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• Green economy and trade: trends, challenges and opportunities

  Posted: 18 May 2013 09:02:28 GMT

  An increase in trade in environmental goods and services and certified products can stimulate the transition to a green economy, according to this report, simultaneously creating further opportunities for increased trade in such products and services. The report analyses challenges to such a transition, in particular for developing countries and provides suggestions to overcome them. It begins by discussing current trends in trade flows, impacts of trade on natural resources and the environment, and the situation of the least developed countries (LDCs), in particular regarding their reliance on natural resource-based products and raw materials. It analyses emerging opportunities in six sectors: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, manufacturing, renewable energy and tourism. The report then highlights several challenges including: limitations in financial and human resources; weak regulatory frameworks; lack of enforcement mechanisms; and poor economic infrastructure.

• Understanding Wage Issues in the Tea Industry

  Posted: 15 May 2013 11:30:34 GMT

  Wage levels are an issue of concern across the globe as individuals, companies and governments wrestle with how wages paid to workers relate to costs of living, corporate and national competitiveness, profitability and broader macroeconomic trends and challenges.

  This report examines wages in the tea industry with a focus in three case study areas: Malawi, West Java (Indonesia) and Assam (India). It looks at hired labour on plantations and, in particular, tea pluckers. 

  Researchers found a number of deep rooted and complex factors keeping wages low. A key problem is that pay is set for the whole sector - there is no difference in pay from one plantation to the next - and that it is pegged to the legal minimum wage which is often well below the level needed for meet a family's basic needs. Other issues include the huge variation in the quality and take up of 'in-kind' benefits such as childcare or housing and the fact that workers, particularly women who make up the majority of the workforce, have little say in negotiations over pay. 

  

• What next for the BRICS Bank?

  Posted: 10 May 2013 12:44:48 GMT

  A new development bank to be created by the ‘Rising Powers’ of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) is intended to promote greater cooperation between developing countries, and address what is seen by many as a history of misguidance and underinvestment by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  
  However, several questions remain about the establishment of the BRICS bank and its potential impact on future development cooperation. The timeframe for its creation is still uncertain and economic and political links between the BRICS countries need to be strengthened in order for them to agree a clear development agenda to underpin the new institution.
  
  This Rapid Response Briefing makes a number of recommendations to enable conditions for the BRICS countries to make progress in achieving the goals they have set themselves with the BRICS Bank, including:
  

  • a continued focus on domestic growth and stability in the BRICS. Creating skilled jobs, promoting infrastructure investment, rationalising regulation and attracting foreign direct investment remain essential to the continued improvement of the wellbeing of citizens still emerging from poverty and to the political legitimacy of international development engagements by these countries
  • deeper engagement of the BRICS in multilateral forums and regional trade forums such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), and advocacy for qualified leadership candidates from the BRICS
  • pressure to align the policies of the new bank with sustainable development and other global public goods debates. The BRICS Business Council has the potential to be a useful ally in some of these debates, particularly in the areas of energy security and water conservation
  • promotion of transparent and democratic bank governance. This includes providing better quality trade and investment data with respect to the size and terms of financing flows, as well as the structure and conditions of deals, and concessions for natural resources. Demands for human rights, social impact and environmental sustainability criteria to be considered in investment decisions, and for engagement with the new bank by local populations and civil society, also need to be addressed

  

• The Global Information Technology Report 2013: Growth and Jobs in a Hyperconnected World

  Posted: 07 May 2013 11:26:47 GMT

  The Networked Readiness Index presented in this report ranks 144 economies based on their capacity to exploit the opportunities offered by the digital age. This capacity is determined by the quality of the regulatory, business and innovation environments, the degree of preparedness, the actual usage of ICTs, as well as the societal and economic impacts of ICTs. The assessment is based on a broad range of indicators from Internet access and adult literacy to mobile phone subscriptions and the availability of venture capital. In addition, indicators such as patent applications and e-governmentservices gauge the social and economic impact of digitisation.
  
  The Nordic countries and the so-called Asian Tigers – Singapore; Taiwan (China); South Korea; and Hong Kong SAR –
  dominate this year's index thanks to, as the report argues, their business-friendly approach, highly skilled populations and investments in infrastructure, among other strengths. Finland stands out as a digital innovation hub. It boasts the world’s highest number of patent applications per capita in the domain of ICTs.
  
  The BRICS economies, led by Russia (55th) continue to lag behind in the rankings. The report suggests that their rapid
  economic growth may be in jeopardy unless the right investments are made in ICT, skills and innovation. Down seven, China ranks 58th, followed by Brazil (60th), India (68th), and South Africa (70th).

• Fatal fashion: Analysis of recent factory fires in Pakistan and Bangladesh: a call to protect and respect garment workers’ lives

  Posted: 30 Apr 2013 14:49:37 GMT

  The garment industry in both Bangladesh and Pakistan is recognised for paying low wages, demanding and unsafe working conditions, and the repression of unions. Workers are not organised and therefore not in the position to monitor or report freely about safety hazards.
  
  This report describes in detail two recent cases of factory fires that swept through the facilities of clothing manufacturers in Pakistan and Bangladesh clothing manufacturers producing for international brands.  Hundreds of workers were killed in horrendous circumstances, and many others were injured. Sub-standard buildings, poor emergency procedures, inadequate and blocked fire exits, and overcrowded workplaces resulted in an extremely high death toll.
  
  This report demonstrates the urgent need for immediate and structural changes in the practices of government and
  business actors along the garment supply chain, in accordance with the internationally recognized State duty to protect human rights and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights.
  
  To prevent future tragedies and ensure remedy for the victims of the fire, garment factory owners in Bangladesh and Pakistan should, at a minimum:
  

  • ensure expert assessments of factory safety, improve the buildings accordingly, and put safety first
  • change the present management attitude that leads to locking of gates, and keeping production speed at all times, thereby ignoring signs of approaching catastrophes
  • allow genuine workplace representation and recognise the role that trade unions and workplace safety committees can play in upholding safety standards for workers
  • contribute to and ensure full payment of compensation based on grief and loss of income, medical and psychological care, payment of wages (and in case factory closes negotiate severance) and continuance of worker employment
  • develop adequate worker registration systems

  

• Increasing the effectiveness of Aid for Trade: the circumstances under which it works best

  Posted: 26 Mar 2013 13:58:24 GMT

  Aid for Trade has emerged as an important vehicle for assisting developing countries to improve their trade capacity and to benefit from the expansion of global markets. But any optimism on the volume of Aid for Trade flows is punctuated by the ongoing global economic crisis, which is likely to have important implications for trade and development.
  
  This working paper seeks to assess the impact of Aid for Trade thus far, and what has worked and what the barriers to improving the impact of Aid for Trade are.
  
