RESTORING MULTILATERAL TRADE COOPERATION: ROUNDTABLE THURSDAY, 12 JUNE AND FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2014 MASLOW HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG

The document details a roundtable on restoring multilateral trade cooperation, focusing on the impact of mega-regional agreements (TPP, TTIP) and Global Value Chains (GVCs) on Africa. It assesses the Trade Facilitation Agreement's (TFA) new approach to Special and Differential Treatment (SDT), argues that the Doha Round's 'single undertaking' approach is a structural failure—particularly in agriculture—and suggests a 'critical mass' plurilateral approach as an alternative. The discussions emphasize that African countries must move beyond raw material exports by proactively engaging in GVCs and regional integration while navigating the shift from market-access negotiations to rule-based trade frameworks.

• Mega-regional trade agreements, specifically the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), are driven by a desire among advanced economies to establish future trade rules as their relative economic power diminishes compared to emerging economies.
• The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) introduces a new paradigm for Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) by linking the implementation of obligations directly to a country's capacity to implement them, allowing members to categorize provisions based on their need for time and technical assistance.
• The 'single undertaking' approach of the Doha Round is characterized as a structural mistake that has led to a negotiating impasse, particularly in agriculture, by attempting to cover every concern for over 150 participants without sufficient flexibility.
• A 'critical mass' approach to agriculture negotiations—where a smaller group of countries (e.g., 38 members accounting for 80% of trade in 30 key products) agree to eliminate barriers on an MFN basis—is proposed as a more effective alternative to the Doha modalities.
• Global Value Chains (GVCs) shift the focus of trade from market access to 'behind the border' rules and investment climates, posing a risk of trade diversion for excluded African countries if they do not improve their own regulatory environments.
• African countries are urged to move away from a dependency on raw material exports by focusing on domestic and regional GVCs and improving infrastructure, human capital, and logistics to attract multinational companies.
• The Bali Package's outcomes on agriculture are described by some participants as an 'illusion of progress' or 'low hanging fruit' that fail to address the core impasse of market access.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). RESTORING MULTILATERAL TRADE COOPERATION: ROUNDTABLE THURSDAY, 12 JUNE AND FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2014 MASLOW HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2014-06-12-South-Africa-WB-Multilat-Roundtable-2014-Report.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. RESTORING MULTILATERAL TRADE COOPERATION: ROUNDTABLE THURSDAY, 12 JUNE AND FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2014 MASLOW HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2014-06-12-South-Africa-WB-Multilat-Roundtable-2014-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=RESTORING MULTILATERAL TRADE COOPERATION: ROUNDTABLE THURSDAY, 12 JUNE AND FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2014 MASLOW HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2014-06-12-South-Africa-WB-Multilat-Roundtable-2014-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndrestoring, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{RESTORING MULTILATERAL TRADE COOPERATION: ROUNDTABLE THURSDAY, 12 JUNE AND FRIDAY, 13 JUNE 2014 MASLOW HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2014-06-12-South-Africa-WB-Multilat-Roundtable-2014-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }