by Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest for the week of August 22-28, 2021! We are pleased to bring you the major trade and development news headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.
We continue to express our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti who were affected by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on August 14, and then by Tropical Storm Grace just days later. Even though the international media has largely moved on from the ‘story’, our Haitian brothers and sisters still need your help. Please assist by reaching out to reputable charities/aid agencies if you are so able. We also express our concern for those readers who were negatively impacted by Tropical Storm Grace and/or are in the path of Hurricane Ida. Please stay safe all.
HIGHLIGHTS
My Opinio Juris Piece: Will Foreign Direct Investment Help or Hinder SDG Achievement in the Caribbean?
This week I had the pleasure of contributing a piece to the Opinio Juris Blog symposium convened by Prof. Mohsen Al-Attar and Dr. Rafael Quintero Godinez on whether FDI is a blessing or grift. You can read mine and the other great pieces in the Symposium here.
REGIONAL NEWS
Belize develops plan to sustainably manage dozens of finfish species
UNCTAD: Belize’s government is collaborating with fisheries managers, scientists and fishers to develop a management plan for 47 of the nation’s most important finfish – bony fish – species. Read more
Belize to export more cattle to Mexico in September
Breaking Belize News: Cattle exports to Mexico will be continuing in September, this according to officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE). Read more
Antigua and Barbuda and Indonesia sign ‘Waiver of Short Stay Visa Requirements’ agreement
Antigua Newsroom: On Friday, 27th August, 2021, the Honourable E. P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Trade welcomed His Excellency Priyo Iswanto, Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to Antigua and Barbuda on his final tour of duty as the nation’s accredited Ambassador. Read more
Application process for exporters goes online
Jamaica Gleaner: Starting today, exporters applying to the Trade Board for certificates of origin will be required to do so online. This is in keeping with the decision to transition from the existing manual process to an electronic service to obtain certificates. Read more
Jamaica Accedes To Revised Kyoto Convention
JIS: Jamaica acceded to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures, also known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) on Saturday (August 7), thus becoming the 128th contracting party. Read more
JMEA strong on partnerships to boost exports
Jamaica Observer: Executive director of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association Simara Howell has revealed that the lobby group will be developing its relationships with other local and regional organisations to better serve and boost the exports of its member companies. Read more
Guyana and Suriname combine to expand rice and poultry exports
Jamaica Observer: Guyana and Suriname have inked a new agreement under which they will seek to target new global markets by joint expansion of their poultry and rice sectors. The Caricom countries indicated they will be supporting each other in entering the North American, European and regional markets. Read more
Guyana-Suriname Private Sector Business Council to be set up
Stabroek: Guyana’s Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Suriname’s Trade and Industry Association (VSB) have announced a plan to set up a Guyana-Suriname Private Sector Business Council to strengthen economic ties and create a single market and economy between the two neighbouring countries. Read more
Local Content, Trade and Security among issues discussed by Guyana and Suriname Leaders at high-level meeting
Newsroom: The President said the meetings are not time-wasting meetings, but rather they are examining decisions to advance the commitments already made between the two countries. Read more
Suriname to begin issuing licences directly to Guyanese fishermen from January 2022
Newsroom: After years of complaints relating to the licencing of Guyanese fishermen who ply their trade in waters that belong to Suriname, Guyana and Suriname decided this week that licences will now be issued directly to Guyanese fisherman. Read more
Caricom SG underscores importance of young people to regional integration movement
Jamaica Observer: The Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett, says she is committed to young people in the region playing a meaningful role in the development of the 15-member regional integration movement. Read more
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The U.S. is reviewing its trade policy with China, says USTR Katherine Tai
CNBC: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Tuesday the “Biden-Harris Administration and USTR are conducting a comprehensive review of U.S.-China trade policy,” according to a readout of a virtual meeting with two business associations, the U.S. Chamber China Center Advisory Board and the U.S.-China Business Council. Read more
UK unveils post-Brexit global data plans to boost growth, increase trade and improve healthcare
Gov.uk: The UK is today launching a package of measures to help it seize the opportunities of data to boost growth, trade and improve its public services. Read more
UK aims to conclude Pacific trade group talks next year – FT
Reuters: Britain aims to conclude negotiations to join the trans-Pacific trade group by the end of 2022, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing International Trade Secretary Liz Truss. Read more
UK’s hopes of boosting hydrogen trade hobbled by Brexit
Euractiv: The UK hydrogen strategy, unveiled last week (17 August), has many similarities with the EU’s own blueprint presented one year before, analysts say. But trade and regulatory cooperation between the two sides is complicated by Brexit, with the UK likely to become a rule-taker at the end of the day. Read more
The EU’s position in world trade in figures
EU Reporter: Find key figures about the EU’s trade with the world in our infographic: exports, imports, number of related jobs in the EU and more, Economy. Read more
Russia, EU to start import substitution consultations on September 13 — source
TASS: The EU believes that the Russian import substitution policy, which was a response measures to unilateral sanctions slapped on Russia by the EU and the US, runs counter to the WTO policy by giving preferences to domestic produce. Read more
Turkey, US seek to boost bilateral trade
Hurriyet: The top Turkish and U.S. trade officials discussed areas of cooperation and efforts to further increase the bilateral trade volume, the Turkish Trade Ministry said in a statement on Aug. 27. Read more
Africa Can Become a Maritime Hub for Global Trade
AllAfrica: The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the world’s leading shipping organization, accounting for about 80 per cent of global merchant tonnage. An ICS study published in March this year titled Protectionism in Maritime Economies found that reducing restrictive trade policies could boost Africa’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery by billions of dollars. The interview was edited for brevity. Read more
U.S. Trade Rep. Hints “If Unaddressed” Rights Violations “Could Affect” Ethiopia’s Future Agoa Eligibility
Addis Ababa: United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai met virtually with Ethiopia’s Senior Policy Advisor and Chief Trade Negotiator Mamo Mihretu on August 25, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Public Affairs. Read more
Okonjo-Iweala asks developed nations to channel IMF’s SDR allocation to African countries
The Cable: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has asked developed countries to channel their shares of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) $650 billion special drawing rights (SDRs) to poor African nations. Read more
India, Australia eye mini trade deal by year end
Livemint: After a virtual meet between India’s trade minister Piyush Goyal and his Australian counterpart Dan Tehan on Thursday, both sides directed officials to speed up negotiations and to meet as often as required. Read more
Countries must remove digital services taxes, US tells Turkey
Daily Sabah: US Trade Representative Katherine Tai told Turkey’s trade minister it was critical that countries remove individual digital services taxes in connection with a broader multilateral agreement reached in talks led by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), her office said. Read more
Costa Rica requests panel over export dispute
Tico Times: Costa Rica requested the creation of an arbitration panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on its dispute with Panama over the blockade of the export of agricultural products, the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade announced on Monday. Read more
MERCOSUR’s regionalisation pandemic
IPS: While the trade agreement with MERCOSUR is still being discussed in the EU. The future of the entire bloc is at stake. Read more
STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO
NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG
The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:
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