The greatest challenge facing countries in Latin America is to improve their positions in intensely competitive world markets. International competitiveness is a crucial factor for economic and social recovery and for improving the standard of living. The chances of success depend critically on the relationship between government and the private sector. This book questions whether the mix of policies currently pursued in the selected countries will suffice to bring about the required structural transformation. What is needed is not just less government but better government that is capable of correcting markets in an effective and efficient way and that creates a stimulating environment for domestic industry. This book analyses the contributions governments in small and medium-sized countries in the region can make to the strengthening of the international competitiveness and export-orientation of the manufacturing sectors. Theoretical, cross-country and country-specific studies in this volume analyse the progress made recently to correct policy failures of the past, the obstacles and bottlenecks that have occurred in the process of economic transition and the challenges ahead for the selected countries.

The Doha Development Agenda held the promise of substantial gains for developing countries. However, the realization of these gains is far from obvious: the interests of various groups of countries differ greatly and technical complexities have hampered further progress since the very start of the negotiations. Against the background of the agenda of the present trade negotiations of the World Trade Organization and its slow progress, this enlightening book outlines the positions of the main players. Its central focus is to analyze the main effects of these positions and to find a way to complete the Doha Round so a meaningful contribution to its main objective i.e. development, is made. Key issues discussed include: the rise of the G20 group of developing countries led by Brazil, China and India the reasons for the failure of the WTO Ministerial Conference at Cancun in 2003 the prospects for the poorer developing countries - with emphasis on Africa in particular. This timely and topical book enables the reader to monitor and evaluate the ongoing negotiations in the DDA, and is a natural follow-up to the bestselling 2001 Routledge title World Trade Organization Millennium Round edited by Deutsch and Speyer.

The Doha Development Agenda held the promise of substantial gains for developing countries. However, the realization of these gains is far from obvious: the interests of various groups of countries differ greatly and technical complexities have hampered further progress since the very start of the negotiations. Against the background of the agenda of the present trade negotiations of the World Trade Organization and its slow progress, this enlightening book outlines the positions of the main players. Its central focus is to analyze the main effects of these positions and to find a way to complete the Doha Round so a meaningful contribution to its main objective i.e. development, is made. Key issues discussed include: the rise of the G20 group of developing countries led by Brazil, China and India the reasons for the failure of the WTO Ministerial Conference at Cancun in 2003 the prospects for the poorer developing countries - with emphasis on Africa in particular. This timely and topical book enables the reader to monitor and evaluate the ongoing negotiations in the DDA, and is a natural follow-up to the bestselling 2001 Routledge title World Trade Organization Millennium Round edited by Deutsch and Speyer.

This book analyses the potential socio-economic and environmental impacts of the Initiative for Regional Infrastructure Integration in South America (IIRSA), a continent-wide programme. IIRSA aims at facilitating intra-regional trade and at improving trade and transport links with world markets. This is the first book on IIRSA and its potential implications for South America and more specifically for Amazonia. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the infrastructure programme and deals particularly with methods to assess the probable effects of road construction in environmentally fragile territories. To deepen our understanding of the potential impacts of roads in these areas, the book combines insights from economic and environmental sciences and gives a critical review of traditional assessments and strategic environmental assessments (SEAs). A comprehensive approach of assessing impacts is presented in three case studies of SEAs: the Corredor Norte in Bolivia, the road between Manaus and Porto Velho in Brazil, and the proposed road to link Suriname with Brazil.

Latin America's New Insertion in the World Economy examines the contributions governments can make in order to stimulate efficient and export-orientated manufacturing production in small and medium-sized economies in Latin America in the coming years. The study focuses on the progress that has been made recently to correct policy failures of the past, the obstacles and bottlenecks that have occurred in the process of economic transition and the challenges the selected countries face in order to stimulate in a systematic way the development of an internationally competitive manufacturing sector.