Caribbean Trade Law and Development

Author: caribbeantradelaw

  • Afronomicslaw Call for Blogs: African-Asian Relations: Fostering Trade and Investment in Times of Crisis

    Afronomicslaw Call for Blogs: African-Asian Relations: Fostering Trade and Investment in Times of Crisis

    By:

    A core legacy of the New International Economic Order of the 1970s is the rise of the South-South economic cooperation. Since 1980, trade and investment relations between African and Asian states have been growing ever closer. Indeed, the unique ways in which African-Asian economic cooperation manifests has been a defining feature of Africa’s international economic relations since the end of decolonization.

    While the analysis of Sino-African and Indo-African relations have been at the forefront of scholarly analysis for understandable reasons, the economic relations of African states go beyond the dominant actors in the Asian region.

    African-Asian economic relations have evolved considerably over time, ‘with technical cooperation growing not only in terms of trade volumes and the value of financial assistance and investment flows but also in terms of the geographic reach of countries working together.’ Despite the rise of African-Asian cooperation in the last four decades, African states play a marginal role in the global international economic order producing distinct schools of thought. While the first school of thought, the critiques, argue that Asian-African economic cooperation is immersed in power relations that are akin to that of the West; others embrace the relations for the investment and economic growth opportunities that they create.

    We invite authors to author blogs that critically examine the intersection of trade, development, and investment in African-Asian economic relations. We are particularly keen to receive blogs that focus on, but are not limited to:

    • historical and contemporary accounts of forms of governance and regulation in African-Asian trade and investment relations;
    • the impact of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) in African-Asian relations;
    • mechanisms for dispute settlement in trade and investment disputes arising between African and Asian countries;
    • the significance and impact of the Belt and Road Initiative from economic, social, cultural and environmental perspectives;
    • sustainable development in African-Asian trade and investment agreements;
    • the role of inter-national governance in shaping development strategies across African and Asian countries;
    • the role of private actors in shaping and influencing governance in bilateral and regional agreements;
    • corporate social responsibility;
    • investment facilitation and trade facilitation.

    Submission Guidelines:

    Essays that are submitted as part of this symposium must be analytical and original. Authors must comply with the Afronomicslaw.org blog submission guidelines accessible here. Blogs are to be submitted to afronomicslaw@gmail.com with the title ‘African-Asian Relations Blog Submission’.

    Deadline:

    April 30th, 2021.

    Inquiries or clarifications relating to this call should be directed to Olabisi Akinkugbe (Olabisi.akinkugbe@dal.ca) and Clair Gammage (c.gammage@bristol.ac.uk)

    See more at the AfronomicsLaw Blog here.

    Image by bricketh from Pixabay

  • WTO: New DG Okonjo-Iweala officially assumes office and delivers maiden speech

    WTO: New DG Okonjo-Iweala officially assumes office and delivers maiden speech

    Alicia Nicholls

    On March 1, 2021, and after a protracted selection period, the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s seventh and first female Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala officially took office. A world -respected finance expert and development economist, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala further makes history by being the first DG from the African continent.

    In her maiden speech, the new DG acknowledged the high expectations attendant with her assumption of office. While noting she would do her utmost to move the organisation forward, she rightly indicated that as a membership-driven organisation cooperation of its 164 members was needed. As such, she implored Members that “high expectations of my leadership also means that I have high expectations of you to help me deliver”.

    As is widely acknowledged, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala assumes directorship of the WTO at a critical time in that organisation’s over two decades-long history. She will be leading an organisation which is fighting fires on several fronts and faces questions of its continued relevance given its stalemated negotiations function and defunct Appellate Body. The new DG reiterated to Members that “it cannot be business as usual”.

    Outlining some of the priorities Members had indicated to her, she urged the need to “work hard to complete a few deliverables before MC12 so that Ministers can focus on ratifying agreements and agreeing best methods for implementation”. In particular, she cited the “the need to prioritize action on COVID-19 both for the immediate and longer term and focus on completing Fisheries Subsidies negotiations before the middle of the year”.

    She also recommended that “three or four clear deliverables” be finalized before the WTO’s overdue Twelfth Ministerial Conference. (MC12). MC12 was originally to be held in Kazakhstan in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the General Council meeting on March 1, WTO members decided that MC12 will take place “in the week of 29 November 2021” in Geneva, Switzerland.

    The new DG also drew attention to the unequal global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, in which many poor countries lag behind rich countries in accessing doses for their citizens. She noted her hope to be able to “initiate a dialogue and information exchange between us and representatives of manufacturers associations from developing and developed countries”.

    Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s term of office will expire on August 25, 2025 and is renewable for one more term. Read her full speech here.

