La OMC y el Banco Mundial presentan la Iniciativa de Comercio de Servicios para el Desarrollo en el Foro Público

12 de septiembre del 2024.- El segundo día del Foro Público 2024, la OMC y el Banco Mundial presentaron la Iniciativa de Comercio de Servicios para el Desarrollo, que propone un nuevo programa de trabajo conjunto sobre la Ayuda para el Comercio a fin de ayudar a las economías en desarrollo a beneficiarse plenamente de las oportunidades de crecimiento económico y desarrollo que ofrece el comercio de servicios. El Reino Unido anunció una próxima contribución de hasta USD 1 millón (CHF 780.000), la primera en apoyo de esta iniciativa.

Taking part in the launch event were WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Vice President of the World Bank, Johanna Hill, WTO Deputy Director-General, Professor Richard Baldwin from the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Sumanta Chaudhuri from the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The initiative follows up on the recommendations contained in the joint publication entitled “Trade in Services for Development” launched by the WTO and the World Bank in 2023.

«Developing economies’ growth and employment generation prospects lie in services,» DG Okonjo-Iweala said. «Services will be at the centre of future economic growth and trade. The Trade in Services for Development Initiative we are launching here will seek to help developing countries power growth and development by seizing more of the opportunities that services trade offers. On Aid for Trade, the WTO and the World Bank can make a difference.»

The United Kingdom’s WTO Ambassador Simon Manley said: “The UK is pleased to announce that we are directly supporting the Trade in Services for Development Initiative, committing up to USD 1 million this year to ensure that developing countries can take full advantage of the burgeoning opportunities of fast-growing services trade.”

Outlining the work programme, DDG Hill noted an upcoming Competitiveness Diagnostic Checklist that will help developing economies assess their competitiveness in services trade, define overarching national services trade policy objectives and prioritize technical assistance needs. Developing economies will also receive technical support to improve data collection and use of services trade statistics, as well as assistance on the identification and transparency of core services trade measures. The work programme will also aim to help developing economies build on best practices to expand and diversify their services exports.

Ongoing joint efforts will continue under the initiative, including work on the Services Trade Policy Database, which will be expanded to more developing economies, as well as efforts to assist these countries in implementing the Reference Paper on Services Domestic Regulation, including through the production of a handbook.

«While services trade carries great potential and opportunities, harnessing services trade can be challenging, especially for developing countries,» said DDG Hill. «Through the initiative’s work programme, we will work together to address needs and interests of developing countries,» she added. Further information on the initiative can be found here.

Dr Gill said: «In terms of development, there is a better recipe than an all-or-nothing bet on manufacturing. Trade in services is a big and growing part of that recipe. Services trade is currently changing the world and it is time for a rethink.»

Professor Baldwin said: «The opportunities for trade and development have changed. Services exports-led growth is booming and we need to adapt to this new reality. This is why I like the proposed work programme.»

Mr Chaudhuri said: «The growth of cross-border supply of services is providing important opportunities for developing countries. Services need more discussion, attention and focus domestically and in international fora.»

DG Okonjo-Iweala also announced that a new global conference hosted by the World Bank and the WTO will take place every two years. The conferences will bring together international organizations, government representatives and stakeholders from academia, the private sector and civil society to share knowledge on advances and emerging best practices in the services sector. Announcing discussions to create a Trade in Services for Development Platform, DG Okonjo-Iweala said: «This online global umbrella platform will promote information sharing, greater coherence and improved institutional coordination in scaling up services-related activities.»