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WTO concludes the second Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde

Saturday, 17 May 2025 05:17

The WTO Secretariat recently completed its second review of Cabo Verde's trade policies and practices since the nation joined the organization. These Trade Policy Reviews are a regular process through which WTO member countries' trade and related policies are scrutinized to ensure adherence to WTO regulations. The review of Cabo Verde highlights characteristics common among small island states: this archipelago of 10 islands (9 of which are inhabited) with a population of more that 500,000, has a limited agricultural sector due to scarce arable land with a modest industrial base, and a notably open economy, primarily driven by its services sector, particularly tourism. This openness is reflected in its trade-to-GDP ratio, which hovers around 100%, peaking at 105% in 2019.

Making the AfCFTA a Core Pillar of the next G20 Summit

Thursday, 15 May 2025 19:24

The Group of Twenty (G20) is a prominent international forum of 19 sovereign states (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States), alongside the European Union (EU) and, since September 2023, the African Union (AU). This assembly deliberates and formulates responses to pressing global economic issues, including the stability of international finance, climate change mitigation, and the pursuit of sustainable development. Initially convened biennially, the G20 Summits, bringing together Heads of State and Government, have been held on an annual basis since 2011. The upcoming G20 Summit, scheduled for November 22-23, 2025, in Johannesburg, South Africa, marks a significant milestone as it will be the first such high-level meeting to take place on the African continent. The overarching theme for this Summit will be “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”. Guided by this principle, South Africa's presidency aims to build upon the developmental agendas championed by preceding Global South presidencies, with the objective of fostering a people-centered and inclusive sustainable development.

Unlocking Africa's potential: combining the green and digital corridor approaches to revolutionize logistics

Thursday, 15 May 2025 06:43

The two imperatives of enhancing logistical efficiency and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions have favored the convergence between green and digital corridors as prominent tools aimed at concomitantly addressing these two apparently conflicting needs. Green corridors consist in the use of efficient technologies and optimizing routes to make transportation more environmentally friendly. Digital corridors, on the other hand, leverage technology to streamline the movement of vehicles and goods. These corridor approaches are generating increasing academic interest as transformative mechanisms whose synergistic application can optimize supply chain operations while concurrently mitigating the negative environmental consequences associated with increasing trade volumes and transportation demands.

The need to strengthen Africa's defensive walls against unfair trade

Wednesday, 14 May 2025 08:37

Trade remedy mechanisms constitute governmental defense measures invoked against imports that demonstrably cause material injury to domestic producers due to alleged price dumping, foreign subsidies, or significant import surges. The implementation of such measures typically follows a comprehensive investigation where all pertinent economic factors negatively impacting the domestic industry are rigorously evaluated. These investigations usually are initiated by publishing a public notice where all interested parties, and particularly the affected domestic sectors, are invited to submit evidence substantiating the claimed injury. Upon conclusion of the investigative phase, a determination is made regarding the appropriate countermeasure to redress the established prejudice.

Bridging the digital divide in the AfCFTA era: how to overcome Africa's physical shopping experience

Saturday, 10 May 2025 11:23

The adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Digital Trade represents an important step towards leveraging the transformative power of digitalization to enhance economic integration across the continent, with the potential to generate new opportunities for economic expansion. Nevertheless, the realization of this potential is confronted with the fact that the African economy is still predominantly cash-based, where direct payment is the norm, and the prevailing "physical" nature of many African markets, where consumers still show a strong preference for a direct, tangible interaction with goods prior to purchase.

News

WTO concludes the second Trade Policy Review of Cabo Verde

Making the AfCFTA a Core Pillar of the next G20 Summit

Unlocking Africa's potential: combining the green and digital corridor approaches to revolutionize logistics

The need to strengthen Africa's defensive walls against unfair trade

Bridging the digital divide in the AfCFTA era: how to overcome Africa's physical shopping experience

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