  The authors argue that  Aid for Trade works best when:
  

  • it is targeted at reducing the cost of trading, for example through investment in infrastructure, improving trade facilitation and strengthening value chains. These should be driven and guided by support to the capacity of institutions that devise trade policies and regulations. Experience shows that investment in infrastructure, trade facilitation and the strengthening of value chains is most effective when it is integrated into and driven by a country’s broader trade policy and strategy
  • it addresses the binding constraint to growth. This will be largely country-specific and, according to traditional growth diagnostics, can relate to factors that affect the availability of finance of an investment project or factors (e.g. infrastructure, skills, transport costs) that affect returns to an investment
  • there is effective coordination between donors and recipients around the design, implementation and monitoring of the Aid for Trade programmes, as well as coordination among different donors, within donor agencies themselves (e.g. between country offices and headquarters), between different ministries within a recipient country government and between recipient governments and their regional trading partners
  • the selection of instruments and modalities for delivering Aid for Trade are able to address trade-related constraints at the transnational and regional level. Many Aid for Trade projects are targeted towards improving trade for individual countries, when in fact greater gains can be made by focusing on ensuring greater integration of trade within regions
  • the M&E of impacts, outcomes and outputs is realistic (the achievement of objectives can be traced along a feasible results chain), based on the collection of baseline data, and lessons contribute to the design of future projects

  

• Focusing on what matters in Aid for Trade

  Posted: 26 Mar 2013 13:33:57 GMT

  Aid for Trade (AfT) has emerged as an important vehicle to help the private sector in developing countries to improve its trade capacity and to benefit from the expansion of global markets, which would allow for economic growth and job creation, and help developing countries to move from reliance on aid to the use of trade to generate higher standards of living.
  
  This Briefing Paper draws on a review that suggests AfT is subject to the same failures of collective action that affect aid in many other sectors. It discusses the success criteria that help to determine the effectiveness of AfT barriers and opportunities, design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
  
  It concludes with the following suggestions:
  

  • demand for specific AfT projects must be driven by the recipient country, and AfT must address barriers to trade in a measurable way
  • improving understanding of the nature and causes of coordination failures and information asymmetries specific to the political economy of recipient countries and regions, as well as donor agencies
  • given that trade is, by definition, cross-border, there is a strong economic rationale to strengthen regional institutions as well as for more investment in trans-national corridor approaches
  • investing in the collection of baseline data and providing measurable outcomes (e.g. port clearance time; trade volumes) would help to address concerns about attribution

  

• EITI and sustainable development: Lessons and new challenges for the Caspian region

  Posted: 22 Mar 2013 14:36:20 GMT

  The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is sparking renewed interest and debate on issues such as transparency of government – company contracts, reporting on revenues from natural resources by company and by project, and reporting on revenue expenditure. An overarching concern is how to ensure that revenue transparency ultimately leads to better sustainable-development outcomes, including socio-economic development, poverty reduction and environmentally responsible extractive-industry practices.
  
  This discussion paper highlights key issues and new challenges related to EITI implementation, as well as broader issues of transparency and good governance in the extractive industries.  The paper is based on a series of dialogues relating to transparency and good governance in the Caspian Sea Region:
  

  • Azerbaijan – the first country globally to become EITI Compliant
  • Kazakhstan – an EITI Candidate country seeking to become Compliant
    
  • and Turkmenistan – which is not a signatory of EITI but has expressed some interest in learning about the initiative

  Recommendations from the Caspian dialogues include the following:
  

  • provide further strategic, administrative and technical support for disaggregated reporting of payments to governments (e.g. company-by- company and project-by-project)
  • identify current and potential ways in which the EITI process can contribute to accountability and sustainability in host countries and support relevant research on these linkages
  • develop guidance on good practice in sub-national reporting, and support pilot initiatives, such as reporting on public monitoring of community development spending
  • prioritise capacity building as an essential part of the EITI agenda, especially for local government and CSOs at the sub-national level
  • ensure clarity in new rules and procedures, to strengthen minimum requirements and avoid any ambiguity that allows too much flexibility in implementation
  • develop self-evaluation criteria and processes for EITI, such as progress ranking among member countries, based on competitive and motivational indicators
    

  

• Bangladesh Apparels Export to the US Market: An Examination of Her Competitiveness vis-à-vis China

  Posted: 21 Mar 2013 09:02:30 GMT

  China’s entry into the WTO, and consequently, into global apparel markets under the newly emerging WTO-ATC regime, was thought to have several implications for apparels trade. Some of these were: (a) China’s entry would put downward pressure on global apparels prices as a result of which prices were likely to go down, undermining the competitive strength of other countries; (b) a surge in imports from China would drive out developed country apparels producers; and (c) the architecture of global apparels market would undergo drastic changes with China becoming the dominant player by a long shot. The rise of China has major repercussions for a country such as Bangladesh which has emerged as an important player in the global apparels market. Impact and implications of competition from China will have to be examined and scrutinized at country level and for disaggregated items of apparels (since the impact for particular countries will be felt only at the disaggregated product level).

• Bangladesh’s Access to the Canadian Market: Implications of the New Canadian LDC Initiative and Prospects for Export Diversification

  Posted: 21 Mar 2013 09:02:28 GMT

  Canada held brief domestic consultations about improving market access for LDC products in the spring of 2002. These included a one-month window for responses to a notice published in the official gazette (March 30) and a government discussion paper, as well as parliamentary hearings on Canadian approaches to the next WTO round of negotiations. In June 2002, the government announced that all tariffs and quotas would be removed on all LDC products, except for dairy products, eggs and poultry. The implications of the new Canadian scheme are the focus of this paper. Frequent reference is made to the situation in the US and the EU, by way of comparison. The US is of particular relevance, not just because it is such an important market for Bangladesh, but also given the increasing discussion in Canada about deepening economic integration with the US, and even a possible common market.

• Seeking fair market access for Bangladesh apparels in the USA: a strategic view

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:41 GMT

  The emergence and growth of the Bangladesh RMG took place, largely, within the ambit of regulated discipline of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA). In spite of its highly discretionary nature, the MFA regime, with its relative predictability, had been a "blessing in disguise" for Bangladesh. With the conclusion of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) under the Uruguay Round (UR) multilateral trade negotiations (1987-1993), both the context and the content of trade in T&C; are set to undergo important changes. Of all the agreements negotiated in the course of the UR, the ATC is perhaps the singlemost important one from the perspective of Bangladesh. This is also true for a number of other developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs). Given the potential impact the ATC may have on Bangladesh’s overall development prospect and on the future of the country’s apparel sector in particular, the country needs to closely monitor the implementation of the ATC.

