Development and building trade capacity

This volume has been produced under the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP), a WTO capacity-building programme launched upon the initiative of Hakim Ben Hammouda and Patrick Low in 2010. The WCP is jointly managed by the WTO’s Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation and Economic Research and Statistics Division under the direction of Bridget Chilala and Robert Teh, respectively. The editors thank Fatima Chaudhri and Gerardo Thielen for th Read More

La globalización está transformando el desarrollo. Como se examina en la presente sección, por su alcance y rapidez, la expansión reciente del mundo en desarrollo carece de precedentes, deja en segundo plano el ascenso de los países que iniciaron su industrialización tras la segunda guerra mundial y hace parecer raquítico el anterior crecimiento de Europa y América del Norte a finales del siglo XIX. Son muchas las razones por las que el mundo en d Read More

Taking advantage of a new accounting method to decompose GDP production into pure domestic production, traditional trade, simple and complex GVC activities, this chapter examines recent trends in global value chain (GVC) activities across the world. Our main findings show that the pace of GVC activities picked up in 2017 after a period of slow down since 2012; intra-North American and intra-European GVC activities declined relative to inter-region Read More

The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) is a global partnership that facilitates safe, inclusive trade and development outcomes in support of the UN’s 2030 agenda. Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO, the STDF promotes improved food safety and animal and plant heal Read More

The role of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards in agri-business has changed over the past decade, from being a technical instrument to avoid the use of food safety, animal and plant health measures for protectionist purposes to being a competitive instrument in differentiated product markets (Reardon et al., 2001). The change from mass markets to differentiated and niche markets for consumers with higher purchasing power triggered this shift to Read More

Lesotho is a landlocked, least-developed economy and a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the oldest customs union (CU) in the global economy. Forty per cent of the population lives under the poverty line. The economic base is narrow, reliant on the textiles and apparel industry (for 59 per cent of total exports), subsistence agriculture, remittances, regional customs revenue and a degree of manufacturing. The apparel industry and a Read More

Cette année, le Rapport sur le commerce mondial examine comment le commerce et les autres facteurs de changement façonnent notre monde. Il associe l’analyse des faits contemporains à une réflexion sur l’avenir. L’approche adoptée est éclectique reflétant la multiplicité des forces en jeu. L’interaction de ces forces est multidirectionnelle et complexe, et le changement est rapide

Different aspects of the development process have been emphasized by the many scholars and observers who have ventured into this field. The seminal work of Sen (1999) identifies freedom as both the primary end and principal means of development. The Brundtland Commission stressed that development must involve the care and nurturing of the environment for future generations. Others have focused particularly on poverty reduction and the em Read More

The distinction between formal and informal employment is somewhat fuzzy. Instead of a single, universally accepted concept there are many different and often competing views which are refl ected in a multiplicity of defi nitions. These, in turn, are linked to the plurality of methodologies that are used to quantify informal activities. This chapter presents existing views and defi nitions, as well as an integrated approach which is currently emerging based on t Read More

The relationship between economic growth, poverty reduction, and trade is not a simple one. Although great progress has been made in reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty, due in large part to the rapidly growing participation of developing countries in the global economy, nearly one billion people still live on less than $1.25 per day.

The creative sector is an important source of growth in the global economy, and digital creative trade has increased sharply in recent years and particularly in the context of COVID-19. Digital content is replacing physical goods in the sector, for example, in music, books and gaming. Digital aggregators like Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube have fuelled rapid growth and diversified earnings towards streaming, ad-supported income a Read More

While Africa’s share of global value-added trade has increased significantly during the past 20 years, connecting African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to value chains and turning the support for greater intra-African trade into a reality remains challenging. Ensuring that the trade discourse is fully integrated into this development story is critical and countries, especially those that have recently acceded, have to be supported to recognise an Read More

Trade can be a powerful engine for development. But harnessing trade for development in Africa requires investment to foster lasting economic transformation. Investment, therefore, is key to unlocking the potential of trade-led growth. While flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Africa paint a familiar picture of the dominance of extractive industries, the reality is more nuanced and promising. The fact that FDI stocks in Africa are geared Read More

Trade plays a critical role in addressing hunger, food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, contributing to healthy lives and wellbeing, employment and growth.

