Caribbean Trade Law and Development

Tag: development

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – August 8-15, 2026

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – August 8-15, 2026

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome to our Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week August 8 -15, 2026!

    📌THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    Belize and El Salvador signed a historic partial scope agreement!

    India and SACU have revived trade talks!

    US-Canada trade talks are heading towards a major August 19th deadline, although significant differences reportedly remain in negotiating positions.

    In case you missed it! Global goods trade remained resilient in the first quarter of 2026 despite war in Middle East, according to World Trade Organisation (WTO). See this report here.

    🌴CARIBBEAN TRADE NEWS

    Belize and El Salvador Sign Historic Partial Scope Agreement

    Government of Belize Press Office: Belize and El Salvador significantly deepened their bilateral ties this week with the signing of a Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) on August 13, 2026, and the inclusion of a Belize Trade Mission to El Salvador, comprised of key private sector representatives, including the Belize Chamber of Commerce, Government officials, and relevant trade stakeholders. Read more

    Belize Participates in Regional Dialogue on Connectivity and Trade

    Government of Belize Press Office: Belize is strengthening its engagement with Central America as countries across the region work together to improve the movement of goods and people and facilitate trade, building a more connected and competitive region. Read more

    Barbados to Host Caribbean Investment Forum 2026 as Region Unveils Bold Vision for Global Investment

    CaribExport: The Caribbean today took a significant step towards reshaping its global investment narrative with the official breakfast launch of the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) 2026 at the Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Barbados. Convening under the theme “Invest. Read more

    JBM and Ghana in Discussion to Revive Bauxite Trade

    JIS: A proposed revival of Jamaica’s long-standing bauxite trade with Ghana could generate an initial US$60 million in business. Both countries are working to strengthen economic ties through renewed cooperation in the mining sector. Read more

    JMEA President Optimistic South African Deputy Minister’s Visit Will Boost Trade Ties

    JIS: Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) President, Kathryn Silvera, has expressed optimism that the official visit of the Republic of South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Hon. Alvin Botes, will pave the way for closer commercial ties between the two nations. Read more

    🌎 GLOBAL TRADE STORIES

    Negotiators fear U.S. tariffs will be imposed, as provinces and Washington dig in on demands

    CBC: Provinces control booze bans, demand sectoral relief, but U.S. offers not enough. Read more

    Canada, U.S. far apart on tariff deal as deadline looms: sources

    CBC: Canada and the U.S. remain far apart as negotiations toward a tariff deal continue ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest deadline, according to sources. Read more

    City of London members’ slave trade links revealed

    BBC: A “leaked” report has revealed that members of the governing body of London’s Square Mile were “instrumental” in England’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Read more

    India, Southern African customs bloc revive trade pact talks

    Reuters: India and ‌the five-member Southern African Customs Union signed terms of reference on Wednesday to start talks on a preferential trade agreement, as New Delhi seeks lower tariffs on exports including cars, pharmaceuticals and industrial machinery. Read more

    Trump administration to impose tariffs on drone imports, White House says

    Reuters: President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will impose tariffs on imports of drones and their components, including from some key U.S. allies, with the Trump administration saying the country was “too reliant” ​on foreign sources of drones. Read more

    Brazil opens reciprocity process against US over tariffs

    Reuters: The Brazilian government has opened a process that could result in the adoption ​of reciprocal measures against the United States ‌in response to tariffs recently imposed by Washington on the country’s goods, it said in a Thursday statement. Read more

    Thank you for reading the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest, a product of the Caribbean Trade and Development blog. If you found this edition useful, subscribe to our Blog to ensure you never miss a weekly update.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – March 1-7, 2026

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – March 1-7, 2026

    Dear Reader,

    Welcome to our Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week March 1 – 7, 2026!

    📌THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    Below are this week’s headlines!

    US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has stated that the 15% global tariff under section 122 of the Trade Act, 1974, will be implemented some time in the coming days.

