The World Trade Organisation has unanimously selected Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its new Director-General, after months of uncertainty following a veto from the now-departed Trump Administration. The appointment of Dr Okonjo-Iweala, as the first woman and first...
“Out with the old, and in with the new”. The old saying seems to have particular relevance for 2020, a veritable annus horribilis for the global economy. 2021 can’t come fast enough, but while the vaccine portends better times to come, many parts of the...
It is said good things take time, and that is inevitably true of international free trade negotiations. More than eight years after launching, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement was finally signed on 15th November 2020 creating a new rule...
NZIBF Board and guests meet on 25 November 2020 NZIBF Chair Malcolm Bailey has finished a 5-year term and passed the baton to Philip Gregan (CEO, NZ Winegrowers). Here is Malcolm’s final annual report which was presented on 25 November. I am pleased to present my...
The American people have spoken. America’s “better angels” have prevailed. We all hope for better times ahead, but, while there is ample scope to expand co-operation with a Biden Administration in the White House, the future is unlikely to be all plain sailing. The...
Dame Vera Lynn’s iconic song about the hope which sustained Britain during WWII might point equally to the challenges posed by Britain’s messy divorce from the European Union. The date for the decree nisi – 31 December - is just two months away, with much detail...
This is a critical time. Make your vote count on election day. New Zealand’s future prosperity and sustainability depend on it. It’s election day in Aotearoa/New Zealand on 17 October. As in previous elections, the team at Trade Works is publishing here the...
The Asia-Pacific is the destination for three-quarters of New Zealand’s exports, and includes many of our key trading partners. More broadly, the APEC region is a major engine for global economic growth. What is New Zealand's digital future in this dynamic region? ...
Rachel Taulelei, CEO of Kono and ABAC Chair for 2021 looks at how business can contribute and prepare for APEC 21 which the Government has announced will be held on virtual digital platforms. Tēnā koutou katoa In these unpredictable times it is challenging to think...
The World Trade Organisation’s system of global trade rules has helped to lift millions from poverty and underpinned seventy years of global prosperity. As WTO members consider candidates for a new Director General this week, however, the WTO faces a crisis of...