WTO and regional trade negotiation outcomes: quantitative assessments of potential implications on Bangladesh

摘要: Despite being somewhat paradoxical, the world has in recent times witnessed ambitious multilateral trade negotiations along with a proliferation of regional trading blocs. Almost all countries are now involved both types arrangements, Bangladesh actively participating several important talks under World Trade Oganisation (WTO) alongside its commitments to South Asian Free Area (SAFTA). Different and have, however, different implications. For example, while liberalisation global agricultural – by reducing subsidies rich thereby causing prices rise will benefit many developing country farmers, it may hurl formidable challenge for net food importing ensuring security their poor populations. Similarly, WTO non-agricultural goods aim at improving market access many, but least developed countries, including Bangladesh, currently enjoying tariff preferences large range products major markets, ensuing outcomes could lead preference erosion, undermining competitiveness. Regional arrangements can also be challenging as they tend replace imports less efficient supplies resulting adverse welfare consequences. Effective partly depend on priori assessments possible negotiation outcomes. As such, is very provide policymakers negotiators informed inputs potential implications negotiating issues. Since comprise subject matters conflicting interests often amongst comparable levels development that otherwise share support similar views positions only country-specific objective analyses based appropriate research methods inform best way. This book an endeavour direction. It focuses some issues on-going negotiations, employs state-of-the-art analytical tools empirically assess likely Bangladesh. While results presented would useful negotiators, this volume interest analysts empirical research.