This study takes stock of recent developments on digital payments in Thailand and ASEAN more broadly, explores the drivers and the potential benefits, analyzes the factors underlying the frequency of digital payment usage, and discusses the relevant policy considerations. ASEAN countries have...

• we analyze plurilateral trade agreements that liberalize trade in particular products among a range of countries • the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) covers around 12% of global trade • our theory shows that such agreements can be a way forward for multilateral liberalization in...

Singapore in the History of British North Borneo : an Examination of Singapore as Centre to the Region / Danny Tze Ken Wong -- China, Entrepo??t Trade, and Singapore Chinese Merchants, 1945-65 / Jason Lim -- Trading Hub Beyond Ideologies : Singapore-North Korean Economic Connection and Mission...

We show that plurilateral agreements facilitate global tariff liberalization by creating an MFN-based margin of cooperation that leaves preferential access via preferential trade agreements (PTAs) unchanged. In a model of endogenous trade agreement formation with farsighted governments, PTAs...

This study examines the impact of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) on participation in global value chains (GVCs) among South Asian economies, specifically Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. This research offers new empirical insights into the relatively underexplored relationship...

This benchmarking study situates Jordan's trade indicators relative to comparators (Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) with descriptive analysis. Using indicators for port competitiveness, geopolitical stability, logistics infrastructure, and trade facilitation within a...

This paper examines the evolution of global merchandise trade, between 2010 and 2022, assessing the share of imports subject to regional trade agreements (RTAs). A key question for us is whether the share of merchandise trade subject to preferences has kept pace with the proliferation in RTAs....

The biannual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit meetings are a fixed component of regional summit diplomacy. Internationally, however, they tend to attract little to no attention. This is partly due to their reputation as mere "talk shops" that rarely produce concrete results...

The trade strategy of the European Union has experienced substantial transformations in the initial two decades of the millennium, focusing on Asia, the strategy emphasises competitive bilateralism, shared values, and alignment with European trade standards. The EU's trade strategy has been...

The objective of this combined evaluation was to produce an independent evaluation covering the period of 2019-2023 of two key components, namely: the EU's humanitarian interventions in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (SAIO) region (Part A), and DG ECHO's WASH policy (Part B). Part A...

Asia-Pacific region especially is a developing region for airlines regarding competition, industrial development, and national perspective, COVID-19 had a destructive and re-definitive impact on the total aviation systems of the region. This study aims to perform a comprehensive analysis of the...

The increasing number of regional cooperation developments has attracted many researchers and scholars to explore further. This paper has utilized theoretical perspectives in analyzing the development of regional cooperation of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Regional...

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), initiated by the African Union in 2012, aims to create the world's largest free trade area by reducing tariffs and facilitating trade among 54 African countries. Officially entering into force on May 30, 2019, it has the potential to diversify...

WAEMU members' trade openness, integration into global value chains (GVCs), and export diversification remain limited. Tariffs, non-tariff measures (NTMs, obstacles to trade that arise mainly from differences in national regulations), and a challenging trade environment (e.g., cumbersome Customs...

Ever since their independence, African countries have engaged in a series of treaties creating 8 Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that were (and still are) to pilot this integration starting with a Free Trade Area (FTA) followed by a customs union, a common market, and a monetary union...

E-commerce has become an essential element, rather than a mere option, for various growth drivers in Africa. The adoption by the African Union of the e-commerce strategy in June 2024 and then of the AfCFTA e-commerce protocol on February 15th 2025 are important milestones for the digital...

How do shifts in the global balance of power shape the world economy? We propose a theory of alignment-based “hegemonic globalization”, built on two central premises: countries differ in their preferences over policies (such as the rule of law or regulatory frameworks) and trade between any...

How do shifts in the global balance of power shape the world economy? We propose a theory of alignment-based “hegemonic globalization,” built on two central premises: countries differ in their preferences over policies (such as the rule of law or regulatory frameworks) and trade between any...

After some 20 years, the negotiations on the EU Mercosur Association Agreement (EUMAA) were concluded in June 2019. Due to strong opposition by EU Member States as well as from trade unions and civil society organizations, in particular with respect to the lack of enforceable environmental...

The Mercosur countries which include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela have all shown rising interest on renewable energy as the follow. This change is occasioned by the desire to overcome the reliance of energy on fossil-based products and combat the impacts of climate change....

This paper explores the role of export-oriented firms in shaping regional economic development, with a focus on their operational footprint, strategic orientation, and interaction with institutional and infrastructural environments. Set within the broader context of regional competitiveness and...