Articles by language
7-Nov-2008
US business leaders are urging President-elect Barack Obama to withdraw his opposition to free trade agreements. Obama has opposed bilateral FTAs without market protection measures and has asked for improvements in the labor practices of partner countries.
7-Nov-2008
Institutional development is considered important in empowering the Southern African Customs Union’s (Sacu’s) secretariat to play a significant role in regional policy development and the associated policy-making structures.
7-Nov-2008
European carmakers have attacked a proposed trade agreement with South Korea, claiming that it is lopsided and sacrifices their interests for the benefit of Europe’s services industries.
7-Nov-2008
Foreign Ministers from all 43 states of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, known as the Barcelona Process, met in Marseille on Monday and Tuesday to endorse plans for the mandate, structure and institutional governance of the process. The initiative, launched at the Paris Summit in July, aims at injecting a renewed political momentum into the EU’s relations with the Mediterranean states through the reinforcement of shared ownership and the achievement of wider visibility through a far-reaching program of projects.
7-Nov-2008
Seven Sadc member countries met in Lilongwe on Tuesday to strategise on creating a regional platform for informal cross border traders who would work to ensure that trade integration in southern Africa benefits poor people at regional level.
6-Nov-2008
The figures are undoubtedly impressive. A total combined gross domestic product (GDP) in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms of more than $5,28- trillion, or 8% of the total global PPP GDP of over $65,6-trillion. A total population of more than 1,39-billion people, or just under 21% of the global population of more than 6,7-billion. These numbers show the combined weight of India, Brazil and South Africa (Ibsa), the three member countries of the Ibsa Dialogue Forum.
6-Nov-2008
Malaysia is looking forward to resuming the stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the incoming US administration.
6-Nov-2008
A high-ranking government official has hinted that the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) may resume free trade talks with the US following the election of Democratic candidate Barack Obama to America’s high office. Trade and Industry Director-General, Tshediso Matona, says Obama’s election can result in a mutually beneficial trade term with the US.
6-Nov-2008
Asian countries should be prepared for intensified trade protectionism under US president-elect Barack Obama as he seeks to revive the world’s largest economy, according to economists.
6-Nov-2008
A broad U.S. business coalition urged President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday to drop his opposition to a free trade pact with Colombia and work with Congress to approve it and a second agreement with Panama this year.
6-Nov-2008
Bahraini businesses and commercial establishments are to be trained by United Nations experts on making the best use of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.
6-Nov-2008
Malaysia will study policies to be introduced by new President-elect Barack Obama before deciding whether to resume the stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the United States.
6-Nov-2008
Over the last few days we have been talking about various issues, be it business, be it IT outsourcing or the way the American campaign is looking at India an the rising power of Indian voters. But as we go into the period post the election verdict the big questions will be who takes the bold steps on the multilateral trade talks, the WTO aspect, and the Form subsidy aspect.
6-Nov-2008
A delegation of Panamanian trade officials was in Ottawa last week to launch free-trade negotiations with the Canadian government. The first round of negotiations came after a successful "exploratory process," including one meeting in Ottawa in May and another in Panama City in July. The Canadians also undertook a month-long consultation with Canada’s provinces and territories as well as with businesses, industry associations and the public.
6-Nov-2008
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand established in 1997 is a $810 billion economy, sharing about 22% of world population and 3.64% of surface area. After a gap of three years, India is going to host the second BIMSTEC summit during November 11-13, 2008 at New Delhi. The last summit was held in Bangkok in 2004. The summit-level meeting in BIMSTEC was delayed mainly due to political reasons and non-cooperation of some of the member countries.
6-Nov-2008
Pakistan has so far signed three Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), of which trade balance with two countries is in negative while the remaining one shows marginal growth.
5-Nov-2008
Twenty six African countries, a single market and open borders that allow persons to move across freely and conduct business. That was the vision of the Tripartite Summit that took place in Kampala last week. President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania called it “a landmark summit for a landmark decision” while President Yoweri Museveni said it was “historic”.
5-Nov-2008
Botswana is cautiously optimistic about the on going Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that are being negotiated between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community, despite some snags.
5-Nov-2008
There is a Slovak proverb which says: “When catching a bird, they sing it a sweet song”. Another Slovak proverb says: “Those who want to beat a dog will certainly find a club“. For investors who find themselves in a situation similar to that described by these proverbs, the bilateral investment treaties (“BITs”) very often provide the last available legal option. A BIT is an agreement establishing the terms and conditions for private investment by nationals and companies of one state in the state of the other.
5-Nov-2008
US President-elect Barack Obama has acknowledged his government faces huge economic challenges and more tough times ahead.
