, a South Korea-born, American-raised doctor turned academic and 'rapping Michael Jackson impersonator' is appointed head of the World Bank – but 'not everyone is happy'. Read more

Apr 17, 2012

World Trade Organisation could be looking for Lamy's successor

If Sarkozy is defeated as French president, there is speculation that Francois Hollande would find a place in his administration for Pascal Lamy, the current director-general of the WTO. Read more

Apr 17, 2012

What does the future hold for multilateral trade?

After ten years of negotiations, the Doha development negotiations remain at an impasse. Very few anticipated a decisive conclusion at the Ministerial meeting in Geneva last December, despite Pascal Lamy's pleas to WTO members not to give up on the trade round. Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye - coordinator of programmes at Inda Third World - reflects on the Geneva meeting and its conclusions. Read more

Apr 03, 2012

European Commission Eyes Tit-for-Tat Mechanism to Open Govt Procurement Markets

EU officials outlined a plan last week that would allow Brussels to block companies from non-EU countries from bidding for government contracts, should European firms continue to face difficulty in winning public contracts abroad. The move is expected to escalate tensions with EU trading partners, particularly China. Read more

Apr 03, 2012

Zoellick favours US heading World Bank

Outgoing World Bank president Robert Zoellick on Friday batted for US candidates leading multilateral institutions such as the Washington-based organization he will be leaving in June when his term ends. Read more

Apr 03, 2012

BRICS ministers to fight for trade pact

At the G20 trade ministerial summit later this month in Mexico BRICS countries' trade ministers will try to ensure that attempts by industrialised countries to frame a new trade agenda do not drown development-led trade liberalisation and the WTO talks. Read more

Mar 29, 2012

BRICS Ministers call for strengthening of UNCTAD

Trade and Economic Ministers of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), meeting in New Delhi 28 March, have called for strengthening of the role of UNCTAD.​ Read more

Mar 29, 2012

BRICS trade ministers' reviews global economic situation

The Trade and Economic Ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) reviewed the global economic situation on Wednesday at the second BRICS trade ministers' meeting here in New Delhi. Read more

Mar 20, 2012

India Partially Removes Cotton Export Ban

The Indian government announced its intention to partially repeal a recent ban on the export of cotton on Monday, just one week after originally enacting the measure. Read more

Mar 20, 2012

WTO's Lamy says Doha talks won't pass as big package

The Doha Round of trade talks, launched more than 10 years ago, is unlikely to succeed but progress can be achieved in getting international agreement in areas such as trade facilitation, World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy said on Monday. Read more

Mar 13, 2012

Guardian blog asks: 'Can multilateral action still play a role in combating poverty?'

Global problems have made national leaders less willing to find shared solutions, so NGOs need to be more selective about the issues and moments where they can make a difference Read more

Feb 15, 2012

The Farm Bill Saga Begins (Again): Will Development Be on the Stage, in the Wings or Out of Luck?

Kimberly Ann Elliot (Center for Global Development) writes on the impact high food prices have on poor consumers in developing countries. Read more

Feb 14, 2012

Brazil, China Strive To Overcome Trade Hurdles At Meeting

Brazilian and Chinese authorities in talks Monday agreed to combat protectionism and seek ways to eliminate distortions in trade that have blocked expanded business between the two emerging-market nations. Read more

Feb 09, 2012

The Hill's Congress blog: Fresh ideas for modernizing global trade rules

Congress may be gridlocked on a number of issues, but the World Trade Organization (WTO) is positively stuck when it comes to advancing global trade liberalization. Read more

Feb 09, 2012

"Revive plans for development through trade in 2012, despite collapse of Doha Round" - 60 MPs and MEPs urge EU Governments

60 MPs and MEPs from all parties have issued a New Year call to EU governments to revive plans to boost development of the poorest countries through trade in 2012, despite the suspension of the Doha ‘Development’ Round before Christmas. Read more

