Using Services Trade for Growth
The Commonwealth recognises that the services sector, particularly the temporary movement of natural persons, holds great potential for economic diversification and growth in developing countries on a 'win-win' basis. And so, the Commonwealth has been conducting work and supporting discourse on services-related opportunities for developing countries to meet the labour market needs of more advanced countries at a bilateral level. In light of this, studies on Mode IV have been carried out on possible frameworks for managing temporary migration of developing country professionals to developed countries, as well as on the fiscal implications for destination countries.
The Commonwealth organised a stakeholder consultation on the feasibility of schemes for temporary migration of health and education professionals in Barbados in March 2005.
Building Capacity in Services Sector
The Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat is implementing professional services programmes for Malta and Cyprus as part of the Commonwealth's efforts to assist small states to improve competitiveness. The ability of Malta and Cyprus and many other Commonwealth small states to increase their participation in world trade in services is essential to their deriving benefits from globalisation.The overall objective is to build capacity in the services sectors of the two countries. Action plans, designed to assist stakeholders achieve a more focused approach to the promotion of trade in professional services, will be drawn up. These will act as a guide to best practices and provide a long-term strategy for the effective promotion of the services sector in each country. (From Advisory 2005, SASD, Commonwealth Secretariat). For further information see:
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=37622&int1stParentNodeID=20639)