Caribbean Trade Law and Development

Tag: trade

  • What lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM Secretary-General?

    What lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM Secretary-General?

    Photo credit: CARICOM (Photo of incoming CARICOM SG, Dr. Carla Barnett)

    Alicia Nicholls

    On August 15, 2021, Dr. Carla Barnett will formally assume office as the eighth Secretary-General (SG) of the forty-eight year old Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Although Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite briefly acted as SG during the period January-August 2011, Dr. Barnett will be the first female and Belizean to be appointed to this position. She was selected unanimously by the Conference of Heads of Government at a virtual special meeting held on May 11, and succeeds regional stalwart Ambassador Irwin Larocque of Dominica whose second term is coming to an end.

    Dr. Barnett joins a growing pantheon of distinguished women to lead international trade organisations and groupings at a time of mounting global uncertainty. A well-respected economist, she will be at the helm of the Caribbean’s foremost regional bloc which is fighting a number of proverbial fires of both endogenous and exogenous origin. This article discusses what lies ahead for the incoming CARICOM SG and some ways in which she might be able to make a difference within the confines of her position.

    The role of the SG

    The CARICOM SG heads the CARICOM Secretariat based in Georgetown, Guyana as outlined in Article 23 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). Article 24(2) of the RTC provides, inter alia, that the SG is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community. He or she is not an all-powerful figure, however. The SG’s role is primarily administrative as it is the Conference of the Heads of Government that is not just the supreme organ of the Community but determines and provides policy direction to the Community as per Article 12 (1) &(2) of the RTC.

    Among the tasks assigned to the SG under Article 23 is to make an annual report to the Conference on the work of the Community. The tasks outlined in Article 24(2) of the RTC include, for instance, that the SG represents the Community. It also assigns to the SG various other functions broadly associated with implementing Community decisions and achieving Community objectives. His or her functions throughout the RTC are often exercised in conjunction with, or on the direction of the competent organs or the Conference.

    The SG is supposed to be independent in the exercise of his or her functions. That is, Article 23(4) forbides the SG and staff from seeking or receiving instructions from any Government of the Member States or from any other authority external to the Community in the performance of their duties.

    There is also the ‘soft power’ that the SG holds. For instance, the SG is tasked under Article 26 with assisting the Community Council in collaboration with competent authorities of the Member States to establish and maintain an efficient system of consultations at the national and regional levels in order to enhance the decision-making process in the Community. Under Article 191, disputant Member States can also use the good offices of a third party, including the SG, to settle their dispute, for example.

    The road ahead

    Dr. Barnett will be assuming office at a time of unprecedented social and economic challenges for the Community – some endogenous and others exogenous in origin, some longstanding and others of newer vintage. She will be heading an intergovernmental organization whose Member States are all classified as Small Island Developing States and whose pre-COVID-19 realities included generally low growth rates, limited export diversification, a rising incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and high vulnerabilities to macroeconomic and weather-related shocks. Member States continue to battle the climate crisis, arbitrary blacklisting from metropolitan countries in the areas of tax and anti-money laundering/terrorist financing (AML/CFT) matters, border disputes, and the list goes on.

    These longstanding issues are further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brings with it the attendant issue of access inequalities caused by richer nations’ hoarding of COVID-19 vaccines and placing export restrictions on needed medical supplies. While it is hoped that the worst of the health crisis provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic will be over by August, it is evident that the economic and social effects will be with us for some time. All independent CARICOM Member States, with the exception of newly oil-rich Guyana, saw economic contractions in 2020. Unemployment and under-employment, especially among the youth, remains a chronic problem, while crime remains a concern. COVID-19 has given greater urgency to regional calls for debt forgiveness and expanded criteria for access to concessional financing.

    CARICOM as an organisation itself confronts enduring issues which have been well-documented in a lengthy list of reports and studies, including the 1992 ‘Time for Action’ Report of the Ramphal Commission, the Golding Report commissioned by the Government of Jamaica and the recently released draft report of the CARICOM Commission on the Economy.  There are persistent concerns over CARICOM’s implementation deficit, the suitability of its current governance model and its ‘top down’ approach, the need for greater transparency of CARICOM’s work, enhanced and meaningful engagement of ordinary citizens and civil society, and even questions over CARICOM’s continued relevance. While the sentiment is a bit unfair, the average man or woman on the street is generally of the opinion that CARICOM either does ‘nothing’ or decisions made do not meaningfully impact livelihoods

    How can the SG make a difference?

