Trade and Development Symposium

The IGC hosted two panels at the 2015 Trade and Development Symposium, held 14-17 December 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya. The symposium is held in conjunction with the annual World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference to encourage innovative thinking on trade and sustainable development issues.

The first panel, held on 15 December, on "Using Trade to Promote Firm Productivity and Growth" presented recent research findings on the role of efficient service provision in enhancing the productivity of manufacturing firms, discussed the role of lowering trade costs and imports in spurring economic growth, and debated how promoting regional value chains can propel the access to world markets.

The second panel, held on 16 December in collaboration with Foundation for International Development Study and Research (FERDI), on "Harnessing Manufacturing to Africa's Trade and Growth: From Lagging to Leading Sector" explored reasons for the slow take off of manufacturing and policies designed to spur further industrial growth in Africa.

The Trade and Development Symposium was organised by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) in partnership with the University of Nairobi and the Saana Institute, with the support of the Republic of Kenya.