• The EU-EBA initiative: market access implications and potential benefits for Bangladesh

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:38 GMT

  Since its independence in 1971 when it was recognised as belonging to the group of LDCs, Bangladesh has been enjoying preferential treatment under the various GSP schemes. Although subject to Rules of Origin of varying degrees of stringency, these GSP schemes offered two major benefits: (a) preferential market access in the form of reduced (or zero) tariff for particular products, and (b) greater market access in the form of enhanced quota or quota/ceiling free entry of particular products into domestic markets of developed countries. As is known, these preferential market access schemes are necessarily subject to various rules of origin (RoO) which are specific to individual GSP schemes, and often also vary between products within a single GSP Scheme. Bangladesh has been a beneficiary of the GSP scheme run by the EU since her independence.

• The new Japanese GSP schemes for LDCs and Bangladesh’s export opportunities

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:35 GMT

  The analysis of the Japanese GSP Scheme shows that preferential access to the Japanese market in case of such products as textile/apparels could be of high potential benefit to Bangladesh; more particularly, the zero-tariff market access provided for knit-apparels under the revised Japanese GSP Scheme should be accorded due attention by Bangladesh’s policy makers. However, as was pointed out in the final section, a list will need to be done to penetrate the fashion conscious Japanese apparels market. As was evinced from our analysis, targeted actions need to be designed in order to ensure maximum benefits from the two newly introduced Japan’s GSP Schemes. Whether the scheme can be translated into a meaningful market access initiative, will, in all likelihood, hinge on the successful implementation of such measures.

• Trade liberalisation and the crop sector in Bangladesh

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:32 GMT

  Agriculture was brought under the purview of GATT, 1994 with a view to minimise distortions in global trade in agricultural and food products. Negotiations on agricultural sector trade had earlier been excluded from GATT on the ground of food security and socio-political stability, which makes agriculture different from other sectors of the economy. many countries in the Asian region are reconsidering their policies on trade in agriculture and positioning themselves within the umbrella of AoA to protect the agricultural sector. Within this context it is important and timely for Bangladesh to assess its comparative position vis-à-vis other countries in the region, particularly with regard to India with whom Bangladesh has already had a huge imbalance in trade.

• Trade negotiations on temporary movement of natural persons: a strategy paper for Bangladesh

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:30 GMT

  Other than issues of duty free and quota free market access for non-agricultural products, Bangladesh also has strong interests in temporary movement of natural persons (TMNP). In this connection, LDC modalities adopted on September 3, 2003 provided ground for flexible and predictable negotiations under the GATS. In June 2004 member countries will meet in Geneva in two sessions of Council for Trade in Services. LDC Ministers are also meeting in Senegal in early May to discuss Singapore issues and other important relevant issues for LDCs. A meeting of LDC group is expected to take place in Geneva to advance WTO negotiations, where among others, services negotiations will get importance. This policy brief provides some specific inputs to the negotiations of Bangladesh’s government.

• TRIPS and the pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh: towards a national strategy

  Posted: 20 Mar 2013 09:02:27 GMT

  When the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (the TRIPS Agreement) was concluded at the close of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations in 1993, it represented a remarkable expansion of the international framework for intellectual property rights. It imposed enhanced standards for what Member states had to protect, including a requirement to protect pharmaceuticals by patents. It also established, for the first time, minimum standards for the enforcement of substantive intellectual property rights and subjected all of these obligations to binding dispute settlement. A key issue for Bangladesh in this context is to what extent existing as well as possible new TRIPS rules create an opportunity for the development of policies to encourage the growth of its domestic pharmaceutical industry. To date, the international community has not delivered an organized and useful response to the health crisis in developing countries.

• China’s accession to the WTO: Consequences for Bangladesh’s export-oriented RMG sector

  Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:02:30 GMT

  China’s long march to the WTO has been closely followed by other member countries with great interest, and in some cases, great concern. On the one hand, many countries are optimistic that China’s entry into a rule-based system will be beneficial to the global trading system and there will be important positive externalities as a result. On the other hand, China’s accession to the WTO is a source of concern for many countries, which perceive China as a threat to their presence in the global market. Bangladesh, in many ways epitomises this guarded approach to the issue. As is well known, Bangladesh’s major strength in the external sector is the textiles and clothing sector, particularly the ready-made garments (RMG) sector. In the context of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) negotiated during the Uruguay Round, Bangladesh’s RMG sector is going to face formidable challenges in the global market specifically in view of the phasing out of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) under

• Framework for the proposed comprehensive trade policy for Bangladesh

  Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:02:28 GMT

  In  recent  times  trade‐related  policies  in  Bangladesh  have  evolved  under  the  broader framework of the policy of economic liberalisation. Over the last two decades, the country’s  trade regimes have passed through a period of gradual liberalisation. A large number of  trade barriers in place in Bangladesh were either dismantled or significantly reduced. A  number  of  policies  were  deployed  towards  this,  including  tariff liberalisation, flexible exchange rate, opening up of most sectors for private and foreign direct investment (FDI),  and privatisation of public sector enterprises. This had led to both higher exports and trade  openness which reached 57 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011. However,  impact  of  trade  liberalisation  on  Bangladesh’s  economic  development  has  been  mixed. A number of studies have indicated  that trade liberalisation did not have any significant impact on poverty reduction although  the impact on employment generation

• Liberalising health services in south Asia: implications for Bangladesh

  Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:02:24 GMT

  South Asian countries have witnessed significant shift in the structure of their economy during the last few decades, in terms of the dominance of the services sector compared to the traditional sectors such as agriculture and industry. The contribution of the services trade in total trade of South Asian countries is increasing over time. Recognising the importance, South Asian countries have embarked on extending regional economic cooperation beyond the free trade agreement on goods (South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)), to services. The draft South Asian Framework Agreement on Services (SAFAS) has been adopted with this end in view. It is expected that intra-regional trade and investment in health services will take place through operationalisation of the SAFAS. This will, in turn, help to improve the quality of healthcare within the region. Bangladesh, like other South Asian countries, is yet to ensure improved healthcare for all its citizens. Due to inadequate facility and lack o

• Liberalising trade in services: negotiating strategy for Bangladesh

  Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:02:21 GMT

  It is true that liberalisation of service sectors will generate efficiency in many domestic service sectors, and export opportunities for some of the services sectors will be increased. But, it should be noted that these opportunities through trade liberalisation are often theoretical and potential in nature (e.g., the World Bank estimates hints about benefit of developing countries from services trade, which is mentioned above). However, the danger of jeopardising the domestic economy through unplanned liberalisation is real. Under the GATS there are 11 broad categories of services, covering 160 sub-sectors. As the substantive negotiations for liberalisation of services sector are still ahead, it is important for each country to understand the pros and cons of liberalisation of services sector not as a whole, but sector by sector, which requires extensive exercise. Furthermore, other than importance of market access negotiations the negotiations on rules and market access under the GA

• Preferential market access in the Canadian market: maximising benefits for Bangladesh

  Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:02:18 GMT

  Bangladesh is faced with trying to ensure it maximises the economic benefits it receives from trade liberalization actions by the Government of Canada. Canada progressively reduced barriers to the exports of developing countries and Least Developed Countries1 beginning in 2002 culminating with the Market Access Initiative (MAI) for Least Developed Countries, effective January 1, 2003. Bangladesh reaped considerable benefits from this initiative, capturing export gains, particularly in textiles and apparel where it was export ready and competitive. The MAI afforded preferential access to the Canadian market for Bangladesh in products where it is highly competitive and Bangladesh’s exports to Canada grew rapidly. Canada continued to liberalize its market in 2004 by reducing MFN tariff rates. Further liberalization will take place in 2005. As part of its WTO commitments, Canada also removed all quotas on textile and apparel imports on January 1, 2005.