Digital innovations are transforming the global economy. The decline in search and information costs, rapid growth of new products and markets, and emergence of new players ushered in by digital technologies have the promise of boosting global trade flows, including exports from developing countries. At the same time, digital technologies are also threatening privacy and security worldwide, while developing countries that lack the tools to compete Read More

La tecnología de la cadena de bloques parece sumamente prometedora para impulsar la participación de las mujeres en el comercio internacional. El anonimato y la eficiencia de las cadenas de bloques podrían ayudar a que muchas mujeres, que de lo contrario se verían frenadas por la ley, los hábitos o los elevados costos, puedan participar en transacciones financieras y comerciales. Las cadenas de bloques se pueden utilizar para permitir a las muj Read More

En la sección C se ha puesto de manifiesto cómo pueden influir en el futuro del comercio factores económicos fundamentales como la demografía, la inversión, la tecnología, los recursos naturales, el transporte y las instituciones. De todos modos, el comercio se desarrolla en un contexto socioeconómico más amplio, un contexto que tiene importancia para el comercio y la política comercial. Históricamente, las preocupaciones sociales y macroecon Read More

En el presente estudio se analizan la situación, los desafíos y las oportunidades del comercio electrónico en Mauricio. La proporción de la población que realiza compras en línea era del 14% en 2017, el segundo nivel más alto (después de Libia) en África, debido en gran parte al aumento de la utilización y de la tasa de penetración de Internet, unido al incremento del uso de las tarjetas de crédito y al desarrollo de sistemas seguros de pago en línea. Ma Read More

Bien que les progrès technologiques récents aient été favorables à l’essor du commerce numérique, cette croissance s’est produite en l’absence de règles claires et précises. Cette lacune est devenue problématique pour les pays d’Amérique latine. Des accords régionaux et bilatéraux plus complexes ont fait leur apparition face à l’impasse dans laquelle se trouve le régime commercial multilatéral. L’élaboration d’une réglementation du commerce numériq Read More

A partir del Modelo de Comercio Mundial de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC), un modelo de equilibrio general computable, recursivo y dinámico, examinamos las posibles repercusiones futuras de las innovaciones tecnológicas, en forma de robotización y uso de la inteligencia artificial, la terciarización del proceso de producción y la disminución de los costos del comercio debido al aumento de los mercados y plataformas en línea en el comercio Read More

Ce troisième ouvrage, «S’adapter à l’ère du commerce numérique : défis et possibilités», préparé sous les auspices du Programme de chaires de l’OMC (PCO), contient des contributions de titulaires de chaires de l’OMC pendant les phases I et II du programme, de membres du Conseil consultatif, de l’équipe du Secrétariat de l’OMC chargée du PCO et de fonctionnaires de l’Organisation, qui ont assuré la relecture de certains chapitres et fait part de leu Read More

“Los datos son el nuevo petróleo”. Al igual que el petróleo, que impulsó la economía en el siglo pasado, los datos mueven el mundo hoy en día, especialmente en el caso del comercio internacional. El papel crucial que desempeñan los datos puede observarse en cada paso del proceso, desde la concepción de un nuevo producto y el abastecimiento de materias primas y piezas hasta el proceso de fabricación y el transporte de los producto Read More

Le secteur créatif est une source importante de croissance dans l’économie mondiale, et le commerce des produits et services créatifs numériques a fortement augmenté ces dernières années, en particulier pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Le contenu numérique remplace les biens physiques, par exemple, dans les segments de la musique, des livres et des jeux. Les agrégateurs numériques comme Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify, TikTok et Y Read More

La présente étude s’intéresse à la situation actuelle du commerce électronique à Maurice, ainsi qu’aux défis et aux possibilités qu’il présente. En 2017, la part de la population qui réalisait des achats en ligne était de 14%, le deuxième taux le plus élevé en Afrique (derrière la Libye), ce qui découlait en grande partie de l’augmentation de l’utilisation et de la pénétration d’Internet, associée à l’utilisation accrue des cartes de crédit et au développement de systè Read More

Lancé en 2010, le Programme de chaires de l’OMC (PCO) est un projet de renforcement des capacités qui vise à améliorer la connaissance et la compréhension du système commercial chez les universitaires et les décideurs des pays en développement en stimulant l’élaboration des programmes d’enseignement, la recherche et les activités de liaison au niveau des universités et des établissements de recherche. Des renseignements sur le Read More

El surgimiento del comercio electrónico está impulsando importantes cambios en las formas de realizar operaciones de comercio internacional. Ha quedado claro que las mejoras en la aplicación de la facilitación del comercio deben estar respaldadas por sistemas electrónicos. A través del estudio comparativo de una serie de informes publicados por organizaciones internacionales— la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones (UIT), la Organización de Co Read More

Nous sommes heureux de formuler des remarques préliminaires au sujet de la présente compilation de travaux de recherche sur le commerce électronique établie par les titulaires de chaires de l’OMC, par les membres du Conseil consultatif et par l’équipe du Secrétariat de l’OMC chargée du Programme de chaires (PCO).

Nos complace presentar las observaciones preliminares de esta recopilación de trabajos de investigación sobre el comercio digital preparada por los titulares de las Cátedras OMC, los miembros de la Junta Consultiva y el equipo del Programa de Cátedras OMC (PCO) de la Secretaría de la OMC.

