Training Course on COVID-19 and the Future of World Trade, Nairobi and Mombasa Kenya

COVID-19 is a humanitarian crisis on a global scale. The virus continues to spread throughout the globe, placing health systems under unprecedented stress in the battle to save lives. The human scale of this tragedy is set to worsen as the virus spreads to lower income countries with weaker healthcare systems. The pandemic is an unprecedented challenge in our time not just to world health but to the global economy. The evolving shape of world trade, including global supply chains, will be shaped primarily by a how businesses view future economic conditions. There will be some limited on-shoring to the extent that government policies will be available to support this reflow from an era of globalization. But government budgets will already have been strained by fiscal measures to fight the pandemic. The availability of funds to support on-shoring is likely to be limited to targeted efforts, primarily perhaps for medical supplies. And even there, government stockpiles (with domestic sources preferred) may be preferred to direct industrial support. The products effected and duration of the support may be limited. On-shoring is likely also to be affected by tax measures designed to restore government finances.

Rationale

The rationale behind this training is based on the fact that in the wake of COVID 19 and trading, supply chains will be affected by some likely diversification among foreign suppliers. But again, this will be limited by economic viability. Businesses can plan for contingencies but in the end must preserve revenues and profits. The leanest of just-in-time supply chains may be a level of efficiency that can no longer be afforded. So, inventories will rise, but again be constrained by the economics of running a business. Outside of supporting the production and stockpiling of medical supplies and vaccines, technology and market forces will be much greater factors determining trading patterns than government policies, including the use of regional trade agreements. In an extreme emergency, even membership in a customs union did not prevent some individual national actions which were at odds with the ideal of a single market.

Regional trading arrangements can be useful for exploring paths forward for rule-making where progress would be more complicated to achieve on a global basis. In addition, regional integration can be productive and should be fostered. Nevertheless, in terms of total trade flows, sub-multilateral agreements are not determinative. Businesses still have to serve markets wherever they are located and will continue to need to reach out beyond the regions in which they are located.

Duration 10 days.

Target Audience: This training course in intended for Business Managers, Chief Executive Officers, Board Members, Finance Directors, Internal and External Auditors, Government officials and those from both the private and public sector who wish to undertake the course

Course Outcomes:

Upon completing this workshop, the delegates should be able to:

• Understand the health implications of COVID-19 pandemic

• Test the applicable and acceptable indicators in evaluating and monitoring the global effects of the pandemic

• Understand the response strategies to COVID-19

• Gain understanding of the essential factors to consider in responding to COVID-19 to sustain world trading

• Facilitate the analysis of the organization or the country-specific and crosscutting case studies.

• Understand terms of total trade flows and sub-multilateral agreements.

• Understand factors determining trading patterns than government policies, including the use of regional trade agreements.

Course Content

Module 1 Introduction:

• COVID-19

• Trade agreements

• Responsiveness

• The values of the multilateral trading system

• Innovation and Openness to Change due to COVID-19

• Sustainability and Long-term Orientation

Module 2: government policies on international trade

• Administration, transparency, and judicial review

• Imposition of export tax

• Right to trade (approval system for trading)

• Non-tariff measures (import restrictions)

• Prohibition of imported second-hand clothes

• Export restrictions

• Export restrictions on raw materials

• Tariffs

     1) issues related to the measures affecting imports of automobile parts

     2) tariff classification

• Anti-dumping and countervailing measures

Module 3: Global Supply chain Issues 

• Rising price of fuel to transport goods by road, sea or air

• Increasing commodity prices raising the cost of raw materials

• Higher labor costs from suppliers and manufacturers

• Complex international logistics (higher charges for storage, transfer and management of products.

Module 4 Approach and methodology in Trading

i. What is the problem?

ii. How can we get data?

iii. What data can we get?

iv. How can we use the data? Construction of a governance index; Utilization of governance indicators.

Module 5: Trade Agreements Issues in a Post-COVID-19 World

• Inadequate public facilities, wide-spread poverty and crowded living conditions make them particularly vulnerable.

• Bilateral cooperation

• Regional emergency strategy

• Transport regulation

• Member States the freedom to protect essential national interests in times of an emergency.

Module 6: Policy Areas

Deep trade agreements could shape trade in the COVID-19 and postCOVID-19 period

Old and new measures can result from: 

As non-synchronized recovery creates competition for scarce demand, tariffs to redirect demand towards domestic production ?

In situations of scarcity, export restrictions to meet domestic demand ?

As states subsidize firms, recourse to countervailing duties (CVDs) ?

To address rising aversion to various risks, e.g. health, security, privacy, increasing regulatory protectionism (“precautionism”)

To deal with limited access to diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments, attempts to overcome constraints posed by intellectual property rights.

Methodology

• The instructor led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises of presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professional and trainers in these fields.

Key Notes

i. The participant must be conversant with English.

ii. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

iii. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

iv. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and a Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

v. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

vi. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.