• The informal sector and informal employment in Bangladesh

  Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:06:41 GMT

  Informal economy has been a prominent feature of Bangladesh’s economy over the years. This report presents important information on the informal economy in Bangladesh, which can serve as inputs to evidence-based formulation of sector policies.
  
  The paper highlights that the informal economy plays a significant in terms of the number of jobs it creates and its contribution to total economic output.
  
  Findings include:
  

  • informal employment dominates the country’s labour market, being estimated at about 89% of the total number of jobs, with female reporting a higher incidence
  • informal sector accounted for more than 40% of the total gross value added of Bangladesh in 2010, with the highest contributions in agriculture and fishery
  • however, informal workers are occasionally disadvantaged comparing with formal workers, particularly in terms of income and social protection coverage
  • therefore, informal workers are more vulnerable to economic and social shocks

  
  The document notes that the informal economy has become a growing concern in Bangladesh, and concludes that:
  

  • informal enterprises need more access to loans and technical training and modern machineries
  • comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date information about the informal sector and informal economy are needed
  • such data is required to paint a clearer image of the state of the labour market, access to various social protection mechanisms, and the circumstances of the informal enterprises

  
  
  
  

• Public sector management: lessons from state-owned enterprise reforms in Kiribati and Tuvalu

  Posted: 16 Mar 2013 20:25:29 GMT

  The efficiency and effectiveness of a country’s public sector is vital to its development, where poorly performing state-owned enterprise (SOEs) absorb large amounts of scarce capital, on which they provide very low returns. This paper shows that Kiribati and Tuvalu (two Pacific states) both have SOEs that were established to provide essential infrastructure services, but their SOE losses had mounted over several years.
  
  The paper, nevertheless, reveals that despite initial conditions which made SOE reform exceedingly difficult, considerable progress has been registered in both states. In this framework, it notes that good starts have been made at SOE reforms, and there are signs that financial performance is improving. Yet, it notices that external ongoing support will be required in the future to help the governments keep rationalising their roles and put retained SOEs on a sound commercial footing.
  
  Lessons from the SOE reform experience of Kiribati and Tuvalu include:
  

  • a strong and active SOE reform advocate is a key factor in achieving success
  • giving SOEs a clear commercial mandate is a fundamental basis for improving their performance
  • reform needs to focus both on improving the immediate financial performance of key SOEs and on strengthening the rules and regulations under which all SOEs operate
  • formal plans for business improvement need to be realistic and have their implementation closely monitored by both the SOE board and external monitors
  • subsequently, an SOE monitoring and advisory unit is essential if government is to provide arm’s length management and oversight of SOEs

  
  Furthermore, the author indicates that when donors are involved, an agreement on an SOE policy framework needs to be secured, including criteria for identifying which enterprises should be government-owned and how obligations will be handled.
  

• Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in developing Asia-Pacific

  Posted: 13 Mar 2013 21:26:49 GMT

  As countries in Asia and the Pacific recalibrate their growth models to consolidate their positions in the global economy, availability of a highly skilled and technically qualified human resource base will be a crucial determinant of success. This publication compiles valuable contributions to advance thinking and practice related to skills development in the Asian-Pacific region.
  
  Findings include:
  

  • education and skills development are crucial to achieving inclusive growth and sustainable green growth
  • specifically, countries with a youthful demographic profile need to consider strategies that would improve job prospects for young adults, and technical and vocational education and training (TVET)are key part of such strategies
  • therefore, skills development for employability has been identified as a priority area for educational policy and practice in Asia-Pacific
  • however, a number of countries are yet to ensure adequate harmonisation of skills and training policies with economic and industrial policies

  
  Recommendations are as follows:
  

  • countries need forward-looking skills policies so that appropriate occupational skills are available to fast-growing and emerging sectors of the economy
  • skills training policies need to be augmented with labour market and social protection policies to redress the obstacles to workforce participation, increase employment, and reduce vulnerability of employment
  • a conducive regulatory environment is needed for private sector players to occupy a legitimate space for financing and providing skills training
  • industry support is required in the design and delivery of a responsive and diversified skills training program that focuses on applied learning
  • specialised strategies for skills training for small and medium enterprises is required to increase employment prospects for workers in the informal sector
  • advocacy and support systems for vulnerable groups to participate in labour markets should be considered

  

• Stolen Apes - The illicit trade in Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Bonobos and Orangutans

  Posted: 08 Mar 2013 09:00:08 GMT

  The illegal trade in wildlife makes up one part of the multi-billion dollar business that is environmental crime and is increasingly being perpetrated at the cost of the poor and vulnerable. To date, conservation efforts have failed the great apes. Year after year, conferences and seminars celebrate a “renewed” engagement to save the great apes, which leaves the participants, as well as the public, with a feel-good sense of optimism. Then, year after year, we are surprised that conservation efforts barely affect the race towards extinction.

• Elephants in the Dust - The African Elephant Crisis

  Posted: 08 Mar 2013 09:00:02 GMT

  The African elephant is facing the greatest crisis in decades. Reports of mass elephant killings in the media illustrate the situation across many African elephant range States. Surges in poaching, the illegal ivory trade and accelerating habitat and range loss have put African elephant populations at risk. This Rapid Response Assessment provides an overview of the status of elephants, poaching and illegal ivory trafficking along the entire ivory trade supply chain. Findings presented here were obtained from a range of sources, including The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme, the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), the IUCN/SSC African Ele phant Specialist Group (AfESG), the African and Asian Ele phant Database, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), expert consultations and a range of other sources.

• Land grabs and fragile food systems: The role of globalization

  Posted: 05 Mar 2013 10:15:12 GMT

  IATP have consistently argued that trade agreements need to respect and promote human rights, not drive a process of globalisation that privileges commercial interests and pushes public interests aside. This paper concludes that the globalisation enshrined in the free trade and investment agreements of the 1990s and 2000s have led to yet another manifestation of commercial interests trampling human rights - namely land grabs.
  
