Conclude Doha: it matters!

AbstractThe Doha Round must be concluded not because it will produce dramatic liberalization but because it will create greater security of market access. Its conclusion would strengthen, symbolically and substantively, the WTO's valuable role in restraining protectionism. What is on the table would constrain the scope for tariff protection in all goods, ban agricultural export subsidies in the industrial countries and sharply reduce the scope for distorting domestic support – by 70% in the EU and 60% in the US. Average farm tariffs that exporters face would fall to 12% (from 14.5%) and the tariffs on exports of manufactures to less than 2.5% (from about 3%). There are also environmental benefits to be captured, in particular disciplining the use of subsidies that encourage over-fishing and lowering tariffs on technologies that can help mitigate global warming. An agreement to facilitate trade by cutting red tape will further expand trade opportunities. Greater market access for the least-developed countries will result from the ‘duty free and quota free’ proposal and their ability to take advantage of new opportunities will be enhanced by the Doha-related ‘aid for trade’ initiative. Finally, concluding Doha would create space for multilateral cooperation on critical policy matters that lie outside the Doha Agenda, most urgently the trade policy implications of climate change mitigation.

Download Full-text

Agricultural Export Subsidies and Domestic Support Reform under the WTO System: What Does It Mean for Welfare in West Africa?

The World Economy ◽

10.1002/9781118321362.ch4 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 61-79

Author(s):

John Alexander Nuetah ◽

Ting Zuo ◽

Xin Xian

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Agricultural Export ◽

Export Subsidies ◽

Domestic Support

Download Full-text

The Generalized System of Preferences of the United States: Does It Promote Industrialization and Economic Growth in Least Developed Countries?

The Law and Development Review ◽

10.2202/1943-3867.1000 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Caf Dowlah

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Market Access ◽

Developed Countries ◽

The United States ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Less Developed Countries ◽

Least Developed Countries ◽

Generalized System ◽

Generalized System Of Preferences

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)a system of differential and favorable trade arrangements toward less developed countries, adopted by the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT)has been around since the early 1970s. A primary objective of these schemes has been to promote industrialization and economic growth in less developed countries through trade rather than aid. The outcome of such programs has, however, been mixed. This paper identifies some of the underlying political and economic dynamics which led to the dismal performance of the GSP schemes of the United States in respect to the industrialization and economic growth of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The paper suggests that the effectiveness of GSP schemes could be significantly improved if they were brought under the binding WTO rules, if greater resources were directed to removing supply constraints in the LDCs, and if developed countries granted unwavering market access to LDC exports.

Download Full-text

Policy design: Perspectives of innovation from Digital Bangladesh

10.21203/rs.3.rs-897241/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hasanuzzaman Zaman

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Design Thinking ◽

Policy Design ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Digital Transformation ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Least Developed Countries ◽

Developed Country ◽

Public Sector Managers ◽

Donor Agencies

Abstract Despite recording high-levels of corruption persistently, some governments in least developed countries have recently achieved impressive online transformation level, through electronic or e-Governance implementation. What explains the digital transformation of these governments? In particular, how did such governments with little or no knowledge on digital governance policies, embark upon the e-Governance path? The article analyzes how Bangladesh, a least developed country, is experimenting with design thinking policies for e-Governance implementation. It combines survey data from a design thinking led empathy training program with secondary literature and interviews with top-level bureaucrats and representatives from international donor agencies. The results support the thesis regarding the importance of design thinking policies and strategies in motivating public sector managers to engage in digital transformation efforts. We discuss the policy implications for practitioners and scholars working in the area of designing policies such as capacity building training programs, for public sector managers to implement citizen-centric innovations.

Download Full-text

Livestock in the Food Debate

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195397772.013.024 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Purvi Mehta-Bhatt ◽

Pier Paolo Ficarelli

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Food Security ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Industrial Countries ◽

Livestock Sector ◽

Pros And Cons ◽

Nutrition Value ◽

Agriculture Systems

Livestock is an integral part of agriculture and a prominent source of food. It contributes 40% of the global value of agricultural output and supports the livelihoods and food security of almost a billion people, especially in developing countries. There is nothing new in amalgamation of farm animals in agriculture system, but the debate questioning its existence and relevance is a rather new drift. The politics, the climate debate, the nutrition debate around livestock sector, especially levitating from industrial countries, needs to be sympathetic toward the millions of people, especially in developing countries, that continue to remain dependent on livestock as an important, or often the only, source of livelihood. This chapter looks at the diverse livestock agriculture systems in industrial and less developed countries and it’s policy implications. It re-examines the prevailing debates such as, the heat and meat debate, the zoonotic disease discussions, the debate on ethics around animal-source food and the debate of over- and undernutrition. The authors take a balanced view on the pros and cons of livestock sector, considering the global debates, but at the same time, looking at livestock sector’s socioeconomic and nutrition value for the poor. Take a global view, debate, campaign but don’t forget to also look at the sector from livelihood and food-security angle. The underline message of the chapter is to call for a bounteous outlook, evidence-based debate and equable policies.

Download Full-text