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AGOA forum: ‘Africa to assert its place in global economy’
8-Nov-2023 Mail and Guardian
South Africa will be looking to get more out its trade ties with the US during next week’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) Forum, where member countries will showcase the continent’s industrial capability and its regional value chains.
South Africa hosts AGOA forum aims at strengthening US-Africa trade relations
8-Nov-2023 Modern Diplomacy
South Africa prepares to host the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum to review critical challenges and obstacles adversely impacting trade opportunities and economic cooperation between the United States and Africa.
African, Caribbean nations mull joint free trade zone
8-Nov-2023 The Nation
Public and private sectors’ leaders in African and Caribbean nations have called for increased trade and investments among the nations, with a vision to create an African Caribbean free trade zone.
KSA, Qatar: Issues over BIT template block huge investment
8-Nov-2023 Business Recorder
Pakistan is likely to scrap Bilateral Investment Treaty template, and allow renegotiating with Saudi Arabia and Qatar on new BIT template.
US suspends Indo-Pacific talks on key aspects of digital trade -lawmakers
8-Nov-2023 Reuters
The Biden administration has suspended talks on some key digital trade aspects of its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework initiative, Democratic lawmakers said on Tuesday as negotiators from 14 countries race to finish some agreements ahead of a major Pacific Rim summit next week.
FTAs can’t be used to dump steel: Goyal
8-Nov-2023 Live Mint
India, in ongoing talks on several free trade agreements, may push for clauses to ensure that steel products imported from the partner country are manufactured in that country rather than being routed through it.
US to host IPEF ministerial meeting in San Francisco next week
7-Nov-2023 NHK
The administration of US President Joe Biden has announced it will host a ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, or IPEF, on November 13 and 14.
Arbitration court favors Bolivia in dispute with mining company
7-Nov-2023 teleSUR
The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of Bolivia, denying any compensation to the American mining company Orlandini for the revocation of concessions.
EFTA and Ukraine heads of delegation meet to discuss modernisation of their Free Trade Agreement
7-Nov-2023 EFTA
High-level representatives from the EFTA States and Ukraine discussed the way forward in the modernisation of their existing EFTA-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement originally signed in 2010.
PH-EU free trade talks gain momentum
7-Nov-2023 Inquirer Net
The Philippines is nearing the conclusion of initial discussions for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union, signaling that formal discussions could begin on the bilateral agreement that is seen bringing greater market access and improved trade with the regional bloc.
Sri Lanka looks to create more trade agreements with Asia
7-Nov-2023 Economy Next
Sri Lanka is looking beyond strengthening ties with its largest traditional export destinations, the USA and the EU/UK, to deeper integration with South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia nations.
Investment treaty gets go-ahead
7-Nov-2023 The Express Tribune
The investment treaty with Saudi Arabia and Qatar would be annexed with the free trade agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), highly placed sources told The Express Tribune.
Zenith adds another arbitration case over Tunisia problems
6-Nov-2023 Energy Voice
Zenith Energy has launched international arbitration in Paris against state-owned Entreprise Tunisienne d’Activités Pétrolières (ETAP).
Mauritania set for AGOA return as Uganda, Gabon, Niger and CAR get the boot from US
6-Nov-2023 News24
While Gabon, Niger, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Uganda have been kicked out of an American trade preference scheme for the continent, Mauritania will be making a return.
AGOA: Africa calling for another 10 years
6-Nov-2023 Mail and Guardian
African countries who benefit from the African Growth and Opportunities Act will push for a 10 year extension of the agreement, the African Union (AU) commissioner for trade and industry Albert Muchanga said on the first day of a summit in Johannesburg.
Uganda denounces US plan to exclude it from duty-free trade programme
6-Nov-2023 Reuters
Uganda on Wednesday criticised a U.S. move to eject it and other African countries from accessing a tariff-free trade programme, saying the action was to punish African countries that are resisting the imposition of the West’s cultural values.
New Serbia-China trade deal violates EU accession rules, but is celebrated anyway
6-Nov-2023 Euractiv
The free trade agreement Serbia signed with China, which is being hailed by Serbian politicians – along with all other agreements signed that day – will cease to apply on the day Serbia becomes a member of the EU.
India works on free trade deal with Gulf countries
6-Nov-2023 The Times of India
After a delay of several months, India and the Gulf Co-operation Council have begun discussing the contours of a free trade agreement.
EU-Mercosur deal killed animal welfare law
6-Nov-2023 EU Observer
The pending trade deal between the EU and South America’s Mercosur countries was the ’nail in the coffin’ of European plans to improve farm animal welfare.
It’s time to exit ISDS: 200+ labor, environment, and other civil society groups urge Biden to eliminate extreme corporate powers from existing trade pacts
3-Nov-2023 Public Citizen
The groups argue that removing ISDS — which has prioritized corporate rights over those of governments, people, and the planet — is needed to protect policies necessary for a clean energy transition.