    A coalition of 24 U.S. states filed a lawsuit arguing the tariff exceeds presidential authority and infringes on Congress’s control over trade policy.

    A U.S. trade court ordered the government to start refunding more than $130 billion in tariffs previously ruled unlawful. Thousands of companies have filed for refunds.

    🌴CARIBBEAN AND HEMISPHERIC TRADE STORIES

    Minister: Becoming part of Mercosur would benefit T&T

    Daily Express: Trinidad and Tobago’s potential membership in the South American trade bloc Mercosur (short for Spanish Mercado Común del Sur, or Southern Common Market) could bring significant benefits, according to Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers. Read more

    Trump threatens Cuba again, says island nation may face ‘friendly takeover’

    Al Jazeera: United States President Donald Trump has signalled that his administration is still pursuing a government overthrow in Cuba even as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its second week. Read more

    Can Belize Grow Its Cacao Industry Into a Major Export Sector?

    Greater Belize Media: The government of Belize has launched the National Cacao Committee, a new body tasked with driving growth in the country’s cacao industry. Read more

    Belize Records Modest Growth in Niche Agricultural Exports to Asia
    Business, Companies & Organizations

    LoveFM: Belize is gaining encouraging signals on two economic fronts tonight, modest but steady growth in niche agricultural exports to Asia and renewed international attention as a competitive retirement destination in the Caribbean. Read more

    Afreximbank raises CARICOM financing cap to $5 billion to accelerate regional transformation

    Afreximbank: Pan African Multilateral Bank, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has announced a major expansion of its engagement with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), increasing its regional financing limit from US$3 billion over the next four years. Read more

    Worrell: Barbados can’t get cheaper oil deals in CARICOM as regional trade still in US dollars

    Barbados Today: Former Central Bank Governor Dr Delisle Worrell has warned that Barbados should abandon any expectation of getting cheaper oil deals from its Caribbean partners, since oil and fuel trade within CARICOM is priced and paid for in US dollars — just like imports from the United States or India. Read more

    Bessent says global 15% tariff starts this week, predicts Trump duties will return to old levels later this year

    CNBC: President Donald Trump’s recently announced 15% global tariff will likely be implemented sometime this week, rising from its current rate of 10%, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday. Read more

    US trade court orders tariff refunds in setback for Trump administration

    BBC: A federal judge has cleared the way for thousands of businesses to receive refunds for tariffs that the US Supreme Court struck down last month. Read more

    Small business owners doubt they’ll see refunds after supreme court invalidates Trump’s tariffs

    Guardian: Ruling could free $175bn, but legal hurdles and higher costs have left businesses questioning if claims are even worth it. Read more

    Judge rules companies are entitled to refunds for Trump tariffs overturned by the Supreme Court

    NBC: In a defeat for the Trump administration, the U.S. Court of International Trade said all “importers of record” were “entitled to benefit” from the ruling against the sweeping tariffs. Read more

    Mexican companies eager to keep USMCA treaty, report shows

    Reuters: Mexican businesses are eager to maintain ​a trilateral trade agreement with the United States and Canada that is up for review this year, according ‌to a report summarizing Mexico’s public consultation, released on Monday. Read more

    📢 STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO!

    Coordinators of Plastics Dialogue ready ministerial statement and other outcomes for MC14

    The coordinators of the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP) on 6 March finalized the ministerial statement for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled to take place on 26-29 March in Cameroon. The statement was first introduced by the co coordinators in November 2025 and has been continuously updated to reflect members’ perspectives following intensive consultations. Read more

    Chair of agriculture talks circulates revised draft text, as MC14 outline emerges

    The Chair of the negotiations on agriculture, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain (Pakistan), has circulated a revised draft text ahead of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March. Most WTO members welcomed the draft as a basis for consensus at a meeting of the negotiating body on 6 March, although a couple of members said they do not find it acceptable in its current form. Read more