  This paper is specifically focuses on two forces that IATP argue have contributed significantly to the problem: First, globalisation—more specifically, the deregulation of trade and foreign investment laws, which has greatly eased cross-border capital flows, relaxed the limits on foreign land ownership, and opened markets to agricultural imports. And second, the failures of the international trading system during the food price crisis of 2007-08, which eroded the confidence of food import–dependent countries in international markets as a reliable source of food and fed both speculative investment and investment in actual food production. This loss of confidence was compounded by climate change and the resulting destabilisation of weather patterns, which has resulted in less predictable agricultural production.

  Whilst investment in agriculture is welcomed the impact of land grabs has been overwhelmingly negative. They are associated with weak institutional capacity (and sometimes corruption) in the recipient country governments, as well as authoritarian governments in the investors’ home countries, making it hard to bring pressure there for better practices. The communities whose land is leased or bought are not adequately protected.
  
  Four linked policy shifts to create a more stable and transparent international food system are needed:

  • reformed trade rules that ensure export measures are subject to transparency and predictability requirements and that allow all countries policy space for food security policies
  • publicly-managed grain reserves to dampen the effects of supply shocks
  • readily accessible funding for the poorest food importers, which would be triggered automatically when prices increase sharply in international markets
  • the development of strong national and international laws to govern investment in land, respecting the principles and guidelines set out in the Voluntary Guidelines on Land Tenure.

  

• Developing the service sector as engine of growth for Asia: an overview

  Posted: 26 Feb 2013 22:22:09 GMT

  The maturing of the manufacturing sector in many Asian countries, combined with the relative backwardness of its service sector, has made service sector development a top priority for developing Asia. This paper surveys and analyses the current landscape of the region’s service sector so as to assess its potential to serve as an engine for inclusive economic growth.
  
  The paper figures that services already account for a large share of the region’s output and employment. However, its productivity greatly lags that of the advanced economies, which implies ample room for further growth.
  
  Conclusions are as follows:
  

  • there is plenty of scope of further enhancement and development for Asia’s service sector
  • Asia’s future growth will depend increasingly on raising productivity in the service sector
  • one key challenge for all Asian countries is to improve the quality of service sector data

  
  Recommendations include:
  

  • creating more competitive services markets by removing a wide range of internal and external policy distortions is vital for improving service sector productivity
  • internally, this include the strengthening of labour and capital markets, reform of tax regimes, and elimination of burdensome regulations
  • externally, this involves reducing barriers to trade in services, which can promote efficiency and contribute directly to exports and growth
  • equally important, complementary investments in physical infrastructure and human capital will also be necessary to achieve a strong service sector

  
  The authors finally make a point that creating a more competitive environment for service industries must be the overall guiding principle for Asian policymakers.

• Is Timor-Leste’s growth inclusive?

  Posted: 25 Feb 2013 21:28:38 GMT

  The newly independent Timor-Leste has established itself as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and the Pacific. This study examines the first decade of the restoration of independence to assess if Timor-Leste’s economic growth has been inclusive.
  
  The author points that the concentration of economic activity in the capital has raised the concern that the better off members of society are capturing most of the benefits. However, the paper finds that opportunity has been provided to a larger share of the population, with those on lower as well as higher living standards enjoying more opportunity.
  
  Findings are as follows:
  

  • in Timor-Leste, opportunity generally increased across all living standard groups, including the poorest
  • it is evident that inequality in opportunity is generally in decline
  • inclusive growth overall is driven by improvements in education and health care
  • nevertheless, inequality is still high for some services (e.g. electricity), and access to some other services deteriorated (i.e. transport and improved sanitation)

  
  The author deems that inclusive growth has been achieved in Timor-Leste, but he emphasises that if the growth is to remain inclusive, it will be important to maintain the upward movement in average opportunity and the decline in inequality. Therefore, there will be a need to prioritise support for the poorest Timorese and achieve improvements in the lagging sectors.
  
  Conclusions are that:
  

  • within Timor-Leste, development is equated with access to basic services
  • minimum standards of service delivery are proposed as a safeguard for the poorest Timorese; this would reduce inequality and ultimately equalise the distribution of opportunity
  • moreover, such standards would put into practice the aspiration of the Timor-Leste Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030 of sustainable, inclusive development

  

• The service sector in Asia: is it an engine of growth?

  Posted: 24 Feb 2013 19:54:24 GMT

  This study argues that the underdeveloped service sector in Asia has the potential to become a new engine of economic growth for developing Asia, though the region has traditionally relied on export-oriented manufacturing to power its growth.
  
  The paper reveals that its analysis provides substantial cause for optimism about the role of the service sector as an engine of growth in Asia. In this sense, it highlights that:
  

  • the analysis of 12 Asian economies indicates that the service sector already contributes substantially to the region’s growth
  • furthermore, in the past, the service sector made the biggest contribution to national GDP growths comparing with other sectors
  • a number of Asian countries have been able to achieve substantial labour productivity gains in the service sector
  • in addition, the share of service sector output that is exported tends to rise over time in most Asian countries, and that is higher than developed countries

  
  The authors conclude that services are set to play an even bigger role in the future, underlying particularly that the lower the per capita GDP, the greater the scope for labour productivity growth in the service sector.
  
  However, the document stresses that a wide range of internal impediments—e.g., excessive regulation and state monopolies—and external impediments—e.g., barriers to services trade and FDI—shackle Asia’s service sector. The paper argues that removing those obstacles will unleash the full potential of Asia’s service sector to generate jobs and growth.

• Is growth in Asia and the Pacific inclusive?

  Posted: 23 Feb 2013 17:29:55 GMT

  The concept of inclusive economic growth (growth coupled with equality of opportunity) offers new directions in the pursuit of development. This study assesses the growth experience of 22 developing economies in Asia and the Pacific region.
  
  The document demonstrates that to understand if inclusive growth is achieved, it is necessary to examine changes in opportunity and in the distribution of opportunity.
  
