Training gives 35 EG officers "diverse" look at international trade systems

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May 4, 2012

March’s in-depth Trade and Investment Training Course gave 35 USAID officers from all over the world a broad—one participant called it “diverse”—overview of issues, trends, and regulatory infrastructure that make up the international trading system.

The training, March 5-9, from USAID’s Bureau of Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT) organized sessions into issues facing producers and sellers at various points in the value chain, including: 

  • Beyond the Border (covering tariffs, non-tariff barriers, most favored nation status, duties, protectionism including rules of origin issues, regional trade agreements, and systems of preference);
  • At the Border (trade facilitation issues underpinned by customs and transportation logistics); and
  • Behind the Border (domestic and foreign business enabling environments, foreign direct investment, trade finance, and international property rights protection.)  

Back row, from left: William Benjamin (Afghanistan), Michael Jackson (Angola), Yassin Osman (EGAT/EG), Marline Lamothe (Haiti), Charles Murphy (Ghana), Mayad Yafai (Yemen), William Hall (EGAT/EG), Ali Kamel (Egypt), Judith Almodovar (A/OAA), Mitchell Nelson (BFS), Brooke Patterson (Kenya), Morgan McClain-McKinney (AFR), David Rogers (Kenya), David Tsiklauri (Georgia), Roland Oroh (Nigeria), Randy Chester (Ethiopia), Nick Klissas (EGAT), Peter Luzik (Ukraine).

Front row, from left: Jenny Murphy (DCHA), Meri Cuculoska (Macedonia), Alma Kospiri (Albania), Sonja Watkins (OAA), Whitney Dubinsky (Thailand), Nino Kobakhidze (Georgia), Beth Hain (India), Elizabeth Jones (E&E), Amy Beeler (Georgia), Dardane Peja (Kosovo), Erin Endean (CARANA Corporation), Paul Fekete (EGAT)

 

Sectoral presentations delved into food security and agricultural trade, manufacturing and gender concerns, and trade diversification. USAID also laid out its guidelines for Trade Capacity Building and Business Enabling Environment projects, environment and labor challenges, innovative financing mechanisms (such as the Development Credit Authority,) and resources for Agency trade and investment assistance and projects.

Participants played a trade game and practiced using the Trade Map database maintained by International Trade Centre in Geneva.  In evaluations, participants praised the course’s scope and listed vital takeaways, such as the importance of not having too many regional trade agreements and that every country uses import substitution mechanisms. 

“Leveraging private sector resources and active participation is key,” one wrote. “(O)ur role (USAID) as an honest broker and facilitator will continue to be very important.” 

Others echoed USAID’s Chief Economist, Steve Radelet, whose presentation advised acknowledging the criticisms that while all countries gain from trade, not all people gain from trade.  Trade policy, he said, allows a country to integrate with other markets, thus allowing more opportunity for jobs and growth overall.   

“It was tons of information,” wrote one participant. “I need to go home and absorb.”