Feb 09, 2012

Doha round - talking in circles

Liberalising global trade will require some fresh ideas instead of repeating what has been said for long Read more

Feb 09, 2012

Africa Loses Billions in Potential Trade Earnings, Falls Short of Vast Promise in Cross-Border Business―New World Bank Report

With African leaders now calling for a continental free trade area by 2017 to boost trade within the continent, a new World Bank report shows how African countries are losing out on billions of dollars in potential trade earnings every year because of high trade barriers with neighboring countries, and that it is easier for Africa to trade with the rest of the world than with itself. Read more

Feb 09, 2012

“Keeping markets open is good global citizenship” — Lamy

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, in his address to the Jubilee Conference of the National Committee for International Co-operation and Sustainable Development of the Netherlands on 4 February 2012, commended the Netherlands for “its commitment to development assistance and supporting the use of trade as a tool for growth and poverty reduction”. Read more

Feb 09, 2012

WTO Members approve EU waiver request for trade aid to Pakistan

The Council for Trade in Goods, on 1 February 2012, approved a request by the European Union to temporarily lift EU duties on certain products from Pakistan to help the country recover from massive floods in 2010. This request for a waiver from its WTO obligations was initially made by the EU on 30 November 2010. Read more

Jan 30, 2012

Trade ministers hopeful for Doha Round future

Trade ministers and business leaders are not giving up on the much-delayed Doha Round of global trade negotiations, but they admit that it is not in the best of health. Read more

Jan 26, 2012

Cameron urges EU to look beyond Doha

Prime Minister David Cameron called the drive to finish the Doha round of world trade talks a failure and said on Thursday the European Union should instead negotiate free trade deals with the United States and Africa. Read more

Dec 21, 2011

No end in sight for Doha Round of talks

Stating that he did not see an end to the decade-old Doha Round of negotiations for a global trade deal, Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar on Tuesday said he did not see the deal materialising before 2014. Read more

Dec 19, 2011

WTO ends meeting with no move forward on Doha

The World Trade Organization closed its biennial ministerial conference on Saturday with its chairman citing an improved atmosphere in the 153-member club but no concrete moves forward on the Doha round of world trade talks. Read more

Dec 12, 2011

Trade chiefs to avoid negotiation on Doha round at WTO ministerial

Members of the 153-nation World Trade Organization will welcome Russia into the fold and discuss ways to open up government procurement contracts to foreign competition at a meeting in Geneva next week, but the 10-year-old Doha round of commerce liberalization won’t be a topic for negotiation. Read more

Dec 08, 2011

Remaking Doha for China

Trade economists would agree the Doha global trade round is dying, if it isn’t dead already. A new World Bank paper argues the way to revive the round is to refocus the negotiations on China. Read more

Dec 08, 2011

WTO Members Drop Food Security Proposals for Ministerial

After months of intense negotiations, WTO members have formally agreed on draft decisions and elements of political guidance to forward to trade ministers when they arrive in Geneva next week. However, two widely-discussed food security proposals failed to make the cut, despite a general agreement among members on the need for a food security agenda. Read more

Dec 05, 2011

INTERVIEW-Denmark says aims to breathe life into WTO talks

Denmark, which will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Jan. 1, hopes to help reinvigorate the stalled Doha round of trade talks under the World Trade Organization, its trade minister said on Thursday. Read more

Dec 01, 2011

Europe crisis could affect trade for Asia, Africa

As European banks reduce international lending, it's hurting importers and exporters in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and raising fears of a trade-crippling global credit crunch. Read more

Nov 30, 2011

African Union holds preparatory meeting toward 8th Ministerial Conference

The African Union (AU) in Collaboration with the African Caribbean Pacific Multilateral Trade System (ACP MTS) on Monday ended a two-day preparatory meeting aimed at facilitating preparations and participation of AU countries for the eighth World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Geneva. Read more