  The study finds that:
  

  • in Asia, access to opportunity is generally on the rise, and inequality in opportunity is generally in decline
  • in this respect, it is evident that growth of 11 Asian economies has become more inclusive
  • furthermore, a number of Asian economies have achieved the target of equality in the provision of key, basic opportunities
  • there is nonetheless considerable room for further gains, particularly in some South and Southeast Asian economies, where inequality in opportunity is high
  • in addition, inequality in opportunity is generally lower in the Pacific economies studied
  • evidence of inclusive growth is found in a number of Central Asian economies, but the key challenge is to achieve a high, sustainable rate of economic growth

  
  Conclusions are as follows:
  

  • comparisons across countries of the inclusiveness of growth face a challenge in identifying indicators that are sufficiently meaningful in all countries
  • therefore, the basis for measuring inclusive growth should ideally be tailored to each country
  • a larger study which examined a broader range of indicators drawn on wider views of how surveyees interpret inclusive growth would help deepen the understanding of the inclusiveness of economic growth

  

• Raw Material Sourcing and Firm Performance: Evidence from Manufacturing Firms in South-West Bangladesh

  Posted: 21 Feb 2013 09:01:16 GMT

  This study considers Khulna, Jessore, Satkhira and Bagerhat districts as the south-west region of Bangladesh.The intra-region raw material sourcing is the dominating trend prevailing among the manufacturing firms of the south-west region of Bangladesh.The wider horizon of raw material source is positively related to the operating profit to sales ratio and negatively related to the sales growth rate. This trend indicates the necessity to expand raw material sources of the manufacturing firms for attaining higher profit––the ultimate objective of a business entity. A massive improvement in infrastructure will encourage more firms to widen their horizon of input market. This point needs to be addressed properly for improving performance of the firms located in this region.

• The Lao economy: capitalizing on natural resource exports

  Posted: 20 Feb 2013 09:21:19 GMT

  Trade and investment reforms in the Laos since the mid-1980s have boosted natural resource-based exports, underpinning recent economic growth. This paper examines how the Lao export-led growth can be channeled into directions that deliver the greatest benefit to the Lao people.
  
  The paper states that the effect of the economic growth on people depends on how the government uses these revenues.
  
  Findings are that:
  

  • a high proportion of the proceeds from Lao boosted exports accrue directly to the national government
  • almost all of the resource revenues are currently being absorbed into the domestic economy
  • identically, the level of foreign exchange reserves, as a proportion of GDP has not increased

  
  Conclusions encompass:
  

  • domestic absorption of Lao revenues earned from natural resource-based exports undermines the competitiveness of traditional traded goods industries
  • expanded spending should be focused on rural spending, and on social services such as education and health
  • furthermore, the government is recommended to assist those people who are affected negatively, enabling them to find productive opportunities in other sectors of the economy
  • on the other hand, a policy of gradual absorption of the resource revenues is desirable for Laos under its current circumstances
  • indeed, slowing the rate of absorption give the Lao public service more time to plan how to spend the revenues wisely, while rapid absorption is seriously risky
  • nevertheless, the optimal rate of absorption of the proceeds of the export boom depends on the rate at which the revenues can be absorbed productively

  
  The author also makes a point that retraining and adjustment assistance is required rather than protectionism in responding to the adverse impacts of current model of absorption.

• Cambodia: rapid growth with institutional constraints

  Posted: 18 Feb 2013 21:27:19 GMT

  The features of Cambodia’s development record are of particular importance .This paper examines Cambodia’s socioeconomic development since the early 1990s peace settlement.
  
  The paper notes that the country’s economic growth has seemingly been the fastest among post-conflict societies, and the growth has been driven by a number of factors. These include the credible restoration of security, large public and private capital inflows, economic openness, prudent macroeconomic management, and an integrating neighborhood.
  
  Findings contain:
  

  • Cambodia has achieved much more rapid economic development over the past 2 decades than even the most optimistic forecasts could have projected
  • the Cambodian people are now better educated and fed, and they have greater social and occupational choice than ever before
  • at this rate of progress, the country will very shortly graduate from the ‘least developed’ group of countries, and within a decade or so, it would enter the middle-income developing group

  
  However, the paper highlights some key challenges, including rising inequality, uneven spatial development, weak institutions, and high levels of corruption. In addition, Key supply side challenges remain, particularly education at all levels and rural infrastructure. Furthermore, Cambodia has limited space in its trade and commercial policies, and it does not have monetary policy independence.
  
  Looking forward, the author emphasises the importance of strengthening supply side capabilities, broadening the benefits of growth, and developing stronger institutions and property rights. Additionally, the document underscores that the priority of growth at all costs will need to give way to greater attention to distributional considerations, between households, regions, and particularly the capital and the rest of the country.
  

• Time Series Behavior of Imports and Exports of Bangladesh: Evidence from Cointegration Analysis and Error Correction Model

  Posted: 18 Feb 2013 09:01:26 GMT

  Bangladesh, a developing economy, contains trade deficit from her very inception. This paper makes an effort to understand the time series behavior of total export and total import of Bangladesh. Unit root tests recognize the existence of random walk in total export and total import time series. Johansen cointegration test reveals long-run equilibrium relationship between these two variables. Getting the existence of cointegration, the study attempts to find causal relationship using error-correction mechanism. Test results unveil bidirectional long term causality and unidirectional short term causality between import and export of Bangladesh. Findings of the study corroborate that Bangladesh is not in violation of its international budget constraints.

• Overlooked opportunity: tradable business services, developing Asia, and growth

  Posted: 17 Feb 2013 20:13:46 GMT

  Business services are key for growth. This paper argues that developing Asia is overlooking an opportunity for increased growth and development through trade in business services.
  
  The paper argues that developing Asia would benefit from liberalising services trade as it has benefited from liberalising goods trade - the same potential exists in business services.
  
  Findings include:
  

  • Asian business service sectors are relatively small and expensive
  • in fact, many business services are tradable, but developing Asia has relatively high barriers to services trade

  
  Recommendations are that:
  

  • developing Asia should reduce policy impediments to business services trade
  • the long run fix to small and expensive business service sector is to increase the skill abundance of Asia
  • in this context, increasing educational attainment in developing Asia is likely to resolve this issue over the long term, so the region should continue to make education a priority
  • similarly, all Asian countries should collect and publish more detailed information on the service sector and its trade - to understand what is happening in the service sector requires a much richer view than is currently possible
  • however, in the short run, it makes sense to import business services from the developing world and take advantage of the gains to trade in this large and vital sector

  

• A ZEN approach to post-2015: addressing the range of perspectives across Asia and the Pacific

  Posted: 16 Feb 2013 22:45:54 GMT

  The Asia and the Pacific region is gaining increased influence in the world economy but is still grappling to overcome interrelated challenges of poverty and sustainable development. This paper discusses key challenges faced throughout this region, underlying that the region’s priorities will be of significant importance in informing the contents of any post-2015 global development framework.
  
  The paper finds the following:
  

  • despite the region’s overarching economic progress, it still faces a significant task in ending extreme poverty in its many forms
  • in addition, the region will still face deep challenges of relative poverty and inequality, both within and between countries
  • the interrelated challenges of environmental sustainability are also becoming increasingly serious, and the issues are only on track to grow in consequence
  • indeed, many parts of Asia will still need global support in meeting these challenges
  • at the same time, Asia will increasingly need to identify areas where it contributes to meeting global challenges

  
  As a result, the paper suggests a conceptual Asian-based framework for setting a new generation of global goals. The “ZEN” framework stands for the following targets:
  

  • the distinct challenges of achieving zero extreme poverty (Z)
  • setting country-specific “epsilon” benchmarks for broader development challenges (E)
  • promoting environmental sustainability both within and across borders (N)

  
  The author highlights that a viable goal of zero extreme poverty, in Asia and around the world, has the potential to inspire people around the world. Moreover, many of the world’s most significant challenges lie at the intersection of these E and N goals, thus cross-country coordination will be essential to success.
  
