Services, development and trade: the regulatory and institutional dimension
The objective of the meeting is to assist developing countries, especially least developed countries (LDCs), and countries with economies in transition, in establishing policies as well as regulatory and institutional frameworks and cooperative mechanisms to support strengthening of their domestic services capacity and their efficiency, competitiveness and export capacity.
The meeting will:
- Review trends and salient features of regulatory and institutional frameworks for infrastructure services (telecommunications, financial services, transport, energy and water supply), development and trade.
- Exchange experiences and best-fit practices for building human capital and institutional and regulatory frameworks based on sectoral and modal (including mode 4) case studies and policy reviews.
- Assess their impact on development and identify practical solutions, options, capacity-building programmes and indicative guidelines/checklists of best-fit practices for policymakers and regulators.
When addressing the above issues, particular emphasis will be given to the situation of Africa and of LDCs.
Infrastructure services sectors play an instrumental role in the economic and social development of all countries and have, in a number of cases, become an important component of their post-crisis recovery strategy. They have a strong impact on production, trade, economic competitiveness and the potential achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Moreover, competitive infrastructure services can act as a strong attraction for foreign direct investment. For infrastructure services to contribute successfully to the economic and social development of a country, the legal and regulatory environment must be supportive. Accordingly, the policy, regulatory and institutional framework of infrastructural services is becoming increasingly crucial to inclusive and sustainable development.
This meeting will examine the latest developments in infrastructure services, including new regulatory development therein, and seek to further clarify key issues related to establishing best-fit regulatory and institutional frameworks in the infrastructure services sectors in developing and least developed countries.
Specific attention will be given to the financial services sector where postcrisis regulatory reforms continue with possible implications for developing and least developed countries.
The meeting will also address the interactions between regulation of and trade in infrastructure services. Finally, the meeting may provide guidance for UNCTAD’s future work in this area.
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Input from experts Experts nominated by member States are encouraged to submit brief papers (approximately 5–12 pages) as contributions to the work of the meeting. The papers will be made available at the meeting in the form and language in which they are received. Send to: Ms. Liping Zhang and Ms. Faustina Wilson Attobra fax: 41 22 917 0044 e-mail: liping.zhang@unctad.org |
