In The News

Kenya: Globalizing with Flowers

Jean-Pierre Lehmann April 9, 2004
Although Kenya has attracted some foreign dollars through tourism and export-based flower and tea industries, a majority of Kenyans remain mired in poverty. Jean-Pierre Lehmann, founding director of the Evian group, argues here that although its future could be bright, Kenya has not yet exploited its substantial political and economic assets in a way that will allow it to fully tap into...

Free But Not Unfettered

Niveen Wahish April 2, 2004
Inexpensive textiles from Southeast Asia and around the world will soon freely enter the Egyptian market. Though Egypt theoretically lifted its 30-year ban on textile imports when it joined the WTO in 2002, since then protectionist tariffs have effectively kept foreign textiles off the market – with mixed consequences for Egypt's domestic industry. As one expert notes, "Although we...

Schröder Condemns Job Offshoring as Unpatriotic

Bertrand Benoit March 23, 2004
Outsourcing, a vital component of global capitalism, appears to have met a staunch new critic in Germany. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder says Germany companies who move work to Eastern Europe and Asia are "unpatriotic". The cheaper labor of these regions, however, offers a strong economic incentive for German companies trying to compete globally. Nonetheless, says this article,...

Where Are the Jobs? The Harsh Truth about Outsourcing

Paul Craig Roberts March 15, 2004
As the US struggles to deal with the political and economic fallout from the outsourcing of high-tech and manufacturing jobs overseas, many analysts have come down on all sides of the debate. Will America benefit in the end? Does the theory of "comparative advantage" hold true? Can the US find a niche that will allow it to replace the jobs lost and reverse wage declines? The answer,...

Taiwan's Challenge to China and the World - Part I

Jean-Pierre Cabestan March 12, 2004
With Taiwan's approaching referendum and presidential election set for March 20, the world is watching to see what Taiwanese voters will do and how China will react. The incumbent, President Chen Shui-bian, originally planned to ask Taiwanese voters whether they disapproved of Chinese missile deployment, but after intense US and EU pressure, he watered down the referendum's wording....

Laissez Unfaire

Arindam Mukherjee March 11, 2004
Globally, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is very much in vogue, but India is rethinking its rush to keep up with trends. At present, there are some 250 FTAS globally, a figure that is likely to increase dramatically in the near future. India has made many strides in this area, signing, or committing to sign, various multilateral as well as bilateral agreements. Currently, it is in the process...

Hungary Eager and Uneasy Over New Status

Mark Landler March 5, 2004
Poised to join the European Union (EU) in May, Hungary anticipates a larger share of the global trade pie. During the 1990's Hungary served as a "backdoor to Europe" for U.S companies, and now it hopes to market this role to Chinese companies that wish to sell to Europe – they could avoid costly import duties by producing all or a large part of their products within the expanded...