    DG Okonjo-Iweala urges members to explore new ways to revitalize WTO at South-South event

    Speaking at the 8th South-South Dialogue on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) and Development on 6 March in Geneva, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the importance of members’ work to reform the WTO in the run-up to the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) to be held on 26-29 March. She acknowledged the progress they have made in addressing LDCs’ trade priorities and encouraged LDCs to continue pursuing their trade interests. Read more

    Ahead of Women’s Day, WEIDE Fund announces US$ 1.76-million grants to women-led businesses

    To mark the upcoming International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund on 6 March announced its plans to disburse US$ 1.76 million in grants in the first quarter of 2026 to benefit 219 women-led enterprises in the Dominican Republic, Mongolia and Nigeria. The first disbursement sets in motion the innovative design of the WEIDE Fund, which introduces a new model of grant financing supported by technical assistance and exposure to a multistakeholder ecosystem for enterprises. Read more

    EU contributes EUR 75,000 to support LDC participation at MC14

    The European Union has contributed EUR 75,000 (approximately CHF 69,500) to support the participation of government officials from least developed countries (LDCs) at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), to be held from 26 to 29 March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The contribution aims to ensure broad and inclusive participation in the WTO’s highest decision making body. Read more

    WTO members conclude month-long reform discussions in Geneva

    WTO members on 5 March completed a series of meetings dedicated to advancing work on WTO reform. Over the past month, members have exchanged views on a draft ministerial statement and a work plan intended to frame the scope of reform efforts following the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) on 26-29 March. They also finalized preparations for the ministerial level political discussion on reform to be held at MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The reform facilitator, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, described the exchanges as substantive, thoughtful and conducted throughout in a positive spirit. Read more

    EU contributes EUR 1 million to strengthen trade capacity in developing economies, LDCs

    The European Union is contributing EUR 1 million (approximately CHF 928,000) to support developing economies including least developed countries (LDCs) in strengthening their participation in the multilateral trading system for 2026–2027. Read more

    Government Procurement Committee discusses GPA implementation, progress in accessions

    At a meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement on 4 March, parties to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) discussed issues concerning GPA implementation and progress in accession negotiations. Parties also elected a new Committee chair, Mr William Westerveld Jensen of Norway. Read more

    Heads of WTO, EIB sign landmark agreement to boost trade and investment

    The WTO Secretariat and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 4 March to enhance sustainable trade and investment worldwide. The agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will leverage the EIB’s financial resources and investment facilitation tools developed under the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement concluded by a large number of WTO members to improve the regulatory environment, unlock investment and expand opportunities for developing countries. Read more

    WTO members consider new e-commerce proposal and previous submissions ahead of MC14

    At a meeting on the Work Programme on E-Commerce on 3 March, WTO members considered a proposal to establish a Committee on Digital Trade as part of a draft decision on e-commerce for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), which will take place from 26 to 29 March in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Members also continued discussions on the reinvigoration of the Work Programme and on the moratorium on the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions on the basis of two other proposals. Read more

    WTO members review five regional trade agreements, discuss transparency issues

    At a meeting of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (CRTA) on 3 March, WTO members reviewed five regional trade agreements (RTAs) involving Comoros, the European Union, Mozambique, Indonesia, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye and the Faroe Islands. They also reviewed other topics relevant to the Committee’s work under the Transparency Mechanism for RTAs. Read more

    🌎 GLOBAL TRADE STORIES

    Voice of Nigeria: Nigeria has intensified efforts to consolidate its leadership under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while strategically positioning itself ahead of the 14th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference. Read more

    EU keeps U.S. trade deal frozen over tariff uncertainty

    Financial Post: Top EU lawmakers on the parliament’s trade committee made the choice on Wednesday, saying they wanted more information from Washington about how it will preserve a 15 per cent ceiling on most EU products — a level both sides agreed to in last summer’s trade pact. Parliament initially halted ratification several days after the ruling. Read more

