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Trade Perspectives
June
2010
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Dear Reader,
Warm greetings from the Development through Trade Programme.
The 5th edition of our e-newsletter highlights recent developments at DtT and with its partners. We are particularly pleased to present the progamme’s efforts to encourage discourse on The Future of SACU and Trade Policy Reform in South Africa. This edition also highlights recent public meetings held in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania and Mozambique on various trade policy issues including: trade and industrial policies and the exchange rate; food security, energy security, and their trade dimensions and implications for regional integration in Southern Africa.
Furthermore, the Programme recently co-hosted the launch of the annual ‘African Economic Outlook’ in partnership with South African National Treasury, the OECD, and the African Development Bank.
The highlight of the next quarter will be the forthcoming release of a timely book entitled Climate Change and Trade: The Challenges for Southern African Countries, which will be conducted in Lusaka, Zambia in collaboration with the Centre for Trade Policy and Development. As stakeholders turn their attention to the COP 16 meetings in Cançun, Mexico, this will prove a useful resourc.
Regular slots include recent opinion-editorials, publications, and events.
We hope it will be an enjoyable read for you and look forward to hearing your views.
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What Role for Trade in Zimbwabwe's Economic Recovery?
In addition to macroeconomic reforms affecting the currency, monetary and fiscal policies, Zimbabwe has to pay careful attention to microeconomic and regulatory matters. Trade is a critical component of such reforms. Within this Zimbabwe needs to pay particular attention to its membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since agreements extant in that organization, and potentially to be concluded under the Doha round, have far-reaching implications for Zimbabwe’s domestic economic policies. Participants discussed these matters, Zimbabwe’s regional economic integration strategy, and unilateral trade policy choices facing the country.
Critical Thinking Forum
We, in partnership with the Mail and Guardian newspaper, hosted a forum on South African trade, industrial and exchange rate policies, where Treasury DG Lesetja Kganyago gave the keynote speech. Subsequent to this meeting we’ve launched an op-eds series on trade reform in the Mail and Guardian to which we are accepting pithy contributions.
Africa’s Economic Outlook (AEO) launch
The theme of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development’s 2010 AEO is "Public Resource Mobilisation and Aid". This was highlighted at the Pretoria 8th June launch in addition to a discussion on the macro-economic outlook for South Africa. These reports are downloadable from the AEO website.
TKN Food Security Policies in Southern Africa: Implications for Trade, Integration and Sustainable Development
Given the recent food price hikes in the world that revealed the vulnerability of social and economic development in the face of food insecurity, TKN and Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) Tanzania, hosted a meeting that explored the situation and the policy responses activated in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) and their implication for intraregional trade and regional integration.
Regional Energy Security Dynamics in Southern Africa: Anchor Countries, Electricity Mixes and Key Suppliers in the Global Mitigation Context
TKN and the University of Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique hosted a workshop that looked at the roots of electricity supply security in the region and the role that regional energy integration may play in diversifying the region’s energy sources and treating the overlapping questions of climate change and energy security.
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Climate Change and Trade: The Challenges for Southern Africa book launch
Following our research and regional conference on the tension between economic and climate change policy which highlighted key competitive, technological and market issues that African countries need to consider as they negotiate a climate deal, we will launch a book that compiles our findings in Lusaka, Zambia tentatively in August. Full details will be uploaded onto our website in due course.
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The Trade Knowledge Network (TKN) is collaboration of research and policy institutions in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas that are working to ensure that social development and environmental goals are equitable addressed in trade and investment policies.
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BACKGROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Trade Perspectives is a quarterly update produced by the Development through Trade programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Trade Perspectives aims to facilitate and broaden public dialogue on trade policy and trade negotiations. We hope to keep civil society groups, researchers, governments and development partners informed about issues relating to trade policy and trade negotiations.
Each quarter, we will feature our Publications, Events as well as Opinion Editorials and links to interesting, relevant new material. We hope that you will visit our site at Trade Perspectives to subscribe in order to continue receiving this newsletter, and look forward to hearing your views.
If you would like to submit an original, unpublished, trade-related manuscript for possible inclusion in the Newsletter series, please email Sheila.kiratu@saiia.org.za .
Opinions expressed in papers and articles are those of their authors, and not SAIIA.
We gratefully acknowledge the Australian Agency for International Development, which has generously supported the Development through Trade Programme and this Newsletter series.
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