The World Bank and Trade: Looking Ahead Ten Years
Monday, 25 April 2011
John Wilson, Lead Economist of the Development Economics Research Group at the World Bank, gave a presentation at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs assessing the unique challenges and new opportunities available in shaping the global development agenda through the lens of the World Bank, particularly in the area of trade facilitation and high trade-related transactions costs.
Wilson noted that the recent global economic crisis of 2008 has presented the World Bank with the opportunity to advance an international trade agenda anchored in reform and the research of aid effectiveness for the next 10 years. In particular, the World Bank’s data found that every $1 invested in trade policy and regulatory reform has resulted in $697 in trade. However, the highest rate of marginal return was found in the area where the least amount of official development assistance is flowing. Wilson addressed these issues, the Bank's research and operational agenda on trade, and discussed important platforms for advancing trade reform within the G-20, UN LDC IV Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, and the WTO’s July Aid for Trade Review.
This lecture was moderated by Sara Calvo, Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs and a member of the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at Columbia University. A report is available.
This event was co-sponsored with the Economic and Political Development Concentration and the Program in International Finance and Economic Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.