Nov 30, 2011

EU, India Renew Push to Finalise Trade Talks

The EU and India are hoping to clinch a free trade deal within the coming months, according to top-level officials from both sides. The February 2012 EU-India Summit has now been set as the new deadline for completing the talks, which were launched in 2007. Read more

Nov 29, 2011

Doha round not benefiting developing states, says South African Trade and Industry Minister

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies says South Africa and other developing countries have gained little from the Doha Development Round of trade negotiations that began a decade ago. Read more

Nov 24, 2011

WTO Govt Procurement Talks Continue; New Draft Decisions Tabled for Ministerial

With the WTO Ministerial Conference less than four weeks away, delegations are making a concerted push to finalise a plurilateral agreement that would liberalise access to billions of dollars worth of public procurement contracts for 42 countries. Read more

Nov 24, 2011

Which bottom billion? A new report should change the way we look at poverty

A new report by Andy Sumner (IDS) presents one simple statistic that will, over time, revolutionise how rich countries use aid and support development. It is this: more poor people live in middle-income countries (MICs) than low income countries (LICs). Read more

Nov 21, 2011

WTO summit must address food crisis: UN

A key WTO ministerial meeting next month must address the current global food crisis by ensuring that the Doha Round of free trade talks finds ways to guarantee food security, a UN expert said Wednesday. Read more

Nov 14, 2011

European Commission Press Release: 'New EU study shows significant economic benefits from a Doha deal'

A new EU study published on 31st October shows that the economic benefits arising from the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations in the World Trade Organisation amount to an increase of world exports of $359 billion on an annual basis from a deal on the liberalisation of industrial goods, agriculture, services and on the removal of red tape. If an agreement on sectoral liberalisation of industrial goods (chemicals, machinery, electronics) could be reached, world exports would increase by a further $146 billion, totalling $505 billion annually, according to the study. Read more

Nov 14, 2011

G-20 Calls for New, “Credible” Approaches on Doha

Upon finishing two days of high-level talks in Cannes, France, leaders from the Group of 20 major economies have instructed their trade ministers to pursue “fresh, credible” approaches to resolving the impasse in the WTO’s Doha negotiations at the upcoming December ministerial. Read more

Nov 09, 2011

Unfinished Business? The WTO’s Doha Agenda

As world leaders prepare to meet next month at the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference, a timely new book, Unfinished Business? The WTO’s Doha Agenda (CEPR and World Bank), provides an empirical basis for informed choices. Read more

Nov 07, 2011

Business Standard Q&A: Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, Economist and Nobel Laureate

In an interview with Business Standard, renowned economist and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz says economic power is already shifting to emerging market economies. Read more

Nov 04, 2011

Exports would benefit from successful Doha Deal

According to a new study commissioned by the European Commission, a successful conclusion to the Doha Round could lead in an increase in world exports to US%359 billion a year. Read more

Nov 03, 2011

Emerging economies to contest Europe at G20

G20 nations meet today as India, Brazil and South Africa conflict with Europe over the economic recovery. Read more

Nov 02, 2011

G20 meeting: eurozone debt crisis takes centre stage

The key question is whether the big surplus nations — China, Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent the big oil exporters of Russia and Saudi Arabia — agree to expand their domestic economies to help the deficit countries export more Read more

Nov 01, 2011

Gilllard abolishes tariffs for third world

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has vowed to give developing countries access to the Australian market free of tariffs, and has ruled out increasing trade protections while the Doha round of free-trade talks is deadlocked. Read more

Oct 31, 2011

Zuma to push development at G20

President Jacob Zuma will promote the need for enhanced growth, jobs, and infrastructure development in Africa when he attends the G20 summit in Cannes later this week. Read more

Oct 31, 2011

Business to press for G20 unity

Business leaders from the world’s leading economies are set to press for firm action on growth, trade and social issues at this week’s G20 summit in France, warning of the dangers of political disaffection. Read more