    Business mobilisation grows to 189 chambers and associations backing WTO reform and Moratorium renewal

    ICC: A growing number of chambers of commerce and business associations from around the world are urging governments to deliver concrete outcomes at the 14th Ministerial Conference of the WTO, as concerns mount over fragmentation in the global trading system. Read more

    China exports surge despite Trump tariffs

    BBC: Official figures show exports jumped by more than 20% in January and February, which is almost three times the rate predicted by economists. It puts the country on track to top the record-breaking annual trade surplus it saw in 2025. Read more

    Indonesia to file suspension of concessions against EU on palm oil dispute in WTO

    Reuters: Indonesia’s trade ministry said on Saturday that the government will file a suspension-of-concessions request ​against the European Union at the World Trade ‌Organization’s (WTO’s) dispute settlement body, citing the block’s failure to meet a WTO ruling in a palm oil case. Read more

    Thank you for reading the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest, a product of the Caribbean Trade and Development blog. If you found this edition useful, subscribe to our Blog to ensure you never miss a weekly update.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

  • The need for a CARICOM Trade and Development Strategy

    The need for a CARICOM Trade and Development Strategy

    Alicia Nicholls

    Last week the European Union (EU), one of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s largest and key trading partners, released a communication outlining what would be the elements of the EU’s new trade strategy over the medium term.

    This article discusses the elements of the new EU trade strategy, but does so as a backdrop to explain why a similar exercise by CARICOM, as well as a comprehensive review of CARICOM’s existing trade agreements, is long overdue.

    The elements of the new EU trade strategy

    The EU has indicated that in light of new internal and external challenges, which include its more sustainable growth model, it will be formulating a new trade policy. According to the Commission’s communication, the EU needs a new trade policy strategy which “will support achieving its domestic and external policy objectives and promote greater sustainability in line with its commitment of fully implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals”.

    The new ‘open, sustainable and assertive’ trade policy would be based on what the Commission has termed ‘Open Strategic Autonomy’. This concept is defined in the EU communication as follows: “Open strategic autonomy emphasises the EU’s ability to make its own choices and shape the world around it through leadership and engagement, reflecting its strategic interests and values”.

    The communication outlines the core objectives of what will be the EU’s new trade policy for the medium term. These are (1) supporting the recovery and fundamental transformation of the EU economy in line with its green and digital objectives; (2) shaping global rules for a more sustainable and fairer globalization and (3) increasing the EU’s capacity to pursue its interests and enforce its rights, including autonomously where needed.

    While the document notes that multilateralism and open trade remain central tenets of the EU’s trade strategy, it strongly hints at the possibility of the EU taking unilateral action on enforcing its rights against what it terms ‘unfair trade practices’. It is likely this assertive tone is aimed at China and the US, in particular.

    To deliver on the objectives of its new trade strategy, the Commission has indicated that it would focus on several deliverables, including “reinforcing the EU’s focus on implementing and enforcing trade agreements, and ensuring a level playing field for EU businesses”.

    Considering the EU’s recognition that the majority of global growth is expected to take place outside of the EU in the coming years, it is not surprising that another deliverable for its new trade policy outlined in the communication is “deepening the EU’s partnerships with neighbouring, enlargement countries and Africa”. The Caribbean is not among the regions prioritized. While it could be argued that this is because of the longstanding relationship between the EU and CARIFORUM under the EU-ACP relationship, many African countries are part of the long-standing EU-ACP relationship as well.

    One of the things the African region has over the Caribbean and why so many countries, including China and now those in the Caribbean, are making greater overtures towards the African continent, is that Africa is clearly one of the new hotspots for global growth. Some African countries, like Rwanda for example, are becoming shining examples of post-conflict growth and development. Moreover, Africa’s growth prospects will be boosted with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which came into effect January 1, 2021 and is currently being operationalized. Meanwhile in the Caribbean, with the exception of Guyana which has benefited from its new oil exporter status, growth among our countries remains lacklustre, beset by several shocks, with the COVID-19 pandemic being one of the latest.

