Protectionism
Free Trade: Smash the Regional Barriers
IPN Opinion article
With all eyes on the G20's broken pledges to reject protectionism, it is worth remembering that African countries have more to gain in trade from opening their borders to their neighbours, boosting trade and removing a rich source of corruption. This writer looks beyond the G20 meeting to the African trade blocs meeting in Lusaka in early April where governments could do something for their own people.
How to make a depression Great
IPN Opinion article
This analyst argues against protectionism from the perspective of the countries who have suffered most from it: Africa's human experiments in economics sound a terrible warning.
Unleashing African Growth
IPN Opinion article
Despite the collapse of the Doha trade talks, some countries are making unilateral reforms to speed up trade: a World Bank report and recent reforms in Africa show there are huge benefits available without any international negotiation or agreeement. Compare this progress with the damage done by aid, perpetuating poverty, corruption and protectionism.
Rising food prices, protectionism and the poor
IPN Opinion article
Food prices have drastically risen over the past year, causing street protests from Mexico to India to Senegal; it is the poorest countries that will benefit most from dropping their own tariffs in response to this.
Protectionism harms consumers and the environment
IPN Opinion article
Proposals to restrict imports from countries which do not reduce greenhouse gas emissions are simply protectionism. They would decrease world trade, disproportionately harming poorer countries, and favour the status quo by rewarding inefficient producers and thus delaying the adoption of cleaner, resource-saving technologies.
World Trade Begins at Home
IPN Opinion article
The rhetoric about who is to blame for failing to conclude trade agreements between Europe and Africa obscures a far more important point: Africa is never going to get rich while its governments restrict trade between its own countries, EU deals or not.
Taxing the sick
IPN Opinion article
Like many of its neighbours, Tanzania has condemned its poor to paying higher prices for medicine in order to help the prosperous owners of inefficient local drug companies: this is the true face of protectionism and it is a major obstacle to international trade agreement in the Doha 'Development Round.'