Oct 31, 2011

Pascal Lamy: free trade's harassed champion still fighting to get the world to agree

Ten years after his organisation began its Doha round of negotiations, a global settlement still eludes the head of the World Trade Organisation. But he's not giving up Read more

Oct 25, 2011

UK unveils new aid strategy for India

Aid to India will focus on wealth creation, particularly among women, in the three poorest states in a plan that envisages closer co-operation with the private sector Read more

Oct 25, 2011

Bank regulators ease rules on trade finance

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has allowed banks to take a more flexible approach to assessing the credit risk of trade finance after banks warned of damage to trade with low-income countries unless changes were made. Read more

Oct 10, 2011

Agricultural Export Restrictions Spur Discussion Ahead of WTO Ministerial

According to trade sources, an unofficial 2 November deadline for finalising the agenda of the WTO’s December ministerial conference has caused quiet consultations on agricultural export restrictions to pick up the pace. Read more

Oct 10, 2011

UK must monitor aid for infrastructure more closely, report says

MPs concerned the Department for International Development isn't monitoring spending of taxpayers' money on infrastructure aid projects as effectively as it could Read more

Sep 27, 2011

On Russia, WTO fraternity ready to yield

Rarely has the recruitment of a new member taken as long as Russia's initiation into the World Trade Organization, but perceived economic gains and looming Russian elections make the case for Russia joining irresistible. Read more

Sep 27, 2011

WTO Public Forum Draws Civil Society to Geneva to Discuss Future of Multilateral Trading System

The 19-21 September meetings at the WTO's Geneva headquarters centre on the future of the multilateral trading system, seeking "answers to global trade challenges". Read more

Sep 13, 2011

Developing Nations can form own club

Last year, Barack Obana signed trade deals with India worth $US 10 billion, only to be upstaged a month later by Wen Jiabao, who signed deals with $US 16 billion during a fleeting visit to the Indian capital. Matt Wade looks at the shifting patterns in the world's economic geography. Read more

Sep 13, 2011

U.S. urges WTO members agree Doha round "deadlocked"

World Trade Organization (WTO) members should acknowledge the 10-year-old Doha round of trade talks is "deadlocked" and begin charting a more "credible path forward," a top U.S. trade official said on Monday. Read more

Jul 18, 2011

Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State at DfID, speaks at London Business School on "Growth in Africa"

On 11 July, the UK Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, gave a speech at the London Business School on "Growth in Africa", during which he stated that the UK is leading an 'aggressive push' for the Least Developed Countries to access G20 markets, duty free and quota free, and for the locking-in of the benefits of the Doha trade talks. Read more

Jul 18, 2011

David Cameron: The time has come for African free trade

In an article that originally appeared in the South African publication 'Business Day', David Cameron writes that 'With a unified voice in global trade, Africa can deliver its citizens a better deal and drive growth forward for the world'. Read more

Jul 07, 2011

CBC's Africa Business Forum, June 2011

The Commonwealth Business Council held it's annual Africa Business Forum in June, in conjunction with the South African Development Community. The focus of this year's forum was 'SADC: Regional Integration and Drivers of Growth'. Read more

Jun 29, 2011

UK and China announce trade deals worth £1.4 billion

Britain and China unveiled deals worth 1.4 billion pounds during a visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday, including a new agreement between energy group BG Group and Bank of China to help BG expand there. Read more

Jun 20, 2011

US, Africa Push for AGOA Extension at Tenth Annual Forum

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Jun 13, 2011

Bill Gates calls on United States, Global Leaders to Invest in Agriculture in the Developing World

The Gates Foundation’s aim is to help all people live healthy productive lives. The Foundation has 15 principles guiding the work they do... Read more

Jun 13, 2011

Half of world's poorest countries can escape poverty by 2020 - UN

According to the United Nations report, half the world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs) can “graduate” out of their impoverished status within 10 years if they benefit from better targeted development aid , duty- and quota-free access for exports... Read more