    The need for a CARICOM trade and development strategy

    The EU’s announcement of its new trade strategy made me wonder, and not for the first time, does CARICOM have a trade and development strategy? After several inquiries, I am none the wiser as I am yet to see any public document which outlines a comprehensive CARICOM trade and development strategy.

    Some individual CARICOM Member States, for example Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, have clearly outlined and documented trade policy/strategy documents which can be easily found with a simple Google search. But there is a need for a comprehensive and clearly articulated region-wide strategy for trade and development. Why? Quite simply, we are stronger when we are unified. Among the objectives of the Community outlined under Article 6 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas is the enhanced coordination of Member States’ foreign and foreign economic policies. Enhanced coordination does not mean a requirement to consolidate, but it stems from a recognition that the region is stronger on any given matter of a foreign policy or foreign economic policy nature when our approach is unified. In much the same way, a unified approach on a regional trade and development strategy would be beneficial to the region.

    There was a CARICOM Strategic Plan for the period 2015-2019, which was the first of its kind and which outlines a strategy for repositioning CARICOM, including its trade and investment relations. However, there is no publicly available information, as far as I am aware, on whether the goals under this plan have been achieved or whether its operation was even assessed. Will there be another five year strategic plan? One is certainly needed given the changing realities our countries confront.These are questions that should be easily answered by being able to look on CARICOM’s website.

    A comprehensive CARICOM trade and development strategy is especially important now that it is pellucidly clear that the overreliance on a single sector for economic activity, employment and foreign exchange, which is tourism for most of us, remains a perilous development strategy. It has long been recognised that there is a need to not only diversify our trade through higher value-added goods and services, but expand links with non-traditional partners, such as China, African countries, India and countries of the Middle East. How can our existing trade agreements with current major partners be leveraged to support our goals of export diversification and expansion? Do we need trade agreements with some of our newer partners? How can we better utilise economic diplomacy and our diasporas as part of our trade strategy?

    Any CARICOM trade strategy must be clearly undergirded by the region’s strategic development objectives, and logically linked to an industrial policy. It must complement and not be divorced from strategies to promote MSME growth and internationalization or diaspora engagement. Of course, formulating such a strategy would be an involved process and should involve extensive consultations with key stakeholders both at the regional and national levels, including the private sector, civil society and ordinary citizens. Much could be learned from the process of how the EU does its consultations.

    This brings me to another critique, the lack of transparency which remains a problem in our region. It is not good enough that those of us who follow trade know more about what goes on in other regions, especially the EU through its excellent website and other communications infrastructure, than what happens in CARICOM.

    Although CARICOM has introduced some commendable outputs like its use of social media, weekly video summary of what is happening in the Community and its summary of business news across the region, it would also be helpful to see more substantive information on what is discussed in COTED and COFCOR meetings. The issues discussed in these meetings have an impact on the ordinary CARICOM citizen and it is regrettable that often there are no communiques released after these meetings or where there are, the information usually appears generic with little substance.

    Need for review of CARICOM’s trade agreements

    Lastly, there is also the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the region’s trade agreements in much the same way as I called for a review of our existing bilateral investment treaties in a previous article. CARICOM has partial scope agreements with Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba. It has free trade agreements (FTAs) with the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.  The CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement is CARICOM’s first FTA with a developed country partner, and the CARIFORUM-UK EPA rolls over the provisions of this agreement to cover CARIFORUM-UK trade now that the UK has exited the EU. Most CARICOM countries also benefit from non-reciprocal preferential market access for their goods to the Canadian market through CARIBCAN and to the United States (US) through the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Individual CARICOM countries also have partial scope agreements, often with neighbouring countries in South or Central America.

