Africa and the World Trade Organization

Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
Tables......Page 13
Figures......Page 15
Acknowledgments......Page 17
Abbreviations......Page 21
Map of Africa......Page 24
1 Introduction......Page 25
A Short History of GATT and the WTO......Page 29
African Countries' Membership in the WTO and Various Coalitions......Page 33
2 Dispute Settlement Understanding......Page 49
The Dispute Settlement Procedure......Page 51
Disputes......Page 55
African Countries and the DSU......Page 61
Major Problems with the DSU......Page 70
Retaliation Causes Additional Economic Loss and is Ineffective......Page 83
Retaliation Causes Less of an Impact on the Respondent Than the Trade Loss Caused by the Respondent......Page 86
The Role of Individual Firms......Page 90
The Role of the Media, NGOs, and Domestic Consumers......Page 95
Non-WTO Avenues for Addressing Trade Disputes......Page 97
The Role of Preferential Treatment and Financial Assistance for African Countries......Page 98
Lack of Credible Disputes Between African Countries and Developed Countries......Page 105
Conclusion......Page 111
Case: The Advisory Center on WTO Law......Page 114
3 Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights......Page 124
A Theoretical Perspective on Patents......Page 126
Technology and Trade......Page 128
Developed and Developing Countries' Perspectives on Patents......Page 130
Health Indicators in Africa......Page 136
Options Available to African Countries under the TRIPS Agreement......Page 144
African Countries' Proposals and Key Issues Regarding Compulsory Licensing......Page 148
Capacity to Utilize Compulsory Licensing......Page 151
Coverage......Page 154
Safeguards......Page 155
The Chair's Statement......Page 157
Predictability......Page 158
Conclusion......Page 160
4 Agriculture in the Doha Round......Page 167
The Importance of Agriculture in Africa......Page 169
Agricultural Policies in African Countries......Page 173
The Doha Round......Page 176
OECD Subsidies and Special and Differential Treatment......Page 186
Long-term Impact on Demand......Page 196
Diversification......Page 197
Food Security......Page 198
The Uncertainty of OECD Policies......Page 201
The Cost of Compliance and of Being Preferred......Page 202
Building Coalitions With Other Developing Countries......Page 203
The Cotton Case......Page 204
Conclusion......Page 205
Case: Cotton Producers in Benin Squeezed by Domestic Policies and OECD Subsidies......Page 211
5 Transparency in Government Procurement......Page 224
The Size of Government Procurement......Page 225
The Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA): A Plurilateral Agreement......Page 227
Economic Theory and Preferential Government Procurement......Page 233
African Countries and the Agreement on Government Procurement......Page 238
The Singapore Issues......Page 239
Complexity of the Issues......Page 243
Limitations in Pursuing Industrial Policy......Page 244
Strategy......Page 245
Sovereignty......Page 248
The WTO Conference in Cancún......Page 249
Corruption in African Countries......Page 250
Formulating an Ideal Government Procurement Policy......Page 255
Integration of Procurement Goals with Broader Social-Economic Goals......Page 256
Competitiveness......Page 261
Flexibility......Page 263
How the WTO Can Help African Countries Enhance Their Government Procurement Policies......Page 264
Conclusion......Page 266
6 Aid for Trade......Page 269
Magnitude of Government Aid to Africa......Page 271
From Aid for Development to Aid for Trade......Page 282
The Scope of the Aid for Trade Initiative......Page 287
Rationale for Aid for Trade......Page 288
Effectiveness of Aid......Page 294
Implementing the Task Force Recommendations for Aid for Trade......Page 301
Conclusion......Page 313
7 Conclusion......Page 316
Bibliography......Page 329
Index......Page 345