MAY 25, 2010
IN THIS ALERT:
Ron Kirk to Address Global Services Summit 2010, September 22
United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk is confirmed to make the keynote address at the Global Services Summit 2010: Breaking the Deadlock on Services Trade and Investment, which will be held on September 22 in Washington, DC. The event will build on the success of last year's Summit, and global business leaders and trade ministers from a number of key countries have been invited to address the event. On-line registration will be available shortly.
World Bank Paper on "Service Revolution"
In a recent paper, the World Bank says that the economic growth experience of India and other South Asian countries suggests that a "Service Revolution" is now possible. The paper argues that the potential for high economic growth in developing countries no longer lies solely with the development of the manufacturing sector, but that service sector development can drive industrialization. The paper notes that countries with high growth in services also tend to have high overall economic growth. In a sample of 50 developing countries, growth in the service sector is more closely correlated with poverty reduction than is growth in agriculture. In the case of India, the paper shows that services lessen poverty directly by providing the largest source of new job growth, and through the indirect effects of driving demand for goods and services and for the jobs that produce them. For a copy of the paper, click here.
WTO updates and expands coverage of Services Profiles
The WTO has increased the number of economies covered by its Services Profiles from just over 60 to more than 90. The profiles provide detailed statistics on countries' services exports, imports and investment, as well as indicators on key infrastructure services, such as transportation, telecommunications, finance and insurance. For more information, click here: http://stat.wto.org/Home/WSDBHome.aspx?Language=E