Ethiopia Expects to Join WTO in 2 Years

2Merkato  Ethiopia's parliament, the House of People's Representatives, announced its expectation that Ethiopia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be completed in two years. “The accession is believed to come into fruition by the end of 2021, ” Zewdu Kebede, Trade Sub-committee Chairperson of the House’s Trade and Industry Affairs Standing Committee, told the […]

Bangladesh becomes major customer of Canadian crops

The Western Producer There’s speculation that crops are being sold into Bangladesh and then smuggled across the border to India to avoid that country’s high tariffs. The South Asian country joins China, Japan and the United States in the billion dollar club — the question is, why? Four countries bought more than $1 billion of […]

Peru looks to increase agricultural exports to $10 bln -minister

Financial Post LIMA — Peru is looking to increase its agricultural exports to $10 billion in 2021 from $7.5 billion in 2019, farm minister Jorge Montenegro told Reuters on Friday, outlining the government’s plan for increasing competition against countries like Mexico. The increase in farm exports will be driven by higher production of products like […]

Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises

Sunday Observer The SME sector which contributes around 50 percent of the GDP and accounts for around 90 percent of the businesses in Sri Lanka has been identified as a vital sector to boost growth and social development. Access to financing has been a key obstacle for SME entrepreneurs to get started and move on […]

Sri Lanka’s manufacturing, Services activities expand at a slower rate in January

Bizz Manufacturing activities expanded at a slower rate in January 2020 recording an index value of 54.0 mainly due to the slower expansion in New Orders and Stock of Purchases. New Orders, Production and Stock of Purchases sub-indices expanded at a slower pace particularly in the manufacturing of food and beverages sector with the decreasing […]

Why Trade in Services Matters for Development and Inclusiveness in Africa

Inter Press Services The rise of the services economy around the world represents a profound transformation that offers significant opportunities for countries’ sustainable development strategies. Globally, services now comprise the largest share of economic activity and employment, accounting for almost two-thirds of global GDP. In Africa, services have grown and now account for over 50 […]