  The document recommends the adoption of ZEN framework, claiming that a post-2015 global framework will not achieve success unless it helps addressing Asia’s challenges directly.

• Labour rights in Unilever’s supply chain: from compliance to good practice. An Oxfam study of labour issues in Unilever’s Viet Nam operations and supply chain

  Posted: 16 Feb 2013 09:01:09 GMT

  This Oxfam report, based on a case study on Vietnam, assesses the labour standards in Unilever’s operations and wider supply chain and compares the findings with the company's high-level policy commitments. The company co-operated fully with the study, providing access to its staff, operations, data and suppliers. The study focused on issues which are important to workers but difficult for companies to measure and manage: freedom of association and collective bargaining; a living wage; and working hours and contract labour. The report finds that Unilever has made a commitment to social responsibility by adopting the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), but human and labour rights are absent from the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. The report makes a number of recommendations for Unilever ranging from adjusting policies and business model to deliver better quality jobs for workers to integrating measurable targets for labour rights and job quality to a public reporting process.

• Infrastructure in the comprehensive development of Latin America: strategic diagnosis and proposals for a priority agenda

  Posted: 14 Feb 2013 19:49:10 GMT

  In coming decades, Latin America will have the opportunity of consolidating its progress toward comprehensive development. However, this paper argues this will be confirmed only if countries are able to achieve just and equitable societies that promote opportunities and inclusion, and a more diversified insertion in the world economy with greater value added.
  
  The author thinks that to confront these challenges, there need to be substantial improvements in a number of factors such as education, innovation capacity, the quality of institutions, and the quality of infrastructure and its associated services. However, the document notices that infrastructure in Latin America lags behind that of other regions of the world and the lags are more acute in some sectors and countries.
  
  Conclusions contain:
  

  • the strategic agenda for infrastructure in Latin American countries must be based on an understanding of the situation of the infrastructure sectors to extend and improve their services
  • investment efforts in infrastructure must be aimed at increasing the coverage and quality of water and sanitation services, promoting and supporting urban public transportation and developing infrastructure for regional integration
  • the main required elements are financing, improvements in policies, and an adequate consideration of environmental and social aspects
  • the use of multiple financing sources and modalities should be optimised, the use of infrastructure should be rationalised, and the capacity for project preparation in the short term should be strengthened
  • the exchange between governments, regions, and cities should be promoted – the region’s bilateral and multilateral fora constitute valuable initiatives in this direction

  

• Terms of Trade and Its Implications: Bangladesh Perspective

  Posted: 13 Feb 2013 09:01:20 GMT

  This paper explores the key reasons behind the movements in the terms of trade and the real net gain and loss from trade in the long run. Like some selected Asian countries (Vietnam, China and South Korea) except India, the terms of trade of Bangladesh has been in falling almost continuously. Bangladesh’s trade performance has improved and gaining momentum despite the TOT deterioration. Bangladesh is also experiencing a net welfare gain from trade due to its increasing market share in terms of export volume and gains in productivity, especially in the dominant garment sector.

• The proposal of common market among Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran: investigating opportunities for agricultural trade

  Posted: 12 Feb 2013 21:09:40 GMT

  The series of recent economic sanctions against Syria imposed by several countries and blocs sparkled the idea of a regional common market that comprises Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. This paper looks into the actual possibility of establishing this market, and investigates the horizons and opportunities that could be materialised in this context.
  
  The paper finds that it is useful for Syria on the long run to establish a common market that extends from Lebanon to Iran, but currently, it should advance its bilateral trade with each of the other three countries. In addition, the document indicates that such market should be planed carefully, and reached gradually from creating a free trade area to establishing a custom union, and then to developing a common market.
  
  Conclusions include:
  

  • the proposed regional market would afford the so-called “economies of scale”, which reduce the production costs and increase the competitive advantages of the region’s products
  • Syria’s agricultural sector would benefit from this common market much more than its counterparts in the other three countries
  • Iraq would be the most important trade partner for Syria in this market; therefore, Syria should focus on this from now
  • reasons causing Syrian-Iranian “terms of trade” to be increasingly in favour of Iran rather than in favour of Syria should be investigated, and relevant resolutions to re-balance this trend should be examined

  
  The author also suggests increasing the exportation of Syrian cheese and pastry to Lebanese and Iraqi markets on the short term, as well as cotton lint to Iranian markets. Moreover, he recommends Syria to plan for exporting cereals to Iraq and citruses to Iran on the long run, but he underlines that improving the competitiveness of these two sectors should be achieved before.

• An Analysis of SAFTA in the Context of Bangladesh

  Posted: 12 Feb 2013 09:01:24 GMT

  One of the main economic reasons behind regional trade blocks is to allow their regional members to benefit from economic cooperation and comparative advantages. In 1980, Bangladesh had suggested a regional cooperative body of South Asian leaders, which then led to the establishment of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985, the adoption of the SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) in 1993, and the agreement on the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) in 2004. This paper focuses on a review of the progress made with SAFTA, what Bangladesh’s prospects are in SAFTA, and how SAFTA can be made more active. It provides the historical background about the various initiatives within South Asia, reviews the actual trade data, and reviews the main trade restrictions within SAFTA. It also provides a set of recommendations based on this analysis.

• Certified integrity? Forest certification and anti-corruption

  Posted: 10 Feb 2013 09:01:08 GMT

  Forest certification schemes regulate forest exploitation and trade across many countries. In the absence of a multilateral agreement on limiting deforestation, they provide rules to balance the social, economic and ecological values of forest resources. Expansion of these schemes into tropical countries that display poor governance and high levels of corruption has raised questions about these schemes’ performance in such contexts. Referring to the case of the Forest Stewardship Council – a global forestry certification system – the authors looked at whether forest certification schemes can address corruption issues. While forest certification is not primarily geared towards detecting and preventing corruption, they may have some anti-corruption effects in countries where corruption is sporadic but not systemic. This is due to their role in documenting forest management practices and applying third-party monitoring.

• Agricultural Trade between Bangladesh and India: An Analysis of Trends, Trading Patterns and Determinants

  Posted: 10 Feb 2013 09:01:05 GMT

  The paper analyses the indices of trends and patterns of India-Bangladesh bilateral agriculture trade, and estimates the short and long-run elasticities of the determinants of this trade by using descriptive statistics and econometric estimations. It has come up with a number of policy recommendations to stimulate and promote agricultural trade between the two countries, particularly in view of the recent offer of duty-free market access by India to Bangladesh.

