Mapping the Commonwealth Countries’ Participation in Global Value Chains

This background paper provides a general picture of the characteristics and dynamics of Global Value Chains (GVC) in the Commonwealth countries. The main building blocks of the empirical analysis are based on a measure of inter-industrial linkages between and across between 43 of the 53 Commonwealth countries and sectors for which data were available. Using a trade network perspective, it measures the international flows of value-added and assesses countries’ position within GVCs. After calculating a series of in-depth GVC indica-tors, the paper assesses the potential for trade creation within the Commonwealth communi-ty. This review is complemented by several suggestions of policy and enabling measures aimed at facilitating the participation of those countries that are at the lower end of the val-ue chain.