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Small States in Transition

28 January 2004

More than 100 senior officials from Commonwealth small states attended a three-day Executive Forum for Small States in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss how they can improve their national export strategy management. The delegates came from 28 countries where they are responsible for national economic planning and trade development. The Forum took place in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, from 18 to 21 January 2004. It focused on developing longer-term national export strategies and identifying areas where aid agencies can intervene to support improved export performance. The delegates will also discussed ‘best practices’ in various aspects related to export strategy design and management.

The meeting was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Trade Centre, which is the focal point in the United Nations system for technical co-operation with developing countries in trade promotion.

Speaking at the Forum’s opening on 18 January, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox said, “To be competitive over the long term an economy must have at its foundation policies that promote continuous improvements in national productivity and national innovation. This means implementing sound macroeconomic policies, maintaining reliable and predictable regulatory frameworks and creating strong institutions in a stable political environment.”

He said that this implied, among other things, tax systems that were not confiscatory, sound legal and other institutional arrangements for dispute resolution, heavy investment in human capital, and wages and incomes policies tied to gains in productivity rather than to the level of inflation. He also said that no country could expect to base its long-term competitive position on short-term changes in the exchange rate.

Small states face unique challenges in the areas of export development and international competitiveness including disadvantages such as limited institutional capacities, insufficient export diversification, and remoteness from major trading centres. These challenges make it difficult for small states to integrate effectively in the global economy.

The Forum aim was to improve the export performance of small states through a more focused approach to export development and enhanced delivery of trade support services, and to strengthen the public-private sector partnership throughout the strategy development process.

The Commonwealth countries categorised as small states are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji Islands, The Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.