    Unfortunately, most of the data on the utilization of these agreements are via reports published by our partners, and not through our own publicly available independent studies. In the case of the Caribbean Basin Initiative, we have to rely on the biennial reports published by the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) for data on the operation of that programme.

    In the case of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, it is through the review reports commissioned by the European Commission . The most recent European Commission report on the monitoring of the EPA, though noting some progress with implementation, highlights several remaining implementation deficits. It also shows that the Agreement remains underutilized and that in some cases, there is limited awareness by firms of the existence of the Agreement and the opportunities thereunder. This is despite the many sensitization workshops, seminars and literature conducted and disseminated on the EPA. Why is this? And how can it be fixed?

    An excellent study by McClean and Khadan of 2014, which was published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), found that the situation of under-utilisation is endemic with all of the region’s trade agreements. A key paragraph from the study is deserving of particular attention:

    In spite of the various trade agreements negotiated, CARICOM export performance has not
    improved significantly and there has been little movement up the value chain, particularly since
    subregional economies have been unable to transform their production systems in order to take
    advantage of the market access opportunities provided by these trade arrangements. In addition,
    production and exports of Caribbean goods are extremely specialized and along with its services sectors
    have been declining in competitiveness. (McClean & Khadan 2014)

    Is it not time that CARICOM conduct its own public review of the operation of its trade agreements to empirically ascertain the reasons for the poor utilisation by regional firms of its trade agreements, but also whether these agreements are making any contribution to regional development? Larger countries and regions, like the EU and US, do periodic review of their agreements. I see no reason why we should not be doing the same. Moreover, any report from such a review should be made publicly available.

    In summary, the EU’s recognition of the need to rethink its trade strategy in light of changing economic and geopolitical developments and its more sustainable growth model reiterates why a similar exercise is long overdue in CARICOM.

    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 and Development News Digest – February 14 – 21, 2021

    Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – February 14 – 21, 2021

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest for the week of February 14-21, 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.

    THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    It’s official! Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the new WTO Director General-elect and will assume office on March 1. A well-respected and world-renowned development economist, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will not only become the seventh person to head the WTO, but makes history as the first female and first person from Africa in the role. Noteworthy as well is that Isabelle Durant is now acting Secretary General of UNCTAD. This means that all three of the major organisations focused on global trade – the WTO, UNCTAD and ITC – are now headed by women! To read the statement by Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to a special session of the WTO’s General Council, click here.

    The evaluation report on the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement for the period 2008-2018 has been made public and can now be accessed here.

    This week the EU also released a communication outlining the elements that will comprise its new “open, sustainable and assertive trade strategy” in the mid-term. Read more about it here.

    The US has officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, 107 days after the Trump Administration pulled the country out of the pact. Read my article on this here.

    Coming up this week will be the 32nd Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Trade case filed by Belize against Federation withdrawn from Caribbean Court of Justice

    St Kitts & Nevis Observer: Minister of International Trade et al, the Honourable Wendy Phipps, said diplomacy and negotiations by the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Office of the Solicitor General, St. Kitts and Nevis has been successful in having the Government of Belize, through its Ministry of International Trade, withdraw the recent case from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Read more

    SKNLP: Brown sugar price to rise by 40% in St Kitts and Nevis

    WIC News: The government led by Harris announced in parliament on Thursday 18 February 2021 that the government has now applied a 40% tax on imported brown sugar, which will significantly increase costs for people, alleged St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) in its statement. Read more

    Cabinet approves $50m export booster

    TT Guardian: Cabinet has approved a TT$50 million export booster initiative for the manufacturing sector, the objective of which is to promote exports of manufactured goods. Read more

    No improvements until Customs, industry on same page

    TT Newsday: If the ease of doing business in this country is to improve, facilities involved in the trade, such as Customs, must be on the same page as the industries driving the economy.. This was one of the major takeaways from Amcham’s latest webinar titled Ease of Doing Business – Trade Modernisation on Monday. Read more

