The benefits of international trade are currently the subject of debate in various contexts, however, it has long been demonstrated that, even with its systemic imperfections which must be acknowledged, trade has been a powerful driver for economic value creation, inclusion and poverty reduction, as well as peace and security.
Trade has, until the peak of the global crisis, grown at rates that exceed the pace of global GDP growth, and thus has also been referenced as
a driver of growth of the global economy. In recent years, global supply chains are largely anchored in developing and emerging markets, with
large buyers often engaging in trade with communities of suppliers numbering in the thousands or multiple thousands, including micro-enterprises
sometimes belonging to local cooperatives.
Certain jurisdictions unabashedly leverage development assistance and poverty-reduction contributions to drive policy priorities and political influence, including procurement processes linked to assistance funds.
Philosophically, an initiative that aims to promote trade out of poverty among Commonwealth jurisdictions might usefully be positioned as a process
rooted in partnership and mutual benefit, rather than an exercise in extending influence.
Professional competency in the pursuit and conduct of trade then becomes a lynchpin to the success of an overall strategy to Trade Out of Poverty,
with global best practices, trusted networks of experts, and effective advocacy, all contributing materially to the overarching objective,
in the spirit of ‘a rising tide lifting all boats’.
Our goal is to bring people together to:
- build professional capabilities in trade
- elevate the profile of trade
- advocate the benefits and opportunities of trade
- facilitate networking
- improve the performance and success of companies in global trade
- boost the efficiency of trade processes.
Featured GTPA Member
Ziyaad Ebrahim, GTP
Ziyaad has close to fifteen years of experience in international trade and development.He joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) after serving 12 years in various positions within the Government of Seychelles, where he comes from.
During his time in the Government of Seychelles, he was directly involved in trade, investment and general economic policy formulation and implementation.He also has experience on WTO accession and was involved in FTA negotiations with the European Union and within the Eastern and Southern African region. He has also worked with international organisations such as the IMF, World Bank and the African Development Bank on Structural Adjustment Programmes, private sector and MSME development initiatives including gender empowerment projects.
In his current role with the WTO, he coordinates the work of the WTO LDC Group in the ongoing trade negotiations.He also monitors and assists LDC participation in specific areas of the negotiations which include Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT), fisheries subsidies, trade facilitation and LDC accession negotiations.
He is fluent in English and has working knowledge of French.
Ziyaad was one of the first people globally to be certified as a Global Trade Professional in the area of Trade Management.