• Poverty impacts

Poverty impacts of trade liberalisation

This report analyses the Bank's contribution to freer trade in developing countries and makes concrete recommendations on how to boost trade opportunities to better alleviate poverty in the future. Between 1987 and 2004, 8.1 percent of total Bank commitments (US$ 38 billion) went to 117 countries to help them become better integrated into the global economy.

The study finds the World Bank support for trade helped open markets, but was not as effective in boosting exports and growth, and alleviating poverty as anticipated. The Bank is meeting its commitment to advise countries on trade policy through a dramatically increased volume of trade-related analytical work and dialogue with regional trade institutions, particularly in Africa. But it is is meeting these trade-related capacity building (TCB) objectives unevenly.

The report recommends:

• addressing poverty-distributional outcomes and external shocks in a balanced approach
• revisiting the balance between global and country agendas and strengthen operational links on trade issues
• strengthening knowledge management efforts. Bringing economists up to date on the main features and applications of the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) software would enhance their awareness of the global trade issues
• integrating trade more effectively with agriculture, economic policy, labour markets, and private sector development.

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