In The News

Last Chance to Avert Hibernation

Ernesto Zedillo July 13, 2004
Ernesto Zedillo, director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization and former president of Mexico, blames the breakdown of the WTO’s Doha round of trade liberalization talks on flawed perceptions of international trade. Instead of coming to the bargaining table with the mindset that trade liberalization can stimulate wealth creation and promote peace and security, national trade...

Wise Trade Policy Can Address the Roots of Terrorism

Edward Gresser July 8, 2004
A lot of ink has been spent in debating what is the best way to fight the growing terrorist threat coming essentially from Islamic parts of the world. One way the West can help drain the swamps that breed fundamentalism and terrorism is by removing a basic cause of anger and frustration – economic stagnation and unemployment. Trade expert Edward Gresser says the West needs to make its trade...

Beyond Kyoto

John Browne July 8, 2004
Seven years after representatives from more than 180 nations gathered in Kyoto, Japan, the goals that were set up seem out of reach. America withdrew from the resultant agreement, and Canada, Japan, and the European Union have all fallen behind pollution reduction commitments. However, Lord Browne, Group Chief Executive of BP, optimistically re-evaluates the breakdown of the Kyoto Protocol as a...

Security Above All

July 2, 2004
With the coming into force of a United Nations-initiated shipping code a new barrier has been erected in global trading. The International Ships and Port Facility Security Code which was adopted by the UN members in 2002 requires countries to undertake security measures to prevent terrorist use of international shipping. This editorial in a South African newspaper echoes the mixed reaction the...

Alternative Globalization

Bharat Jhunjhunwala July 2, 2004
The author of this editorial in the Ethiopian newspaper questions the wisdom of developing countries staying within the WTO and letting themselves be squeezed by the developed countries. He says that the basic inconsistency of the WTO is that it provides protection to the monopolistic control of technologies but prohibits the monopolistic pricing of natural resources. He argues that the...

Power of Information Technology Awaits Unleashing

William Mougayar July 1, 2004
With no conclusive outcome reached at the UN-sponsored World Summit on the Information Society, developing countries will continue to lag behind developed countries in the vital Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The author, William Mougayar, an independent scholar and management consultant, opines that the meeting should have focused on important issues such as network...

Blair: NATO Lacks Sense of Urgency

Matthew Tempest June 30, 2004
With the handover of sovereignty to Iraq now officially complete, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is calling on NATO to step up to the plate. In Iraq and Afghanistan, Blair said today, the transatlantic alliance must act soon and show resolve to build a peaceful and democratic polity. Currently, he said, NATO "lacked the right sense of urgency" in these two hot spots. Lamenting the fact...