    The power to make the bold and transformative change that CARICOM needs does not rest with the SG, but with the Member States themselves. However, an SG with a strong vision and the necessary technical and soft skills can parlay these into helping to effect the change so greatly needed.  Dr. Barnett brings to the post an impressive resume  of qualifications, expertise and experience which make her well-suited and equipped for tackling the enormity of the tasks ahead. She is a well-respected economist who has held several key ministerial positions in the Belizean government and in financial institutions in that country, including former deputy governor of the Belize Central Bank. She was also a former Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM.

    It is timely that Dr. Barnett will be taking office when the draft report of the CARICOM Commission on the Economy has been published. The report outlines the findings of an eminent group comprised of both regional and extra-regional luminaries and headed by noted economist and finance expert Prof. Avinash Persaud. The Commissioners propose a 12-point plan.

    Unlike the process with the selection of the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Director-General where we had the benefit of successive statements and videos in which the candidates outlined their visions for the WTO and answered questions publicly on their plans and positions, there is regrettably no similar publicly accessible exercise for the CARICOM SG.

    However, in scouring the internet, I was able to come across a few articles which give some insight into Dr. Barnett’s vision. In the press release announcing Belize’s nomination of Barnett, she is quoted as stating her vision for CARICOM as follows:

    “a Caricom that the ordinary woman and man will defend because they feel the impact in their daily lives through economic and social advancement that comes from community action”.

    Based on this statement, it is clear that Dr. Barnett supports greater citizen involvement and engagement in the regional process and the need for enhanced community action for economic and social impact that permeates down to the man or woman on the street.

    There are some ways in which the new SG can make a difference, such as to the extent possible, promoting greater transparency of the Secretariat’s operations, the status of Member States’ implementation of decisions and the availability of up-to-date disaggregated statistics. For instance, what is the status of each Member States’ implementation of decisions made? This information should be in reports easily accessible by the public.

    The new SG can find ways to improve engagement, awareness and interest by the ordinary CARICOM citizen in the work of CARICOM and the opportunities the regional integration process present. With few exceptions, such as the CSME Townhalls or by following CARICOM’s website or social media, there are limited  opportunities for the average CARICOM citizen to learn what is happening in regional bodies or have their voices heard in regional decision-making. Even so, improvements can be made in what and how the information is disseminated and the channels through which it is done.

    As I conclude, I wish to applaud the excellent work being done by the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors. I particularly want to highlight the two Barbadian ambassadors Java Sealy and Meagan Theobalds, who have hit the ground running in continuing the work of their successors to raise the profile of CARICOM among the youth who are the inheritors of this region. The unquenchable enthusiasm and passion of young persons like these two is needed for any organization or regional movement to thrive and advance. As such, the establishment of a CARICOM Young Professionals Programme, similar to those offered by other organisations around the world, would be a value-added to CARICOM and perhaps something the incoming SG could champion.  

    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.

  • COVID-19: Side Effects on the World

    COVID-19: Side Effects on the World

    Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

    Renaldo Weekes, Guest Contributor

    Renaldo Weekes, Guest Contributor

    COVID-19 has been characterised by the disruption of many systems and procedures that the world uses to conduct business and everyday life. It follows, then, that the global economy took a severe hit when the virus spread across the world and forced many countries to close their borders and businesses to halt or slow their operations. Many began to ponder how countries, especially Small Open Economies (SOEs), would survive. Now that a year has passed since the start of the pandemic, many are eager to return to the life we once had.  Though this is possible with the availability of vaccines, there is no doubt that COVID-19 has left a scar on the world that may never be healed. In assessing this, we must consider the ways in which trade is impacted. Namely, through scams and Anti-Money Laundering (AML), tourism and immigration, and the acceleration of technological trends.

    Scams and Anti-Money Laundering

    Scams are schemes used to swindle money out of unsuspecting persons. The money gained from scams are laundered through the bank system in order to legitimize it. AML seeks to prevent the act of laundering money. In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, government agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have warned that fraudsters are sending phishing emails, posing as government agencies promising to provide aid in exchange for access to bank accounts.

    As many countries and businesses are slow to recover from the pandemic, many persons remain desperate and vulnerable to scammers who continue to exploit the situation. In light of the increase in scam activity at a time when Governments are hyper focused on providing relief, it is imperative that AML procedures are enforced to ensure that fraudsters do not slip by. National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States (US) reported that so many business requested assistance that the government could not properly vet who actually needed assistance and thus, many fraudsters slipped by. How does this relate to trade?

