• TRADE AND INVESTMENT PUBLICATIONS
• SELECTED WORLDWIDE WEBSITES

APEC Outcomes and Outlook, 2003/2004. February 2004. PDF-2.2 Mb. APEC
The publication overviews the structure and the operational processes of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Grouping, now entering its fifteenth year of existence. It features the major themes and focuses of activity for the 2004 APEC year chaired by Chile, along with a summary of the key outcomes of the post 2003 APEC year hosted by Thailand.
Accessed on 12 April 2004 from <http://www.apec.org/apec/publications.html>

China: International Trade and WTO Accession. IMF Working Paper No. 04/36 (March 2004). PDF-293 Kb. Price: US$15.00. IMF
China plays an increasingly central role in Asia. Tariff reforms have been implemented. After its recent WTO accession, China has committed itself to additional reforms that are far reaching and challenging. Sustained implementation of these commitments would further deepen China's international integration and generate benefits for most partner countries.
Accessed on 12 April 2004 from <http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=17189.0>

Container Security: Major Initiatives and Related International Developments. UNCTAD UNCTAD/SDTE/TLB/2004/1. February 2004. 48p. 183 Kb. UNCTAD
Following the events of 11 September 2001, safety and security considerations have been at the forefront of international concerns. A variety of different unilateral and multilateral security measures regulations and legislative initiatives have been developed. This report focuses on the main measures relevant to maritime container security. The aim of the report is to present a clear overview over the new security environment and to offer some preliminary analysis of potential impacts for trade and transport of developing countries.
Accessed on 20 April 2004 from <http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=1397&lang=1#>

E-Commerce and Development Report 2003. 228p. PDF-42 Mb. UNCTAD
The report provides information on the developments of e-commerce and ICT and discusses how it can be applied to developing economies. It also contains case studies of industries and other economic activities as well as regulatory issues. Specific recommendations are made to developing countries in order to enhance their understanding of the issues and their ability to adopt e-commerce and ICT.
Accessed on 27 April 2004 from <http://r0.unctad.org/ecommerce/ecommerce_en/edr03_en.htm>

EU Enlargement and Its Impacts on East Asia. Journal of Asian Economics. 2004.
(18 pages). Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP)
Ten countries--most completing their transition from socialist-based economies to market economies--are due to join the European Union (EU) in May 2004. The overall macroeconomic effects on East Asia are small. There is some trade diversion, but there may be an opportunity to increase market penetration in some sectors of the expanding EU for which East Asia has a marked comparative advantage. The paper also assesses the relative importance of linking trade openness to productivity and lowering trade costs between the accession countries and the EU-15.
Accessed on 20 April 2004 from
<http://www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/resources/download/1679.pdf>

Foreign Companies in Asia 2004. (8 printed volumes and CD-ROM). Business Monitor
The directory is designed to meet the sales, research and business development needs of managers with region-wide responsibilities in Asia. It contains 53,350 executive contacts at 20,500 multinational subsidiaries across eight major economies in Asia.
Accessed on 9 April 2004 from <http://www.businessmonitor.com/ybasia.html>

Foreign Direct Investment and Performance Requirements: New Evidence from Selected Countries. (UNCTAD/ITE/IIA/2003/7). January 2004. 318p. 895 Kb. UNCTAD.
The role of performance requirements as a tool to enhance the benefits of foreign direct investment remains controversial. Views diverge both on the effectiveness of performance requirements and on the extent to which international investment agreements should address their use. This volume brings new empirical evidence to bear on the subject. The analysis focuses on requirements that are not prohibited by the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs), but are addressed in some agreements at the bilateral or regional level.
Accessed on 20 April 2004 from <http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=1397&lang=1#>

Influencing and Meeting International Standards: Challenges for Developing Countries. Vol. 1: Background Information, Findings from Case Studies and Technical Assistance Needs. 2003. xiv, 125p. Price: US$50 (Developed countries)/US$20 (Developing countries and LDCs). International Trade Centre
The study contains background information on the objectives and rules of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phitosanitary Measures (SPS); draws upon experiences of selected developing countries in this area to identify their needs for technical assistance, and to examine the development of standardization and conformity assessment systems in developing countries.
Accessed on 19 April 2004 from <http://www.intracen.org/eshop/welcome.htm>

