Harnessing Services Trade for Sustainable Growth

The services sector has been the main source of economic growth in recent decades. Logistics, finance and information technologies are essential to the functioning of modern economies while business services, healthcare and entertainment are among the world’s fastest growing sectors. This publication – co-published by the WTO and the World Bank – underlines the contribution that trade and investment in services can make to economic growth and development. It highlights, in particular, the importance of re-energizing international cooperation on services trade and encourages reflection on how best to mobilize assistance for developing and least-developed economies in implementing services sector reforms so that they can reap the gains from expanded trade and investment in services.