    Trade is driven by businesses and individuals located in different countries buying from or selling to each other. AML procedures can persuade persons seeking to do business in other countries. They indicate a jurisdiction’s commitment to stopping money laundering which can be used for things such as acts such as terrorism. Persons must be sure that their assets are safe. Scammers’ abilities to continually slip through the cracks during this crisis unscathed may serve as an indication of weak enforcement of AML procedures. Reviews of internal procedures must be prioritized. This issue is more likely to affect countries with an already undesirable AML rating, especially those that may have had the unfortunate privilege of being included on lists such as the European Union’s (EU) list of non-cooperative jurisdictions. Such lists can restrict foreign investment which is especially important to SOEs.

    Tourism and Immigration

    Tourism and immigration are two aspects of trade that are sometimes overlooked. Tourism is only associated with vacationing families and immigration associated with persons moving from one country to another permanently. However, there is more to these two areas. Tourism and immigration are predicated on the movement of people across borders and the pandemic has hindered this significantly, but how does this affect trade? We will consider tourism first. Tourism is defined by the UNWTO as “a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes.” It “has to do with their activities” which involves “tourism expenditure.” This definition notes that tourists travel for business, and contribute to expenditure. A paper entitled ‘Tourism and Trade: A Global Agenda for Sustainable Development’ notes that tourism counts as an export for the destination country and import for the tourists country of origin.

    Tourism expenditure directly involves several companies such as hotels, travel agencies and tour companies, and self-employed persons who focus on tourists. Indirectly, tourism involves companies that provide services to the aforementioned companies. Part of their success depends on the success of those directly impacted by tourism. It is no secret that tourism is major source of revenue for SOEs, especially those in the Caribbean. A decline in a major revenue earner for SOEs counts toward a decrease in their exports and leads to the disruption of the value chains that exist between companies that are involved in tourism.

    In addition to this, tourists aid building the brand of a country. Not only the for the sake of leisure but for the sake of investments. Each product they return home with, review of services and other infrastructure gives insight into the country. Tourists themselves can turn into possible investors. Being physically in a country provides experiences that online-only services cannot provide.

    With this coming to a sudden halt during 2020 and some countries struggling to fully reopen, it remains a struggle to regain ground for those that rely on tourism. Though the distribution of vaccines seems promising, there are reports of a third wave of the pandemic in some parts of the world. This third wave will likely result in the reinstatement of lockdowns which will further hinder the regrowth of tourism. The institution of a vaccine passport is another hindrance as those unable to receive the vaccine will not be able to travel. This is especially for those who live in relatively poor countries that must rely on the COVAX facility and the generosity of wealthier nations for vaccine doses.   

    Immigration

    Immigration, being similar to tourism in terms of the movement of people, is affected in many of the same ways as tourism. Closed borders and the institution of a vaccine passport limit rates of tourism and immigration alike. This notwithstanding, immigration affects trade and concomitant supply links in other in its own ways. Firstly, immigrants add to the number of workers within a country and this increases the capacity of businesses and investment since there would be, in theory, more productivity. Added to this is the fact that immigrants are willing to do jobs that natural born citizens of a country may not be willing to do. For example, immigrants in America perform jobs that native born Americans opt out of. This being the case, immigrants contribute greatly to the export of commodities such as agriculture as this sector is likely to be filled with immigrant workers.

    Secondly, immigrants forge links to their home country in their destination country. Immigrants have family and friends in their home country that they send remittances and other products to. In turn, they import products from their home country that may not be otherwise available in their new home. This diasporic link contributes to businesses that specially target immigrants. Recognizing the contributions that immigrants make to both their home country and their resident country, any downturn in immigration can hinder the growth of these trade links.  

    Acceleration of technological trends

    Before the pandemic began, certain practices within the global economy were trending either upward or downward. One such practice that was trending upward was the reliance on technology. The worldwide spread of COVID has pushed a work from home initiative that has made technology more of a necessity in our lives. Many businesses and governments were forced to have more online presence and reshape their operations to have more technological focus. The benefits of this include more fluidity in logistics and operations as there would be less administrative overhead. This translates to better trade fluidity since efficiency would be increased. This is especially important for SOEs that heavily rely on trade. They must have a state of the art customs system that facilitates fluid importation and exportation that serve as the lifeline of the country.