Malaysian Electronics: At the Crossroads. SME Technical Working Papers Series No. 12. (October 2003). UNIDO
The electronics industry is a powerful engine for economic growth in Malaysia, turning the country from an agricultural exporter into an industrial exporter. The authors analyze global trends, the development of Malaysian electronics industry, and the efforts of policy makers to meet the challenges of the future in the context of the Second Industrial Master Plan 1996-2005. There are three key elements in the promotion of innovation: technology management, enterprise networking and clustering, and education.
Accessed on 7 April 2004 from < http://www.unido.org/file-storage/download/?file%5fid=21305>

Measuring Knowledge Management in the Business Sector: First Steps. January 2004. 224p. Price: US$40.00. OECD
Knowledge management involves any activity related to the capture, use and sharing of knowledge by an organisation. Today, there is a recognition of the need to understand and to measure the activity of knowledge management so that organizations can be more efficient and governments can develop policies to promote these benefits. This book offers a synthetic view of the results of the first systematic international survey on knowledge management carried out by national statistical offices in Canada, Denmark, France and Germany.
Accessed on 22 April 2004 from
<http://www.oecd.org/LongAbstract/0,2546,en_2649_34539_22573541_119699_1_1_1,00.html>

OECD Agricultural Outlook: 2003/2008. (July 2003). Price: £27.00. OECD
This book provides information on market trends and medium-term prospects for the main agricultural products, including sugar. It also shows how these are influenced by government policies and highlights some of the risks and uncertainties that may influence the agricultural outlook. Tables provide detailed commodity projections to 2008 for production, consumption, trade, stocks and prices in OECD countries and selected information on other countries, including China, Argentina, the Russian Federation and Brazil. Accessed on 22 April 2004 from <http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_33727_4486473_1_1_1_1,00.html>

PC-TAS: Trade Analysis System for Personal Computer: 1998-2002, Harmonized System Rev. 1. (CD-ROM). 2004. Price: US$900 (Developed Countries)/US$450 (Developing countries and LDCs). International Trade Centre
PC-TAS is derived from COMTRADE, the trade database of the United Nations Statistics Division, which covers over 90 percent of world trade. It contains five years of import and export statistics covering 200 countries and territories and broken down into some 3,800 products (SITC classification) or 5,000 products (HS classification). It allows the assessment of trends, market shares and role of competitors in major markets either through direct reporting or mirror statistics.
PC-TAS: Trade Analysis System for Personal Computer: 1998 -2002 (SITC 3) is also available.
Accessed on 7 April 2004 from < http://www.intracen.org/eshop/welcome.htm>

Trade Reform and Food Security: Conceptualizing the Linkages. 2003. FAO
The primary focus of this report is on the agriculture sector and the impact that trade reform can have on its ability to contribute to improved food security in the context of wider structural changes that result from reforms. The publication comprises four Parts: Part I introduces theories and definitions related to the concept of food security and its measurement, and to the gains from trade liberalization, before discussing how trade and food security are related at a theoretical level; Part II identifies specific issues and debates; Part III discusses both the types of methodological approach and the implementation of policy and institutional reforms in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Transition Economies; Part IV provides a framework for further research.
Accessed on 20 April 2004 from <http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4671E/Y4671E00.HTM>

World Development Report 2004 CD-ROM: Making Services Work for Poor People. Price: US$35.00. World Bank
The report provides a practical framework for making the services that contribute to human development work for poor people. With this framework, citizens, governments, and donors can take action and accelerate progress toward the common objective of poverty reduction, as specified in the Millennium Development Goals. The report is also available in hard copy.
Accessed on 26 April 2004 from
<http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/catalog/product-detail?product_id=29328148>