    We at the CTLD Blog take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and wish her a successful tenure.

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B. is a trade and development consultant with a keen interest in sustainable development, international law and trade. All views herein expressed are her personal views and should not be attributed to any institution with which she may from time to time be affiliated. You can read more of her commentaries and follow her on Twitter @LicyLaw.

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – February 22 – 28, 2021

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – February 22 – 28, 2021

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest for the week of February 22-28, 2021! We apologise for the delay in this week’s edition and 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.

    THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    The newly published UN Climate Change’s Synthesis Report on countries’ new or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has found that the level of ambition contained in these reports is not enough to meet the Paris Climate Agreement targets. Read the report here.

    US President Joe Biden’s pick for United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai had her Senate confirmation hearing on February 25. Read Mrs. Tai’s opening statement here. The Senate will vote on whether to confirm her later this coming week.

    India and South Africa circulated a paper questioning the legal status of the WTO’s Joint Statement Initiatives and their negotiated outcomes. The paper may be accessed here.

    On February 24-25, 2021, the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) held its 32nd Intersessional Meeting. COVID-19 and access to vaccines were among a suite of issues discussed. Read the full communique here.

    Current CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. the Hon. Keith Rowley delivered a statement on ‘Re-Setting US-Caribbean Relations’ at the Atlantic Council’s event on February 26, 2021. Read the statement here.

    On March 1, the new WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala officially takes office.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    CDB projects regional economic growth of 3.8% in 2021

    CDB: After an extremely difficult year in which the economies of its 19 Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) contracted by 12.8% on average due to the onset of Covid-19, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is projecting an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 3.8% in 2021. However, this projection, made in Part 1 of CDB’s Regional Report: 2020 Review and 2021 Outlook, released today, is clouded by the ongoing uncertainty, caused by the global pandemic. Read more

    Does Washington DC think about the Caribbean?

    In this episode of the ‘China in the Caribbean’ podcast, the host Rasheed Griffith interviews Wazim Mowla, a Program Assistant at the Atlantic Council Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Caribbean Initiative. Listen to the episode here.

    CARIFORUM Rum Producers and French Rum Group Sign Historic Accord

    Barbados Today: Caribbean rum producers are joining forces with French group CIRT-DOM, to get the best deal for their exports into major markets, particularly the European Union. Read more

    Critical CSME Issues must be addressed and resolved urgently, say CARICOM leaders

    Barbados Advocate: Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have expressed continuing concern about the progress made and the outstanding actions still required to advance implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), particularly to support economic recovery in the face of the debilitating impact of COVID-19. Read more

    Regional ministerial task force will help push agri. development within CARICOM – President Ali

    Newsroom: President Irfaan Ali on Thursday disclosed that CARICOM has prioritised agriculture and food security and has created a pathway to enhance their overall development in the region. Read more

    St Vincent PM criticises EU blacklisting of Dominica amid COVID-19 pandemic

    Jamaica Gleaner: Outgoing CARICOM Chairman Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Wednesday called for regional leaders to speak out against the “awful” decision by the European Union (EU) to blacklist Dominica as a non-cooperative jurisdiction for tax purposes, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

    CARICOM chairman: It’s time for a ‘reset’ in US-Caribbean relations

    The Atlanticist: The world’s inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is threatening the Caribbean’s economic recovery, and climate change is quickly becoming an “existential threat” to all low-lying island states, warns Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley. Read more

    CAL and ExporTT partner to boost local exports

    TT Newsday: Caribbean Airlines Cargo has partnered with ExporTT to better connect Trinidad and Tobago businesses to regional and international markets in an effort to boost the country’s economic recovery following covid19. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    USTR nominee Tai says U.S. can help craft new trade rules in ‘grey areas’ to hold China accountable

    Reuters: Katherine Tai, President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the next U.S. Trade Representative, said on Thursday that the United States can work with other countries to craft new trade rules in “grey areas” to hold China accountable. Read more

    “Climate Commitments Not On Track to Meet Paris Agreement Goals” as NDC Synthesis Report is Published

    UN: UN Climate Change today published a synthesis of climate action ambition as contained in countries’ new or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), indicating that nations must redouble their climate efforts if they are to reach the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature rise by 2C—ideally 1.5C—by the end of the century. Read more

    Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: what are the 4 main challenges facing the new WTO director general?