    Gopee-Scoon: Steel, feed prices will go down, hopefully

    TT Newsday: Trade minister Paula Gopee-Scoon is hopeful that, as the worldwide demand for items such as steel and key ingredients used to make feed normalises, so will their prices. Read more

    Trade Ministry allocates $20m for SME certification

    TT Newsday: The Trade Ministry, in conjuction with the TT Manufacturers’ Association and ExporTT, on Tuesday launched the National Export Booster Initiative, a suite of 16 programmes to enhance export promotion, capacity building and institutional strengthening within the manufacturing sector. Read more

    Trade Licence Unit modernising operations

    LoopTT: Moving from paper to digital, the Trade Licence Unit (TLU) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry has achieved a significant milestone in its modernisation efforts to further improve T&T’s trade and business environment. Read more

    The Power of Partnership! Local Cocoa and Chocolate Cluster Program Takes Steps to Revolutionize the Industry

    ExportTT: Ubergreen Organics Ltd. is the lead organisation of a newly formed Organic Fine Cocoa and Chocolate Cluster. One of its main goals is to increase excellence and quality within the industry through partnership. Read more

    CET for Panadol not approved

    TT Newsday: Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon has said suspension of the Common External Tariff was sought on hundreds of items, but Panadol was not approved. Read more

    Global testing standards goal set for next year

    Barbados Today: Export-oriented businesses in Barbados, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis will be offered globally standardised testing at domestic laboratories as early as next year, says Daniel Best, Director of Project Department at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Read more

    Developing Barbados’ yachting sector

    BGIS: The development of Barbados’ yachting sector could see the creation of new jobs and possibilities. Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, made this revelation as he disclosed that Government was preparing to take a paper to Cabinet on yachting to improve the sector. Read more

    CARICOM-Canada foreign ministers discuss post COVID-19 economic recovery

    St Kitts & Nevis Observer: Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Foreign Ministers met virtually on February 19 with their Canadian counterpart, the Hon. Marc Garneau, in the first virtual CARICOM-Canada Meeting of Foreign Ministers. St. Kitts and Nevis was represented by Foreign Minister, the Honourable Mark Brantley. Read more

    CARICOM is preparing a joint policy on tourism

    Prensa Latina: The countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are currently working on outlining a joint tourism policy in order to revive this key sector for the region’s economies. Read more

    CARICOM insists on equitable distribution of vaccines

    Cayman Compass: As regional neighbours begin the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, 14 independent CARICOM states have insisted, in a resolution adopted Wednesday, on the equitable distribution of doses. Read more

    CARICOM asks WHO to host meeting on COVID vaccine distribution

    Nation News: The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Thursday reiterated its call for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to host an international summit on distribution of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Read more

    Prime Minister Minnis leads CARICOM meeting on Joint Tourism Policy

    CARICOM: Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis chaired the First Meeting of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Tourism to discuss the development of a Joint Tourism Policy for CARICOM. Read more

    Connecting & Collaborating: Establishing New Business Relationships

    Now Grenada: Address by Prime Minister of Grenada Dr The Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell at the Virtual Caribbean Business Forum – Connecting & Collaborating: Establishing New Business Relationships, 17 February 2021. Read more

    OECS to facilitate high-level WTO fisheries workshop

    MENAFN: With the support of the Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission will be convening a high-level workshop on the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) fisheries subsidies negotiations on February 24-25, 2021. Read more

    Regional forum on supply chain management

    Barbados Today: Global trade is in flux, and Caribbean companies are facing huge risks. The big question is: How will they plan for future disruptions, and adapt to more agile systems? To answer this, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Five Islands Campus, in Antigua and Barbuda, will be hosting “Supply Chain Management and Logistics in a Post-COVID-19 Caribbean” on Monday, February 22, 2021, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Eastern Caribbean time). Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Building back better requires more women in international trade

    Globe and Mail History is being made as Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and first African to ever lead the 26-year-old World Trade Organization (WTO). As the world grapples with how to “build back better,” a female director-general steering the global trading ship sends a powerful message: The world needs better trade outcomes and trade needs women on board. Read more

    Brexit: Are freight exports to the EU back to normal?

