Research in Support of Enhanced Trade Competitiveness
Posted on: December 14, 2020
The objective of this grant action, conceived and implemented by Trapca-Esami for a two-year period starting from June 2019, is to Improve capacity in the Least Developed Countries and Low-Income Countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the aim to develop more efficient trade policy, trade law and trade facilitation strategies and implementation of negotiated trade outcomes. The main deliverables for the action include academic and executive trade policy, trade law and trade facilitation training and research.
A number of trainings and research activities were already undertaken during the first period of the action’s implementation. With regard to training, there are three categories of training that are part and parcel of the project, namely, pre-requisite courses, advanced courses and executive courses. In category one, six pre-requisite courses were conducted, covering economic, legal and quantitative aspects of international trade. In the second category of academic training, only two out of the planned six advanced level academic courses were fully completed, while a third one was only partially done due to challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. During the period, 3 planned advanced courses and 6 executive courses were not offered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These courses are scheduled to be offered during the second year of the programme as target countries relax travel restrictions. In addition to this, trapca implemented a value for money initiative that resulted in offering additional prerequisite courses but through e-learning.
With regard to the research component, three case studies out of the planned five case studies were conducted during the period. Two of the case studies focus on the assessment of the implementation of trade in services in EAC and COMESA and a third case study has been concluded titled, “The journey from Durban to Kasumbalesa: A Case of Transit in the SADC Region”. This case study focuses on the trade facilitation aspects of transit measures of the North South Corridor. All these case studies are undergoing final reviews by UNCTAD, in its capacity as an affiliate of Trapca under this Action.
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