    South China Morning Post: The coronavirus pandemic, log-jammed trade talks and a long-delayed meeting of member states are just a few of the crises awaiting Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as she takes the helm of the World Trade Organization (WTO) next month. Read more

    US Secretary of State Blinken tours Canada and Mexico ‘virtually’

    Al Jazeera: On his first trip ‘abroad’ Blinken met Canadian and Mexican about immigration, trade and economic issues. Read more

    Northern Ireland’s first minister ups ante in UK-EU trade dispute

    Reuters: Northern Ireland’s first minister upped the ante on Wednesday in a dispute between the UK and the European Union over trade with the province, calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “step up and protect the United Kingdom”. Read more

    EU puts WTO at centre of greener trade reform push

    Reuters: The European Union put reform of the World Trade Organization at the heart of its trade strategy for the next decade on Thursday, saying global rules on commerce must be greener, take more account of state subsidies and be enforced. Read more

    Post-Brexit UK trade strategy needs to engage China

    East Asia Forum: The United Kingdom’s trading aspirations in Asia will not negate its dependence on the European Union, nor will they unwind the dominant economic role of China in its neighbourhood. UK trade with Asia post-Brexit needs to be accompanied by efforts to engage Beijing in the strengthening of trade rules and disciplines. Read more

    UK exporters’ use of Singapore as ASEAN’s supply chain gateway boosted by new bilateral trade agreement

    ASEAN Briefing: There was much controversy, before and after the United Kingdom’s (UK) Brexit from the European Union (EU), in talk of it adopting a free trade and manufacturing model similar to Singapore’s. The idea was dubbed as “Singapore-on-Thames” by the British media. Read more

    India, Mauritius sign economic partnership deal

    The Telegraph Online: The CECPA would provide a gateway to the markets of the African continent as Mauritius has several pacts with them. Read more

    Post-Brexit regulatory changes for the City could free up £95bn, says study

    City AM: The UK could free up £95bn for City insurance firms to reinvestment into the economy if the Treasury waters down the EU’s Solvency II regulations post-Brexit, according to a new study. Read more

    UK-Japan trade deal settled post-Brexit nerves, says Honda

    City AM: The UK’s trade deal with Japan helped lead to a smoother Brexit transition for Honda this year and ensured greater confidence, according to one of the carmakers’ European bosses. Read more

    New UK-Kenya trade deal to be extended to all of East Africa after threats not to ratify

    City AM: The recently signed trade deal between the UK and Kenya will be extended to Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania, according to multiple media reports in Kenya. Read more

    South Africa’s women’s minister seeks voice for women in AfCFTA

    Africa News: South Africa’s Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, today called for women’s voices to be heard in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. Read more

    AfCFTA to reduce illegal gold mining in Nigeria – Minister of Mines

    Nairametrics: The Minister of Mines and Steel says that illegal gold mining would be stemmed by the implementation of AfCFTA. Read more

    AFCFTA opens up scope for SA SMMEs

    IOL: President Cyril Ramaphosa said that SA SMMEs can penetrate other markets through the implementation of the of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 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:

  • President Biden’s Trade Policy Agenda 2021 Released

    President Biden’s Trade Policy Agenda 2021 Released

    Alicia Nicholls

    The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released the eagerly anticipated 2021 Trade Agenda and 2020 Annual Report to Congress. This annual report outlines the President’s trade policy priorities each year and is the first to be released under the Biden presidency. Readers would recall that last week, USTR nominee Katherine Tai had her Senate confirmation hearing, giving us some greater glimpses into what possible directions the Biden-Harris administration might take on some of the major trade issues of the day. Her opening statement to the Senate Finance Committee may be read here.

    The Biden administration’s trade priorities reflect a generally more inward-looking trade policy disposition than the more open approaches that defined most contemporary pre-Trump US administrations. The priorities include shoring up the COVID-19-hit US economy, promoting US job creation/preservation and a pledge to ‘stand up” for American industry and workers. The report notes that the President’s trade agenda will be ‘a critical component’ of the Biden Administration’s plan to Build Back Better. As expected, there is also a commitment for a comprehensive strategy on curbing China’s “unfair trade practices”.

    A marked departure, however, from his predecessor is the inclusion of a stated focus on climate action and on racial equality and a more concerted effort to work with ‘friends and allies’.

    Biden-Harris’ trade priorities according to USTR report

    The trade policy priorities identified are

    1. Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic and Restoring the Economy

    2. Putting Workers at the Center of Trade Policy

    3. Putting the World on a Sustainable Environment and Climate Path

    4. Addressing China’s Coercive and Unfair Economic Trade Practices Through a
    Comprehensive Strategy

    5. Partnering with friends and allies

    6. Standing Up for American Farmers, Ranchers, Food Manufacturers, and
    Fishers

    7. Promoting Equitable Economic Growth Around the World

    8. Making the rules count

    The report can be accessed here.