    BBC: The government says the volume of freight exports from Great Britain to the European Union has returned to normal, in spite of the new post-Brexit barriers to trade with the EU, and restrictions related to the pandemic. Read more

    Ports feel the chill as trade re-routes around Brexit Britain

    Guardian: In Holyhead, traffic has fallen 50% as hauliers stymied by Brexit find their way from Ireland to France without entering the UK. Read more

    The EU says it’s going to get tough on trade — and that could have ramifications for U.S., China

    CNBC: The European Union will take a new approach to international trade, recognizing that it’s time to stand up for itself after challenging times with countries like the U.S. Read more

    How European businesses are adapting to Brexit

    BBC: It’s been almost two months since the UK’s post-Brexit free trade deal with the EU came into effect. Under the new rules, European companies must directly pay UK sales tax, or VAT, on sales under £135 (€155; $190), so they now have to register and file quarterly declarations with the UK authorities. Other changes include customs declarations and additional paperwork. So how have they adapted so far and what impact have the changes had? 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

    EU trade chief warns Biden over ‘Buy American’ push

    Politico.EU: Valdis Dombrovskis says EU will track whether US is straying outside WTO commitments. Read more

    Here’s why China’s trade deal with Mauritius matters

    World Economic Forum: 2021 marks the start of two important trade policy developments in Africa. Firstly, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has been signed by 54 of 55 African Union member states and ratified by 31 so far. Read more

    India, Mauritius trade agreement receives green light from Cabinet

    New Indian Express: In such agreements, the two trading partners cut or eliminate duties on a host of products besides liberalising norms to promote services trade. Read more

    RCEP free trade deal will have no major impact on US soybean, corn exports to China: USDA

    Hellenic Shipping News: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the world’s largest free trade pact that China joined in late 2020 and which will likely take effect from mid-2021, will not have any major impact on US soybean and corn exports to China in the near future, the US Department of Agriculture said Feb. 17. Read more

    Canada, Indonesia Trade Talks Begin for Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

    ASEAN Briefing: On January 11, 2021, Canada’s Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade, Mary Ng, announced that the country has launched public consultations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indonesia. Read more

    Wamkele Mene: ‘AfCFTA is going to be difficult but we’ve got to do it’

    The Africa Report: The AfCFTA secretary general talks to The Africa Report about the continental trade bloc’s January launch, forging value chains and diplomatic challenges ahead. Read more

    Private sector firms join push for AfCFTA agenda

    The East African: Private sector lobbies in Africa’s six regional trading blocs have formed the African Business Council, a continental umbrella body to spearhead the business agenda for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Read more

    Six Reasons why Africa’s new free trade area is a global game changer

    Namibia Economist: Launched on 1 January, the AfCFTA is an exciting game changer. Currently, Africa accounts for just 2% of global trade. And only 17% of African exports are intra-continental, compared with 59% for Asia and 68% for Europe. Read more

    Nigeria AfCFTA committee begins sensitisation on new trade agreement

    Business a.m.: The National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has flagged off a nationwide awareness and sensitisation tour targeted at placing Nigeria in a favourable position in the AfCFTA agreement. Read more

    How the AfCFTA impacts China-Africa trade relations

    CNBC Africa; The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement which launched operations on the 1st of January this year aims to accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s trading position in the global market. Read more

    Ukraine, Japan start to negotiate free trade agreement

    Kyiv Post: Ukraine has started negotiating a free trade agreement with Japan with the aim of abolishing most import duties to strengthen their economic ties. Read more

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