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Wednesday, August 12, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Trade and poverty: Facts beyond theory
WORLD-ECONOMY: IMF Using Global Crisis to "Re-Launch" Itself
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is attempting to reinvent itself with the global financial crisis, in the process using the opportunity to promote policies that exacerbate the recession by shrinking rather than growing economies.
MALAWI: Separating the ‘‘Ultra-Poor’’ from the Poor – Why?
A group of civil society organisations in Malawi is pushing for changes to the country’s controversial social cash transfer scheme which has caused tension in communities as it attempts to separate the poor from the ‘‘very poor’’ in a country where some 65 percent of people live on less than a dollar a day.
Q&A: More Investment in Production Won’t Cure African Food Crisis
The food crisis in African states will not be solved by investment to spur agricultural production because the problem is not food output but poverty that is making food unaffordable for urban Africans.TRADE: EC Manufactured Bogus ‘African Business’ Support for EPAs
The exposure of the European Commission's (EC) manufacturing of African business support for the contentious economic partnership agreements (EPAs) has so far elicited little action by members of the European Parliament.
Q&A: ‘‘Poor Countries Struggle to Mainstream Gender in Trade’’
Trade affects women and men differently. Women's livelihoods, in particular, can be undermined by trade liberalisation. Despite this fact, gender analysis is usually absent from trade negotiations and agreements.LIBYA: ‘‘King of Kings’’ Gaddafi Tries to Flex Regional Muscles
Former pariah and now Europe’s cautious partner, Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi seems determined to flex new-found diplomatic muscles on issues ranging from trade to regional security, North Africa observers say.ZIMBABWE: Little Interest in Trade Fair Despite Political Changes
The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) was until a few weeks ago - and for the first time since its inauguration half a century ago - on the verge of being postponed because of a lacklustre response from exhibitors to what was once southern Africa's premier showcase of trade opportunities.
Q&A: Russian Company Is Ready to Excavate African Potential
At a glance, trade between Russia and African states is still at low levels, which experts attribute to an inadequate flow of information and lack of interaction.DEVELOPMENT: The Second Scramble For Africa Starts
Sub-Saharan African countries have of late become the target of a new form of investment that is strongly reminiscent of colonialism: investors from both industrialised and emerging economies buy or lease large tracts of farm land across the continent, either to guarantee their own food provisions or simply as yet another business.ENERGY: Africa Will Have to Feed EU’s Artificial Biofuels Demand
Earlier in the decade, biofuels were hailed as the energy panacea, the silver bullet to solve oil shortages and abide by environmental concerns. The European Union recently took the lead in imposing the use of these liquid or gaseous fuels made from plants.
TRADE-AFRICA: Flip-flops Transformed Into Toys to Save Turtles
Art and fashion, environmental conservation, poverty alleviation and fair trade come together at UniqEco’s Marula Studios in an upscale suburb of Nairobi. A visit to its workshop and display centre is a delight to the eyes as well as an occasion to learn about the problem of marine pollution and its eco-friendly, community-based and business-savvy solutions.
TRADE: ‘‘EPAs Will Prevent African States From Achieving MDGs’’
The economic partnerships agreements (EPAs) will push African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries ''deeper'' into poverty and negatively affect the livelihoods of people living in ACP countries. These trade deals ''will prevent'' African countries from achieving the United Nations’ millennium development goals (MDGs).
TRADE-AFRICA: EPAs Negotiations Trudging Along Slowly
Talks between African countries and the European Union (EU) on the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) have stalled over a series of contentious issues that several countries want negotiated before they will sign full EPAs.
AFRICA: New North-South Corridor To Tackle Trade Bottle-Necks
Africa’s contribution to the global economy will continue to be low if there is no investment in infrastructure, delegates heard at the North-South Corridor Conference in Lusaka, where 1.2 billion dollars was raised.TRADE: EC Urges SADC on About EPA as ‘‘Time Is Not on Our Side’’
Southern African countries remain mum on the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA), despite a letter from European Commission (EC) trade commissioner Catherine Ashton urging them to sign.AFRICA: G20 Summit’s Trade-Related Commitments Disappoint
The Group of 20’s pledges of trade finance and aid for trade are too vague, according to the editors of the e-book ‘‘Rebuilding Global Trade’’, published last week. And the London summit of this group of developed and developing economies last week failed to make a strong commitment to the multilateral trade regime.
AFRICA: Arbitration Mechanism Demanded to End Scourge of Debt
International debt campaigners are calling for the establishment of a debt arbitration mechanism to respond to the difficulties that many countries of the South are increasingly facing as they attempt to service debt arrears to international lenders.ECONOMY: Insurance to Even Provide Cover Against Global Crisis
The global economic crisis makes it even more imperative that investors ascertain the economic and legal conditions in foreign countries.AFRICA: ‘‘G20 Should Use Crisis as Opportunity to Fix Inequity’’
The daunting task of making Africa the centre of attention awaits Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi when the Group of 20 (G20) rich and emerging economies meet in London tomorrow.GHANA: Cadbury’s Deal Destined to Sweeten More Farmers’ Lives
The initiative linking British chocolate giant Cadbury’s with a Ghanaian cooperative representing 40,000 cocoa farmers is set to grow further and enhance the livelihoods of more farmers.WORLD: Investors Eyeing South-South Trade to Help End Crisis
Despite the challenges that the global economic crisis poses to Africa and other developing regions in the southern hemisphere, South-South trade still offers huge opportunities as there is room for growth beyond the current levels.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Trade has historically been a geopolitical tool, creating significant economic imbalances in developing countries. However, many countries in East Asia and Latin America have been able to alleviate poverty due to increasing trade. Tackling poverty has proven to be much harder in low income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America, and their dismal trade performance is one important reason for that. They remain at the margins of world trade and indeed of the world economy. These articles are aimed at informing readers about the complexities of trade and its varying effects on development, with a special focus on the consequences of the global economic crisis, the potential of fair trade and the gender implications of trade policies.
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