TF4 - Digital Transformation SUSTECH SOLUTIONS: ENABLING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO DRIVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ABSTRACT New technologies can help drive sustainable development, what can be called “SusTech” solutions. But how can these be supported by governments adopted by firms (especially in managing value chains) and encouraged by [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth AGRICULTURAL TRADE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD ABSTRACT Food security and food safety issues during the COVID-19 pandemic call for a full-fledged action plan on agricultural trade with a view to ensure undisrupted flows of essential food commodities, on the [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth MSMES’ ACCESS TO GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS AND TRADE FINANCE ABSTRACT In the Riyadh Declaration (G20, 2020), G20 leaders declared they intend to promote “inclusive economic growth including through increased participation of micro-, small-, medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in international trade [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth RESTRUCTURING THE WTO REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ON INDUSTRIAL SUBSIDIES: SUSTAINABILITY, FREE TRADE AND PROSPERITY ABSTRACT Industrial subsidies have long been a controversial topic for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the G20. The debate was rekindled by the COVID-19 crisis, [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth DOMESTIC DISTORTIONS THROUGH INDUSTRIAL SUBSIDIES: REFRAMING THE G20’S POTENTIAL PERSPECTIVE ABSTRACT In recent years, the challenge of industrial subsidies distorting global trade has moved to the forefront of international trade debates, including G20 discussions of World Trade Organization (WTO) [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth MULTILATERAL COORDINATION AND EXCHANGE FOR SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS ABSTRACT While participation in global value chains (GVCs) is widely associated with benefits for countries’ development and growth, its environmental and social costs become increasingly evident. Representing core buyer and [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth INVESTMENT SCREENING: PROTECTIONISM AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY? OR JUSTIFIED POLICY TOOL TO PROTECT NATIONAL SECURITY? ABSTRACT Over the past five years, investment screening has gained in prominence as a policy tool. The COVID-19 pandemic has once more accelerated this trend. [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth FACILITATING SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT TO BUILD BACK BETTER ABSTRACT Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are at a low point as a result of not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also restrictive FDI policies adopted in recent years. Investment facilitation has [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth LEVERAGING DIGITAL FDI FOR CAPACITY AND COMPETITIVENESS: HOW TO BE SMART ABSTRACT Policy-makers and firms can leverage foreign direct investment (FDI) to grow their digital capabilities and competitiveness with a three-part strategy. First, launching Digital FDI enabling projects (DEPs) [...]

TF3 - Trade, Investment and Growth LEVERAGING GLOBAL DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL ABSTRACT E-commerce has been growing rapidly in recent years, supported by the development of new digital technologies, improvements in logistics and distribution services and changes in consumer preferences. During 2020, e-commerce further [...]