International Trade Forum articles from January 2008

International Trade Forum archives from January 2008

Letter from the International Trade Centre.(FORUM)
January 1, 2008... It is a great pleasure to present to you the first edition of the new-look International Trade Forum magazine. The International Trade Centre is in the business of helping small businesses in developing countries connect effectively with...

Forecast for boom in green jobs.(International Labour Organization)(United Nations. Environment Programme)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Tens of millions of new jobs could be created around the world by the development of alternative energy technologies over the next few decades, according to a report by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Labour...

Hands across the Spanish-speaking world.(International Trade Centre)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Spain signed an accord with the ITC in July, to help develop the export potential of small- and medium-sized businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean. The funds are being used to strengthen business capacity, competitiveness and strategy....

Fair trade 'will survive' economic crisis.(Conference notes)
January 1, 2008... Organic, fair trade and ethical products will keep their market, despite today's volatile, unpredictable economic climate, suggested keynote speakers at ITC's World Export Development Forum in Montreux, Switzerland, in October. The market for...

Afghanistan wins global export award.(World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Afghanistan's efforts to connect businesses to new markets have earned one of the global awards from the World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations. Created in 2006, the Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan...

Reducing the middlemen in food aid.(United Nations World Food Programme)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... In September this year, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it will begin buying surplus crops from low-income farmers in 21 African and Central American countries in a project that could transform the mechanics of food aid. ...

Enabling the entrepreneurs: understanding global sourcing and supply chains may be the solution in export markets that are no longer geographic.(WORLD VIEW)
January 1, 2008... Any good business strategy starts with an assessment of the market, including the economic and political factors influencing demand, and the opportunities for sales in export markets. The best strategists start by identifying the strengths and...

Time for strategic planning: while the world economy is slowing down, exporters from developing countries should be positioning themselves for the recovery and a boost in ethical trade.(WORLD VIEW)
January 1, 2008... People around the world are waking up to a new economic reality and asking themselves what impact the economic maelstrom will have on ethical trade, developing nations and consumer conscience. The most practical exporters should also be asking...

Bleeding heart.(INBOX)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Earlier this year, my company established 'Bleeding Heart', a coffee shop, social enterprise and retail space for fair trade products in Brisbane, Australia. As part of our product range, we wanted to sell ethically sourced T-shirts made in...

Timor Leste.(INBOX)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Having just returned from Viequeque in Timor Leste, where The Body Shop has been supporting a children's educational centre, I have been examining how we, as an Australian business, can best support the economic development of this wonderful...

True stories: the growing demand for businesses to behave ethically is an opportunity, not a threat, for companies and countries smart enough to see it that way.(FORUM)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the poet Murial Rukeyser said, 'The universe is not made of atoms, it is made of stories'. Stories are one of the great forces of the universe; they can pull us together or drive us apart; they make us laugh, or...

Iwokrama reserve: a case for sustainable biodiversity: an ancient tribe in the Guyanese rainforest has joined forces with scientists and business to prove their forest is worth more alive than cut down.(FORUM)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Archer Boyes turns quickly and points to the red-billed toucan perched on a treetop in the canopy. He stares in silence, then, after a little while, bows his...

Conscious consumer: World Export Development Forum: ethical and fair trade, environmental protection, safety and health issues are influencing consumers conscience. Some of the greatest minds in world trade gathered for the 2008 World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in October to debate issues.(FORUM)(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 2008 World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in Montreux was the 10th forum since 1999. Its raison...

Organic cotton: demand for organic cotton in the textile industry is outstripping supply, presenting clear opportunities for developing exporters. But why aren't more producers going organic? ITC looks at the obstacles and ways to get over them.(BUSINESS TALK)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just as consumers increasingly link their health with what they eat, many are questioning how what they wear impacts on the environment. And one of the big winners is the organic cotton industry. Alerted by...

Business in biodiversity: commercial opportunities for investment and entrepreneurship in biodiversity go way beyond only agriculture, a major new study suggests.(BUSINESS TALK)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The word 'biodiversity' is a contraction of the phrase 'biological diversity', and refers to all the different life forms (plants, animals and micro-organisms) that exist in any given ecosystem [ILLUSTRATION...

Brand Africa: Biofach 2008.(TRADE TRENDS)
January 1, 2008... Africa had its own pavilion at Biofach, the World Organic Trade Fair in Nuremberg this year, which marked the first time African exporters were gathered under one roof in a concerted campaign to strengthen and promote 'Brand Africa'. ...

Bahia tourism--five stars for sustainability: the Coconut Coast Project in Bahia, Brazil, supported by ITC, provides consumers with first-class quality tourism and products, while achieving first-class results for the local community.(TRADE TRENDS)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fact that tourists who travel to Bahia can access high-quality products and services delivered by renowned resorts such as Costa do Sauipe, Super Club...

Tomorrow's TPOs: to stay abreast of the ever-changing commercial environment, Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) are retooling and recalibrating for the future.(TRADE TRENDS)
January 1, 2008... Trade promotion organizations (TPOs) have proven their worth over the last decade in the rapidly changing nature of world trade. A recent study found that TPOs have a 'strong and statistically significant impact on exports'. After examining 104...

Fair trade: what's behind the label?(POLICY PAGES)(Interview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ROB CAMERON Position Chief Executive Organization Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO) International [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We put 10 questions to Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Fairtrade...

Lost in labels: in the maze of the environmental labels: an opportunity or a barrier?(POLICY)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shopping 'green' for food in supermarkets can be difficult--deciding between products with labels proclaiming their organic origin, fair trade qualities or low carbon footprint can be confusing. The challenge for...

Bringing down the barriers: helping small exporters in developing countries adapt to new global trade conditions.(POLICY)
January 1, 2008... How to overcome the difficulties of small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) taking up global market opportunities was central to discussions at an ITC-moderated session at the WTO Public Forum in September, where two key messages emerged. ...

Directory: ITC continues to publish a range of books, technical papers, newsletters and marketing materials that are widely sought by readers.(Directory)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...