Trade

Germany’s BMZ Launches Ambitious Action Plan for Stronger Economic Partnerships

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Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has unveiled a new action plan, “Strong Partnerships for a Successful Economy Worldwide”, marking a major shift in the country’s development cooperation strategy. This plan, introduced by Federal Minister Alabali Radovan, aims to forge deeper ties between German businesses and development policy, blending commercial opportunities with … Read more

EU Aid for Trade to Least Developed Countries: Critical Shortfalls, Missed Targets, and the Road to Reform

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(tl:dr) EU aid for trade to least developed countries (LDCs) remains a critical aspect of the bloc’s development cooperation, aiming to address barriers to trade, foster economic growth, and contribute to poverty reduction. However, European Court of Auditors Special Report 17/2025 delivers a sobering assessment: needs are recognized and support is being delivered, but EU … Read more

Unlocking Investment through the WTO’s Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement

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The recent “Time for Take-Off: The WTO and the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement” interactive workshop, held at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference on June 2, 2025, convened decision-makers and thought leaders to explore how the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) can significantly benefit developing countries. Moderated by Axel Berger, Deputy Director of the German … Read more

Empowering Global Partnerships: The Role of Consultants in Team Europe Initiatives and the Global Gateway Strategy

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EU Global Gateway

The European Union’s vision for sustainable global partnerships is embodied in two key frameworks: Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) and the Global Gateway (GG) strategy. These frameworks aim to foster coordinated efforts among EU Member States, mobilize investments, and drive transformative impacts in partner countries. However, bringing this vision to life requires the expertise and innovation … Read more

Global Gateway: EU launches Digital Economy Package for Kenya to boost connectivity, skills and inclusive governance

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EU Global Gateway

Jutta Urpilainen, European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships, announced the EU’s Digital Economy Package for Kenya during her official visit to Kenya. The package reflects the EU’s strong commitment to Kenya’s technological transition by expanding school connectivity, providing skills training for students, and establishing a green digital innovation hub as part of the Global Gateway … Read more

Global Value Chains have spurred growth but momentum is flagging

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Global value chains (GVCs) powered the surge of international trade after 1990 and now account for almost half of all trade. This shift enabled an unprecedented economic convergence: poor countries grew rapidly and began to catch up with richer countries. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, however, the growth of trade has been sluggish and … Read more

Africa’s Development Dynamics 2019 #AfricaDynamics2019

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Competitive firms and committed governments are the catalysts of the continent’s economic transformation African firms are the key to the economic transformation of the continent, but they need governments to create better conditions for them to thrive, according to the second edition of the African Union Commission’s (AUC) economic report produced in collaboration with the … Read more

Evaluation of ISO Capacity Building on International Standards

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Karsten Weitzenegger leads the Saana Consulting Team for external evaluation of the Sida-funded capacity-building activities of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). BACKGROUND The launching of the evaluation follows a considerable period of preparation and consultation, and a competitive international tendering process that concluded with the contracting of the selected team in February 2019. The … Read more

How is phytosanitary knowledge managed globally?

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Juice

A recent STDF project evaluation on developing training manuals and kits on IPPC standards scored highly on relevance and efficiency. With 20+ global manuals now published, National Plant Protection Organizations have greater access to technical resources. View the guides online and download the evaluation report.  The World Trade Organization has contracted Karsten Weitzenegger to evaluate a phytosanitary … Read more

Mainstreaming Trade to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals

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Trade SDGs

The WTO is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which set targets to be achieved by 2030 in areas such as poverty reduction, health, education and the environment. The SDGs put significant emphasis on the role that trade plays in promoting sustainable development and recognize the … Read more

OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector

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The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector helps enterprises implement the due diligence recommendations contained in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises along the garment and footwear supply chain in order to avoid and address the potential negative impacts of their activities and supply chains. It supports … Read more

UNCTAD 14: Policy coherence needed to turn trade into an engine for growth in Africa

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Trade and investment can be drivers of inclusive growth for sustainable development in Africa, says the ILO’s Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, Gilbert Houngbo, at UNCTAD 14 in Nairobi but calls for more integrated policies to realize that potential.By Gilbert Houngbo, Deputy Director for Field Operations and Partnerships, the International Labour Organization (ILO). … Read more