• Casting the net to define the PACER ‘Plus’

  Posted: 03 Feb 2013 18:30:53 GMT

  Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus is a regional economic agreement. This paper figures that the experience of negotiating a trade deal between this bloc and the EU alerted trade officials and civil society groups in the Pacific countries of the need to be better prepared next time around. Consequently, the paper presents an overview of how an informed and inclusive national dialogue can ensure wider appreciation of the different options for participation in PACER Plus discussions.
  
  The document clarifies that it is time now for preparation as the Pacific states have agreed to commence PACER Plus negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.
  
  Key messages are that:
  

  • the Pacific officials need to commence a truly inclusive and well thought out national dialogue, and a coherent framework to engage, mediate and negotiate the different interests is required
  • concerned options need to be communicated in terms that do not alienate those not familiar with the technical trade jargon, so that each country can better determine the direction they want to take the talks
  • national consultations will allow a fuller assessment of the opportunities and challenges under PACER Plus, but the prerequisite for this is the effective participation of all stakeholders
  • a national dialogue may not resolve the fundamental ideological differences that underpin the trade debate, but can be an effective consensus building tool (consensus is a typically Pacific way of decision making)
  • the process must be responsive and provide feedback to participants, and there needs to be a clear link to the policy and decision making processes with achievable results demonstrated for all to see

  However, the author stresses that there is no “one-size-fits all” framework to guide national consultations as each country has specific national interests as well as political, social and economic context.

• Fast growth in the Pacific is possible - look at Vanuatu

  Posted: 03 Feb 2013 18:28:38 GMT

  Growth in Vanuatu has accelerated in recent years. This paper argues that Vanuatu’s growth acceleration is important for the Pacific - it dispels the myth that the Pacific island economies cannot grow.
  
  The paper clarifies that Vanuatu’s experiment confirms the range of factors which are important for growth in the Pacific. In this regard, the document points that macroeconomic stability has been important, but is far from the only factor underpinning growth.
  
  Key messages include:
  

  • Vanuatu’s recent growth has been led by the private sector, not by aid
  • Vanuatu’s upsurge in tourism and construction would not have been possible without an active land market
  • Vanuatu has also benefited from deregulation (i.e. the opening up of the telecom and air travel sectors)
  • in addition, social stability underlies Vanuatu’s recent success
  • moreover, Vanuatu’s recently-gained access to foreign labour markets boosts its growth prospects

  
  Nevertheless, the document states that Vanuatu’s future is not assured, considering that all small island economies are volatile and easily destabilised. On this point, the author notes that Vanuatu has a long way to go, and faces a wide range of reform challenges, such as:
  

  • improving health and education indicators
  • promoting further structural reform
  • reducing corruption
  • maintaining social stability
  • ensuring law and order
  • promoting equity

  
  Yet, the author emphasises that Vanuatu has gone much further than achieving macroeconomic stability, and that it has good prospects for long-term growth.

• Trade Liberalisation and Wage Inequality in the Bangladesh Manufacturing Sector, 1973-1994

  Posted: 21 Jan 2013 15:58:40 GMT

  This paper assesses the impact of trade liberalisation on wage inequality in the Bangladesh manufacturing sector over the period 1973-1994 by applying alternative techniques of two-stage least squares and error correction modeling. The study also examines the hypothesis that skilled labour and physical capital are complementary with each other. The study finds that wage inequality in the Bangladesh manufacturing sector, as measured by the ratio of the non-production workers’ wage to the production workers’ wage as well as by the Theil’s wage inequality index, has widened over time. The econometric results suggest that export orientation of the Bangladesh manufacturing sector has contributed to the widening of wage inequality, while the relative demand for skilled workers had an offsetting effect. Furthermore, the findings do not support the claim that skilled labour and capital are complementary with each other.

• Food for thought: exploring food security in the Pacific

  Posted: 17 Jan 2013 21:58:40 GMT

  The Pacific faces many challenges in terms food availability and affordability. This paper investigates the current status of food systems in the Pacific and looks at the changes required for achieving a food secure future.
  
  The document points that:
  

  • the two pillars of food production in the Pacific are subsistence agriculture and inshore fisheries
  • rural food security is at risk from urbanisation, land tenure issues, and increasing resource scarcity from the Pacific’s high population growth
  • in addition, the impact of climate change is predicted to bring stronger, more frequent cyclones and prolonged droughts
  • as a result, imports are increasingly required to fill the dinner plates

  
  The paper argues that achieving productivity improvements in the face of the above pressures requires strong institutions, adoption of green revolution technologies, and a particular focus on the development of new crop varieties.
  
  Moreover, the author underscores that sharing best practice traditional techniques among Pacific island countries can improve regional food security. However, the effectiveness of traditional techniques should be improved through research to build future resilience.
  
  Further, the document presents the following policy implications:
  

  • urban gardening programs are a cost effective way to improve food security
  • improving security of tenure will be beneficial, especially for commercial agriculture
  • one industry that has potential is mariculture - increased participation by Pacific island countries in tuna fishing will boost urban food security
  • focusing on a range of high value agricultural commodities will help the region realise its comparative advantage
  • increasing processing capacity to develop value-added products would boost export revenues and help overcome trade quarantine issues
  • investing in infrastructure and breaking the stranglehold of shipping and other infrastructural monopolies is highly recommendable

  

• China and the African oil sector: channels of engagement, motives, actors and impacts

  Posted: 19 Dec 2012 09:01:02 GMT

  China’s rapid economic growth and urbanisation puts pressure on the country’s scarce domestic natural resources, which are essential for powering the ever-growing economy. Consequently, China is increasingly engaging with low income countries to ensure access to overseas natural resources, particularly energy resources. In search of affordable oil resources, China has turned to Africa. This paper aims to assess the channels of engagement, motives, actors, beneficiaries and the direct and indirect impacts of China’s engagement in the oil sector in Africa. In recent years, about 30 to 40 per cent of Chinese crude oil imports have been drawn from African oil-producing countries such as Sudan, Angola and Nigeria. The paper uses the 'rising powers framework' for assessing these issues and to elaborate the links to trade, investments and aid.

• China Africa in agriculture: a background paper on trade, investment and aid in agriculture

  Posted: 18 Dec 2012 17:43:43 GMT

  This paper investigates China-Africa exchanges in agriculture, which is a relatively small component of the China-Africa trade. After a brief introduction to Chinese and African agriculture, the first part of the paper analyses Chinese and African trade and discusses two issues: Is Chinese demand and Africa supply complementary; and what could be the consequence of a transformation of Chinese consumption of domestic agricultural imports? The second part looks at Chinese aid to agriculture and the third part examines Chinese investment in African agriculture with special emphasis on investment in land.

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