Le commerce électronique connaît une croissance rapide en Argentine et au Brésil et, dans ces deux pays, la part de la population qui effectue des transactions en ligne dépasse la moyenne enregistrée pour l’ensemble de l’Amérique latine. Les deux pays ont établi un cadre juridique pour la protection des données, la réglementation d’Internet, la protection des consommateurs, la fiscalité du commerce électronique et les contrats et signatures é Read More

Dans ce chapitre, nous analysons l’impact d’Internet sur les chaînes de valeur mondiales (CVM) en Afrique. Nous étudions l’incidence de l’adoption d’Internet sur la participation des pays africains aux CVM en amont et en aval. Nous réalisons nos estimations à partir des données par pays qui figurent dans la base de données Eora sur les CVM de la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le commerce et le développement (CNUCED) et des données par entreprise i Read More

La valeur en dollars des transactions électroniques effectuées en Chine a considérablement augmenté au cours des 20 dernières années, notamment grâce à l’amélioration des infrastructures, à la croissance rapide de la téléphonie mobile et à l’accroissement des financements. Le marché se caractérise également par une diversité croissante, notamment à la lumière de l’accroissement des services médicaux électroniques, de l’expansion du com Read More

E-commerce is growing rapidly in Argentina and Brazil, and in both countries the share of the population participating in e-commerce transactions exceeds the Latin American average. Both countries have established a legal framework for data protection, regulation of the internet, consumer protection, taxation of e-commerce, and contracts and e-signatures. Argentina and Brazil also have submitted proposals for negotiations over the treatment of e-com Read More

There is a growing convergence on the view that the factor having had the most significant impact on trade in recent years is the introduction of new and innovative technologies. The speed and intensity of the IT evolution are affecting trade and more generally our day-to-day lives in unprecedented ways. It has rendered interactions possible between humans, between humans and machines and between machines in ways that could not be imagined even Read More

Recent years have seen policymakers give increasing attention to two significant, widespread phenomena: rising inequality (the result of uneven access to productive employment) and the quickening pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) or “digital era”. This chapter explores the concept of inequality and why it is important to promote more inclusive growth, especially in developing countries. It also offers insights into how digital advances can serve Read More

We are pleased to deliver preliminary remarks to this compilation of research work on digital trade prepared by the WTO Chairholders, Advisory Board members and the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) team of the WTO Secretariat.

Digital innovations are transforming the global economy. The decline in search and information costs, rapid growth of new products and markets, and emergence of new players ushered in by digital technologies have the promise of boosting global trade flows, including exports from developing countries. At the same time, digital technologies are also threatening privacy and security worldwide, while developing countries that lack the tools to compete Read More

The creative sector is an important source of growth in the global economy, and digital creative trade has increased sharply in recent years and particularly in the context of COVID-19. Digital content is replacing physical goods in the sector, for example, in music, books and gaming. Digital aggregators like Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube have fuelled rapid growth and diversified earnings towards streaming, ad-supported income a Read More

This third book prepared under the auspices of the WTO Chairs Programme (WCP), Adapting to the digital trade era: challenges and opportunities, contains contributions from the WTO Chairholders of Phases I and II, Advisory Board (AB) members, WCP team and WTO staff members who peer reviewed individual chapters and offered their perspectives on the Chairs’ analyses and findings. It contains a total of 16 chapters and 13 commentaries, providing va Read More

Blockchain technology holds considerable promise to boost women’s participation in international trade. Blockchain’s anonymity and efficiency could enable many women, who otherwise would be constrained by law, custom or high costs, to engage in financial and business transactions. Blockchain can be used to enable women who lack identification documents to undertake transactions that otherwise would require official identification, and to prove their Read More

The WTO Chairs Programme (WCP) was launched in 2010 as a capacity-building project. It aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the trading system among academics and policymakers in developing countries through curriculum development, research and outreach activities by universities and research institutions. Information on the WCP is available at www.wto.org/wcp.

Using the World Trade Organization (WTO) Global Trade Model (GTM), a recursive, dynamic computable general equilibrium model, we examine the potential future impact of technological innovations, in the form of robotization and use of artificial intelligence (AI), servicification of the production process, and falling trade costs due to the rise of online markets and platforms on the trade of developing countries. The simulations show that technological ch Read More

El comercio electrónico ha experimentado un rápido crecimiento en Kenya, apoyado por las leyes que regulan los servicios de tecnología de la información y las comunicaciones (TIC), las transacciones de comercio electrónico, la protección de datos y el acceso a la información. El Gobierno ha creado ventanillas únicas para la prestación de servicios públicos a los ciudadanos y para la logística comercial. El país está bien posicionado para ampliar su comerc Read More