Leveraging the power of trade to expand formal employment opportunities, generate greater value addition, assist diversification processes and develop productive capabilities is an aspiration of all Commonwealth governments. These objectives were conveyed clearly at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting convened in March 2017. There are areas of mutual interest and where enhanced co-ordination between member countries could enhance trade gains. Because the ability to transmit tacit knowledge through Commonwealth trade, finance and investment networks is inherent in the trade cost advantage...

There is a need for more focused impact assessments of the potential costs and benefits arising from transitioning from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. This includes a deeper understanding of how LDCs are positioned within global value chains. In view of the fragmented nature of trade and the relative positions of countries within global value chains, the competitiveness challenges arising from the loss of preferential market access must be better identified and targeted. A Guide to Graduating from Least Developed Country Status provides research methods to analyse the trade-related...

The achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) hinges on progress made within the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). As Commonwealth LDCs begin to move out of the category, alternative support measures and new partnerships will be required to assist in a smooth, sustained, transition process. Least Developed Country Transition focuses on two groups of Commonwealth LDCs: LDCs graduating in the near future and that exhibit the greatest economic vulnerability to a trade shock induced by graduation and loss of accompanying tariff preferences; and those that remain...