(The views expressed in this journal are solely those of the authors)
Nepal and WTO Benefits and Challenges
Shiv Raj Bhatt, Programme Officer at UNDP, Nepal, explores the challenges Nepal faces after its accession to the WTO. The author feels that global integration of small and landlocked countries like Nepal through WTO membership can be instrumental for rapid economic growth, poverty reduction and promotion of human development. However, according to the author, this membership does not necessarily guarantee immediate or longer-term economic and human development. The author suggests proper policy interventions, institutions, infrastructure and the removal of supply side constraints for Nepal to benefit from its WTO membership.
Implication of WTO on India's Trade Policy
Dr Rajesh Mehta, Senior Fellow, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi, studies India's trade policies in the light of the formation of the WTO. Using select case studies that have directly affected trade policies of India, the author analyses issues such as the removal of quantitative restrictions, renegotiations of agriculture commodities and the implications of the removal of multi-fibre agreement (MFA). He concludes that, among many other significant implications of WTO, the removal of MFA has been advantageous to India's exports.
WTO and Pakistan: Multilateral Trading System
Shahid Javed Burki, former Vice-President World Bank and former Finance Minister of Pakistan, looks at Pakistan's stance on international politics of trade in the context of WTO by tracing the evolution of the WTO. He discusses the main issues being debated in the various rounds of trade talks, and the 'little' progress that took place at Hong Kong. The author suggests that Pakistan should work harder to define its position in global trade talks to secure better access in agricultural products and spend less energy on improving access for textiles, since it has considerable potential in the rapidly growing markets in Asia.
Sri Lanka in the WTO Doha Rou
Dushni Weerakoon and Jayanthi Thennakoon, Deputy Director and Research Assistant, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), respectively, examine the gains Sri Lanka has been able to achieve by taking unilateral measures to liberalise its trade and tariff regimes. As distinct from other developing countries, Sri Lanka has taken a pro-active role and favours 'harmonisation' of tariff reductions. The authors say that Sri Lanka, a member of the G-33 Group, spear-headed 'criteria-based' approach on issues of 'special products' while advocating special safeguard mechanism for developing countries. Since Sri Lanka sought the extension of concessions granted to LDCs to other vulnerable economies, it was happy over exclusion of three per cent of tariff lines, benefitting its textiles, showing how divided the developing countries are on major issues of global trade.
Gender and Globalisation in South Asia
Dr Karin Astrid Siegmann, junior fellow at Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, looks at the gendered face of globalisation in South Asia, and argues how global economic integration has influenced and interacted with gender imbalances in the region. Evaluating conflicting impacts of globalisation in various sectors and countries of the region, the author suggests the need to investigate potentially unfavourable consequences for gender equality to guide the policy makers in their liberalisation decisions.
Indo-Nepal Women Trafficking Connection
Yubaraj Sangroula, Associate Professor, Kathmandu School of Law, looks at the issue of trafficking of women in South Asia while focusing on Nepal. Although exact figures of the number of women trafficked are not available due to many reasons, the author says that the situation has become worse in the country more so due to the growing Indian sex market. Adding to this is the internal chaos Nepal suffers as a result of the Maoist insurgency, intensifying the vulnerability of Nepalese women.
Rethinking Pakistan's Growth Strategy
Dr Nadeem-ul-Haque, Consultant at Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce, makes a thorough critique of Pakistan's growth strategy that strengthened rent-seeking, government's domination and mercantilism. Reverting the erstwhile paradigm and open-heartedly embracing globalisation, competition and free market, he offers a very creative and merit-based alternative strategy that should essentially focus on the issues of governance and the ultimate consumer. In the end, he proposes how Pakistani cities should become hubs of creativity and growth.
Organised Sector Employment in India
Dr Pravakar Sahoo, Assistant Professor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Unit, New Delhi, and Rajesh Kumar, Research Officer at Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), New Delhi, look at the economic reforms in India since 1990s. The authors conclude that there has been deterioration in the employment sector during post-reforms period as compared to pre-reforms period. According to their findings, India witnessed a growth in joblessness with respect to organised sector employment during the 1990s, such as: construction, trade, hotels, transports and communication, finance, insurance and community, social and personal services, which witnessed higher growth during post-reforms period but lower employment growth.
Indo-Nepal Water Resource Negotiation
Rakesh Tiwary goes into the background of the delay caused by the differences between India and Nepal over the interpretation of various clauses of Mahakali Treaty of 1996 and argues a case for removing them and undertaking measures for the most crucial border river project. Appreciating Track-II consultations between India and Nepal, the author proposes measures to promote cooperation between the two neighbours in harnessing water resources for water and human security benefiting the two countries equally.
Entertaining the Inevitable: Earthquakes in South Asia
Roger Bilham, Associate Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES), Colorado, and Dr. Susan E. Hough, research scientist at the U. S. Geological Survey, Pasadena, examine the seismic zones in the Indian subcontinent. The authors, while admitting that future earthquakes are inevitable, warn that without risk mitigation efforts, the loss of life and economic penalty will be catastrophic. Due to increasing population, urbanisation, and the construction of buildings vulnerable to earthquakes, the risk to cities close to the earthquake belts in the region is immense. They suggest mandatory earthquake resistance for all new construction
India: Regional Language Press and Cross Border Themes
Radha Vij, Researcher at Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi, looks at the way the Indian regional languages news media presents news from five neighboring countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Using a recent study conducted by the CMS Media Lab, the author says that the current representation crisis in cross-border news coverage in India exists because progressive coverage is not a priority for the Indian news media. She feels that the only way the Indian news media can attempt to play any sort of role in regional conflict resolution, is by broadening their perception, re-orienting 'national interest' and by including cross-border voices.
National Integration in Bangladesh
Lailufar Yasmin, Assistant Professor at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, studies the problem of national integration in a seemingly homogenous Bangladesh in the context of national identity and ethnic composition of the country. The author says that there are distinct fragments in the apparent homogeneity of the country. The bigger problem is a deep contention in the formation of national identity which manifests itself as a struggle for political power. According to the author, amidst the debate between Bengali and Bangladeshi nationalism, a new extremist religious identity formation has been exploiting the masses. She feels that if this trend is strengthened, the country will be further fragmented.
