Supporting Low-Income Countries
...supporting low-income countries and regions to secure pro-development and equitable outcomes from trade and investment negotiations, implementation, and policy & regulatory reforms
NEWS FROM ILEAP NETWORK
New ILEAP website
4 May 2012
ILEAP is pleased to announce the next version of its website. With a cleaner, more intuitive design and structure, the release marks a first step as ILEAP moves to better deploy the website as a knowledge-resource and tool for beneficiaries. As it is still a work in progress, please bear with us (especially for the french pages).
ILEAP participates in UNCTAD's Global Services Forum - launches publication on service coalitions...
Doha, Qatar 19 April 2012
In the lead-up to UNCTAD XIII, ILEAP was invited to present on some of its experiences working with the private sector on building 'service coalitions' at the inaugural Global Services Forum. Under the theme of Services, Trade and Inclusive and Sustainable Development, the meeting brought together Ministers, policymakers, academics, services experts and private sector actors. In doing so, it provided the perfect opportunity to launch ILEAP’s latest publication – Background Brief No. 22 – Harnessing Services Trade for Development: A Background and Guide on Service Coalitions in Africa and the Caribbean (French version forthcoming).
Click here for ILEAP’s presentation at the GSF.
ILEAP co-organizes workshop with African Union and African Development Bank on Trade in Services
Lusaka, Zambia 29-30 March 2012
While most Regional Economic Communities in Africa are pursuing varying degrees of regional integration in services, investment and migration, the results with respect to actual implementation have been mixed. Facing what are in many aspects unique challenges and constraints, there are also a range of common elements in the obstacles to progress. On the basis of forthcoming ILEAP research, this meeting convened representatives of Africa's RECs, alongside representatives from the private sector and international institutions. The meeting sought to establish a platform for these RECs (and other relevant stakeholders) to share experiences on regional services integration, liberalization and sector development. It also aimed to explore the possibility of a continent-wide approach to these issues, including the potential role for the African Union Commission and its partners.
LATEST RESEARCH
Harnessing Services Trade for Development: A Background and Guide on Service Coalitions in Africa and the Caribbean
Background Brief No. 22
>Published 16 April 2012
While there are many factors to consider in the development of an internationally competitive services sector, this paper highlights one of the key, far reaching factors for the private sector – the establishment of a national (and/or regional) coalition of service industries. It helps to demonstrate that the type of service coalitions evolving in developing countries offer an innovative channel to address a range of institutional and practical challenges to micro and small developing country services firms and as such, to unlocking the potential of the services sector to foster inclusive growth, sustainable development and ultimately poverty reduction.
Services trade and regional integration in sub-Saharan Africa: options for continental collaboration
Briefing Note
>Published 26 March 2012
Services affect growth and development through various pathways. They create incomes and employment, help the investment climate, contribute to consumer welfare and promote economic diversification. Services development and trade in services are being affected by capacity, regulatory and external constraints. Although the examined five sub-Saharan African Regional Economic Communities all address regional integration in services, investment and migration to varying degrees, there are mixed results with respect to the actual implementation of agreed provisions. While unique in many ways, there are some elements of commonality in the challenges and constraints being faced. There is a case to be made for supporting a continent-wide approach to promoting service sector development, regional services integration and services liberalization in Africa. This could include providing the AUC with a mandate and resources to monitor and facilitate on-going regional services integration efforts, with a view to establishing an African internal market for services. Interventions could be envisaged at the political and substantive levels.
MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS
African Union/RECs workshop on trade in services, in collaboration with ILEAP and the African Development Bank
Lusaka, Zambia | 29-30 March 2012
Under the auspices of the African Union, this meeting convened representatives of Africa's RECs, alongside representatives from the private sector and international institutions to discuss the establishment of a platform for the RECs (and other relevant stakeholders) to share experiences on regional services integration, liberalization and sector development. Participants also deliberated on possibilities for continent-wide approaches, including the potential role for the African Union Commission and its partners.
Service sector development in Cote d'Ivoire: what role for a coalition of service providers & negotaitions in telecommunications, legal and accounting services
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire | 12-16 March 2012
ILEAP has been working with the government of Cote d’Ivoire to assist in better understanding the domestic regulatory environment in select sectors. National stakeholders recently convened again in Abidjan to review ILEAP sectoral studies in legal, accounting and telecommunication services, as well as to discuss in more detail the role of services negotiations and the private sector to support service sector development.
Positioning services reforms and negotiations for development
Nairobi, Kenya | 14-16 November 2011
This event convened experts and policy makers from national governments, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the private sector and other non state actors throughout sub-Sahara Africa to discuss efforts and approaches for positioning services reforms and negotiations for development. The workshop helped to facilitate an enhanced understanding on the linkages between services reforms, negotiations, and sector development, while promoting greater coherence in the use of services negotiations and integration as a tool for service sector policy development.