    Conclusion

    While most persons are concerned with the side effects of the coronavirus on the body, the pandemic itself will prove to have variety of side effects on the global economy at large. It may have been obvious to the majority of persons that the world would have been forced to change as result of a pandemic that has pushed the boundaries of our systems and made reconsider things once considered impossible. However, some persons may not have considered the specific ways in which the world would be changed, especially international trade. In light of increasing scams related directly the pandemic, the current limits placed on tourism and immigration, and the acceleration of trends that were already in place, it is imperative that persons be ready for the stresses and permanent changes that are in place or will be put in place as we prepare to leave COVID behind once and for all and rebuild our society and economy.

    Renaldo Weekes is a holder of a BSc. (Sociology and Law) who observes international affairs from his humble, small island home. He has keen interest in how countries try to maneuver across the international political and legal stage.

    The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the guest author and are not necessarily representative of those of the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog.

    SOURCES

    FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WARNING – https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2021/01/business-owners-latest-covid-scam-directed-you

    NPR – https://www.npr.org/2020/10/28/928792199/billions-in-covid-19-relief-loans-may-have-been-handed-out-to-scammers-report-sa

    TOURISM DEFINITION – https://www.unwto.org/glossary-tourism-terms

    TOURISM AS TRADE – https://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/Tourism_and_Trade__low%20res_2014-2015-335.pdf

    DO IMMIGRANTS STEAL JOBS? – https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2017/08/24/do-immigrants-steal-jobs-from-american-workers/

  • Barbados announces Post-COVID-19 Foreign Policy and Trade Strategy

    Barbados announces Post-COVID-19 Foreign Policy and Trade Strategy

    Alicia Nicholls

    Barbados will make expanding trade levels and deepening cooperation with both traditional and non-traditional partners central planks of its post-COVID-19 economic recovery strategy. These goals were announced as part of a suite of foreign policy and foreign trade initiatives elaborated by Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senator Dr. The Hon. Jerome Walcott in a COVID-19 press briefing held on Saturday, March 13, 2021.

    Among these new initiatives is the opening of new diplomatic missions, including in Ghana, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. The Kenya mission, which will be a joint Caricom mission, will be accredited to the United Nations office in Kenya and to other East African countries.

    Commercial diplomacy will be an important tool in the Government’s tool kit with the announcement of the appointment of a Commercial and Cultural Officer for the new High Commission in Ghana and a Diaspora Officer for the UK mission. The Minister also noted that commercial attaches will be deployed in other missions over time.

    The new strategy will see greater use of digital technologies in Barbados’ diplomatic engagement efforts and greater focus on leveraging the Barbados diaspora, particularly for harnessing investment, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

    Barbados will be deepening its relationships with traditional partners such as other CARICOM Member States, the US and Europe. There will be a focus as well on developing closer relationships with non-traditional partners in the EU.

    South-South cooperation will continue to be a priority for Barbados as it cultivates relationships with newer partners such as China and countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Barbados will also deploy a Latin America strategy and will leverage its Panama Embassy.

    Additionally, Barbados will continue to promote the principles of multilateralism, diplomacy and cooperation. It will work with all interested partners, particularly on issues of deep development significance to the island and region such as climate change, debt and the development of a multidimensional vulnerability index for determining eligibility for concessional aid and other development assistance.

    Barbados’ focus on trade as part of its recovery efforts is a welcomed and not surprising step. Barbados is a small open economy highly dependent on the import of products and running continuous trade deficits.

    The Covid-19 shock was a body blow to an economy that is already undergoing a homegrown IMF-sanctioned economic recovery and transformation programme but has so far been performing well according to the programme targets. The Covid-19 induced sudden drop in tourist arrivals was a significant factor in the economy’s near 18% contraction in 2020, according to the Central Bank of Barbados Review of the Barbados Economy for 2020. While tourism is unlikely to be replaced as the country’s main foreign exchange earner anytime soon, what is indeed needed is the expansion of exports in other sectors, particularly high-value added sectors.

    The focus on trade expansion however must be moored to a coherent and well-articulated development strategy if it is to achieve the objective of contributing to a resilient, inclusive and sustainable post-Covid-19 recovery. It must be supported by and linked to equally coherent industrial and investment policies. After all, we do not seek to increase trade just for its sake but with the aim of promoting development through greater job creation, foreign exchange inflows, promotion of economic activity and poverty alleviation.

    I personally eagerly look forward to the implementation of these initiatives. I also hope there will be data available so evidence-based monitoring and evaluation of the policies can be done to ascertain their efficacy.

    For further information, please see this press release and a link to the recorded statement by Minister Walcott on the Barbados Government Information Service website here.

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B is an international trade and development specialist. Read more of her commentaries here or follow her on Twitter @licylaw. All views expressed herein are her personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of any institution or entity with which she may from time to time be affiliated.

  • 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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