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- Volume 2019, Issue 1, 2019
International Trade Forum - Volume 2019, Issue 1, 2019
Volume 2019, Issue 1, 2019
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Technology for all
Author: Arancha GonzálezThe world of 2019 is very different than the world of 1995 when the World Trade Organization was established. The way we produce, trade and consume been transformed by technology and efficiencies in transportation and global poverty has decreased.
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Supporting Kenya’s cut flower sector adapt to climate change
Authors: DELPHINE CLEMENT, ANNEGRET BRAUSS and Ann-Kathrin ZotzThe cut flower sector is one of Kenya’s main exports and one of the largest employers in the country. Highly sensitive to changing weather patterns, the industry is increasingly feeling the impacts of climate change. In recent years, many flower farms have had to cope with a range of threats: heavy rainfalls, prolonged cold weather and too high temperatures in the greenhouses. As a result, scheduling the cutting ahead of key sales periods such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas is becoming challenging.
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Why protectionism spells trouble for global economic growth
Author: JONATHAN D. OSTRYIt is sometimes alleged that for all the microeconomic distortions that protectionist policies inflict, there can be a silver lining in terms of macroeconomic gains: more jobs, more output and a stronger trade balance. Indeed, some economies today are seemingly using commercial policy to pursue macroeconomic objectives. Tariffs can dampen imports, boost net exports (the difference between exports and imports, or the trade balance), and so boost GDP, other things being equal.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises: Engines of the digital revolution
Author: Houlin ZhaoNew technologies – from the Internet of Things to artificial intelligence (AI) to 5G communications – hold great potential for human progress.
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Go big or go home: Getting small business to think large
Author: PHILIPPE GILBERTIf global trade were fashion, it would be a challenge to keep track of whether it was in the ‘what’s hot’ or ’what’s not’ category. The broad-stroke headlines suggest challenging headwinds one day and great opportunities another. The reality is simple, though: global trade is not going away. We live in a deeply intertwined world.
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Why blockchain could become the new container of international trade
Author: EMMANUELLE GANNEInternational trade in goods has experienced comparatively little innovation since Malcom McLean invented the intermodal sea container in the 1950s. Containerization revolutionized transport of goods. It cut freight costs drastically by removing the need for repeated handling of parcels. It did not, however, streamline bureaucratic processes or eliminate paperwork.
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How technology is helping the transport sector become more sustainable
Author: UMBERTO DE PRETTOThe road transport industry is an essential element of the modern supply chain. It links production, distribution and consumption across geographies to provide door-to-door services and connects all supply chain stakeholders at the local, national, regional and global levels.
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Africa’s green opportunity
Author: CAMAREN PETERIn 1967 one gigabyte of hard drive storage space cost US$ 1m. Today it’s around two US cents. Computer processing power has also increased exponentially: it doubles every two years. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to technological progress in the 21st century.
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Taking a closer took: The impact of tech on trade
Authors: ZIYANG FAN and ULRICH MANSDigital technologies are rapidly changing every aspect of our societies, and especially international trade where all these technologies are converging. From artificial intelligence (AI) and distributed ledger technology (DLT)* to 3D printing and 5G networks, emerging technologies are no longer abstract ideas but daily realities of international trade.
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Efficient harvests, effective transport can eliminate hunger
Author: SILVIA GAMBOAPost-harvest management is closely related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition worldwide by 2030. The post-harvest system should be thought of as encompassing the delivery of a given crop from the time and place of harvest to the time and place of consumption, with minimum loss, maximum efficiency and maximum return for all involved.
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Smart policies help Hungary’s MSMEs benefit from the fourth industrial revolution
Author: TAMÁS VATTAIThe fourth industrial revolution offers a unique opportunity for countries with smart economic policies, which aim to boost energy efficiency and sustainable transport, to raise domestic value added and increase economic growth.
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Africa’s potential ‘born digital’ trade agreement
Author: Craig AtkinsonThe African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, presently signed by 52 African Union (AU) member states, is remarkable in its geographic coverage and ambition to create a single market for the continent. The agreement’s extensive protocols will cover trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition and intellectual property rights.
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Improving Afghan food safety to boost exports
Author: DAVID FOX‘Have you ever seen a grape this big?’ Bharat Toshar from Euro Fruits asked his guests, rotating the engorged green fruit for all to see. Squeezed between rows of vines resting on trellises, the visitors being questioned slowly shook their heads. The grape in question was nearly the size of a small plum, plucked from a row of vines exposed to an experimental blend of drip irrigation and fertilizers.
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‘Creationesia’ wins International Trade Centre’s Student Video Pitch Contest for Gender Equality
Author: Jarle Hetland‘Creationesia’, a team of three students from the Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia, was on 7 March announced as the winner of the International Trade Centre’s Women’s Day video-pitch competition for ideas to empower women in business. Creationesia convinced the jury and audience with their business idea to turn plastic waste into economic opportunities for women, doing good for people and the planet.
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Guinea: Boosting youth initiatives and entrepreneurship
Author: MUJINGA TAMBWEWith more than 75% of its people under the age of 35 and a median age of 19, Guinea boasts one of the world’s youngest populations. Giving youth opportunities at home, building on resources and reducing irregular migration are among the country’s most pressing priorities.
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