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African trade routes shift focus from exports to local markets
15 Apr 2014For centuries, colonial-era merchants tussled for access to Africa’s raw materials, and huge swathes of Africa’s geography became synonymous with the main commodity they e...
read moreModest trade growth anticipated for 2014 and 2015 following two year slump
15 Apr 2014World trade is expected to grow by a modest 4.7% in 2014 and at a slightly faster rate of 5.3% in 2015 WTO economists said today (14 April 2014).
Although the 2014 forecast o...
read moreIntegrating East Africa’s markets
14 Apr 2014The leaders of the five members of the East Africa Community – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – recently signed an agreement to form a single regional currenc...
read moreJan withdraws AGOA Bill
14 Apr 2014The all-important Industrial Relations (amendment) Bill of 2014, whose passing is crucial to the kingdom’s continued AGOA eligibility status, has been withdrawn from parliam...
read moreAid-for-trade flows rebound, members told, as they mull future priorities
14 Apr 2014Aid for trade has bounced back, with Africa as the largest beneficiary, WTO members heard on 9 April 2014, in a meeting where they also discussed the priorities for next two y...
read moreAnalysis: Forging a partnership of equals
11 Apr 2014The recent fourth Africa-EU Summit, held in Brussels, Belgium, under the theme of Investing in Peace, Prosperity and People, marked the beginning of a turning point ...
read morePrivate Security Bill spells trouble
11 Apr 2014If President Jacob Zuma signs the regulation amendment into law, South Africa’s credibility will be put at risk, say critics.
The test case for what it takes to shatter inv...
read moreModernizing foreign direct investment for the 21st century
11 Apr 2014As economies around the world become increasingly connected and intertwined, we must put a global trade system in place that can adapt to this ever-changing 21st century ...
read moreGlobal trade: Protectionism on the rise?
11 Apr 2014Three recent trade reports have suggested that with many economies still feeling vulnerable in the wake of the global financial crisis, governments are resorting to trade prot...
read moreNew South Africa IP Policy unlikely before May elections
10 Apr 2014South Africa’s upcoming general elections on 7 May have thrown a spanner in the works of the much-anticipated national draft intellectual property policy from coming into ef...
read moreAid to developing countries rebounds in 2013 to reach an all-time high
10 Apr 2014Development aid rose by 6.1% in real terms in 2013 to reach the highest level ever recorded, despite continued pressure on budgets in OECD countries since the global economic ...
read moreCommodities sector should be an engine of growth, rather than a poverty trap, UNCTAD secretary-general tells forum
10 Apr 2014Corrupt and opaque financial practices deprive resource-rich developing countries of “staggering” amounts of money, UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said at the ope...
read moreMore household spending plus increased investments in natural resources and infrastructure mean higher growth for Africa
09 Apr 2014For the past 19 years Sub-Saharan Africa has continued to make impressive strides in sustaining economic growth. After five years of prolonged weakness in the global economy, ...
read moreIPAP 2014-2017: Breaking through to industrial success
09 Apr 2014The Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Rob Davies launched the sixth iteration of the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in Sandton...
read moreAzevêdo asks members to shift up a gear on Doha preparation
09 Apr 2014Director-General Roberto Azevêdo told the Trade Negotiations Committee that “it’s time to shift things up a gear” in developing a work programme for the conclusion of the Do...
read moreTanzania grapples with Bali Agreement trade challenges
08 Apr 2014Tanzania is working round the clock to see how it can best implement and gain from the challenging Bali WTO Agreement by making a needs’ assessment as well as working on tra...
read moreAfrica, EU agree to work on outstanding EPAs issues
08 Apr 2014Africa and the European Union (EU) agreed at the end of the EU-Africa summit held in Brussels, Belgium last week, to continue working on outstanding Economic Partnership Agree...
read moreRevised WTO Agreement on Government Procurement enters into force
08 Apr 2014The revised WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) entered into force on 6 April 2014, some two years after the Protocol amending the Agreement was originally adopted. ...
read moreObama’s African trade problem
08 Apr 2014An important trade agreement with Africa is causing headaches for the administration.
With the first ever U.S.-Africa Head of State Summit inching closer by the day, the Obam...
read moreGlobal perceptions key to competitiveness and foreign investment
07 Apr 2014Creating a favourable global perception of South Africa can go a long way to attracting foreign direct investment. As a result, government stakeholders would like to broaden the co...
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