WTO Analytical Index: Guide to WTO Law and Practice. (CD-ROM). March 2004. Price: CHF 210.00/US$130.20/Euro 138.60. WTO
Researchers can use this CD-ROM as a guide to the interpretation and application of findings and decisions of WTO panels, the Appellate Body, and other WTO bodies. The CD-ROM presents the text of the particular articles or agreements; chronologically arranged excerpts of relevant jurisprudence and decisions; discussions of the relationships to other articles and WTO agreements; and cross-references to the GATT analytical index when applicable.
Accessed on 23 April 2004 from
<https://secure.vtx.ch/shop/boutiques/wto_index_boutique.asp?language=E&rayon=elec_pubeng&bookmk=kz_cd_wtoana_e>

http://www.gems.com.pk
All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association of Rough and Unpolished Precious and Semi-precious Stones (APCEA)
Email: apcea@brain.net.pk
The association plays an important role for the development of gemstone trade of Pakistan.
1. Pakistan gems and minerals show: it provides opportunity for the local gem traders/exporters to meet international counterpart directly within Pakistan. Leading gems traders of the world are invited to participate every year.
2. International trade delegations: Close liaison with various Government organizations such as Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) as well as provincial and federal departments. The association sends its members to the important gems business centres worldwide to develop business contacts with them.
Accessed on 2 April 2004.

http://www.asianclearingunion.org
Asian Clearing Union (ACU)
Email: acusecret@cbi.ir
Asian Clearing Union (ACU) is the simplest form of payment arrangements whereby the members settle payments for intra-regional transactions among the participating central banks on a multilateral basis. The main objectives of a clearing union are to facilitate payments among member countries for eligible transactions, thereby economizing on the use of foreign exchange reserves and transfer costs, as well as promoting trade among the participating countries. Membership: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Accessed on 12 April 2004.

http://www.matrade.gov.my/business-library/what_news.htm
China Trade Information: Import and Export Database
Email: noraini@matrade.gov.my
China Trade Information Database (CTI) contains import and export shipment records entering and leaving China (except Taiwan Province of China). It could identify the products (9 digits) which China imported from all over the world including Malaysia. CTI enables users to locate new suppliers/buyers, monitor competitors, know who's who in the market, analyze existing/potential business partners, evaluate market size and market share and evaluate usage of existing customers.
Accessed on 20 April 2004.

http://www.invest.laopdr.org
Department of Domestic and Foreign Investment, Lao PDR
Email: fimc@laotel.com
Primary functions of the department include:
- Promoting Lao PDR as an investment destination;
- Screening investment proposals;
- Offering investment incentives and facilitating foreign investment.
Accessed on 19 April 2004.

http://www.deptan.go.id/english/
Ministry of Agriculture On-line Database (Indonesia)
Email: webadmin@deptan.go.id
Vision: To create the healthy national economy through agribusiness system development, having a reliable competitive strength, people oriented, sustainable and decentralized.
- Agricultural Database contains statistical information on agriculture – agricultural production and resources of food crops, horticulture, plantation and livestock;
- Document Database contains information on legal products/regulations related to agriculture;
- Electronic Form (E-Form) can directly be entered into the database.
Accessed on 12 April 2004.

http://www.myanmar.com/Ministry/finance/foreign_page.htm
Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank
Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank provides international banking services for the State as well as the co-operative and private sectors. It concentrates its activities to the field of international banking business i.e. export, import, bank guarantees and remittances, etc.
Accessed on 12 April 2004.

http://www.opic.gov
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Email: info@opic.gov
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was established as a development agency of the U.S. government to help U.S. businesses invest overseas, foster economic development in new and emerging markets, complement the private sector in managing the risks associated with foreign direct investment, and support U.S. foreign policy.
Accessed on 22 April 2004.

http://www.tam.gov.mv
Telecommunications Authority of Maldives
Telecommunications Authority of Maldives was established in September 2003 as a separate entity with a mandate of regulating the telecommunications sector, creating a conducive environment for promoting competition in telecommunication services and developing the sector in accordance with the national polices and regulations. The Minister of Communication, Science and Technology now has the role of policy making while the Telecommunication Authority will assume the responsibilities of regulating the telecommunication sector.
Accessed on 26 April 2004.

Information is taken mainly from secondary sources and UNESCAP accepts no responsibility for its accuracy. Mention of any companies and their products does not imply endorsement by the United Nations.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.