Fostering MSMEs digital trade in the AfCFTA context: does digital trade regulations matter?

Despite their positive role towards the development of Africa, MSMEs are still facing restrictive obstacles that are impeding their competitiveness and their ability to seize the opportunities offered by digital trade in the AfCFTA context. After analysing the state of provisions conducive to MSMEs in AfCFTA agreement and their importance, we use the Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII) recently compute by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to investigate the digital trade regulations ecosystem.

NWU WTO–WCP Leadership Celebrates the PhD Achievement of Dr. Marnel Ferreira

Dr. Marnel Ferreira completed her PhD in International Trade in June 2025, under the supervision of Dr. Adelia Jansen Van Rensburg (Promoter) and Dr. Lorainne Ferreira (Co-promoter), both of whom serve as senior academics and active contributors to the WTO Chairs Programme (WTO–WCP) at North-West University. Her doctoral research makes a pioneering contribution to Africa’s digital transformation agenda through the development of a Digital Readiness Index for Africa.

Advancing Digital Integration in the Indo-Pacific Legal Strategies for a Cohesive Digital Economy

The digital economy is guiding cross-border business connectivity, market mechanisms, investments, business incubation, and digital public infrastructure cooperation. In the digital economy ecology, developing economies in the Indo-Pacific need to exchange and cooperate, and synergise their human resource capacities and infrastructure.ERIA and Leiden University have collaborated in a curated study on the inclusive and cooperative digital economy in the Indo-Pacific, Asia, and Europe.

Unlocking growth through the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol: a focus on e-commerce in Cameroon

Digital trade is transforming global commerce, lowering transaction costs, connecting businesses across borders and expanding access to new markets. Yet, Africa's participation in this digital revolution remains disproportionately low.

The Impact of Digital Trade Rules on Services Trade : An Empirical Investigation from the DVA Perspective

This paper explores the characteristics and trends of services trade from the perspective of domestic value added (DVA) and examines the impact of digital trade rules on it using bilateral sector‐level panel data among 64 economies from 1996 to 2018. Our research reveals distinct trends of expansion, densification, and de‐modularization of the international services trade relations among economies. Furthermore, leading services exporters basically maintain their dominant positions, demonstrating a clear first‐mover advantage.

Celebrating Excellence: Ali Parry’s Contributions to the WTO-WCP Programme

Ali Parry at her graduation in December 2022

Ali Parry has been an integral member of the NWU WTO-WCP team since its inception, contributing significantly to every pillar of the Chair’s work — research, capacity building, and outreach. Her academic achievements and professional leadership continue to influence the evolving conversation around Africa’s digital transformation and inclusive development.

Credit Course on International Trade Dynamics: Navigating a Post-Globalized World

The course explores evolving aspects of global trade in dynamic economic landscapes. Participants engage directly with renowned experts and practitioners in international trade law, gaining insights and practical experiences. The curriculum provides a nuanced understanding of contemporary challenges and opportunities in international trade. Upon the successful conclusion of the course, participants will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

8th Asian International Economic Law Network Conference at NTU on 1-2 December 2023

The Asian Center for WTO & International Health Law and Policy (“ACWH”) of National Taiwan University (“NTU”) co-held the 8th Asian International Economic Law Network Conference (“AIELN”) at NTU on 1-2 December 2023. The seminar’s theme is “The New Generation of Economic Agreements in the Asia Pacific,” which gathered scholars from more than ten countries. Prof. Junji Nakagawa, AIELN’s chairperson , opened the conference, followed by Prof. Yueh-Ping (Alex) Yang, ACWH’s director and the local host of this event.

Digital Trade in the Post-COVID World

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed global digital inequalities that produce real economic and social consequences. It underscored the crucial role of knowledge assets and services to the functioning of global value chains, and the embeddedness of information technology infrastructure in modern trade in goods, services, and intangibles such as IPRs. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the manner in which inadequate digital infrastructure, the lack of on-line payments systems, and uneven distribution of human expertise constrained trade in many developing and least-developed countries.

Call for Papers: 8th Asian International Economic Law Network (AIELN) Conference

8th Asian International Economic Law Network (AIELN) Conference: The New Generation of Economic Agreements will be held on 1-2 December 2023 at College of Law, National Taiwan University co-organized by the Asian Center for WTO & International Health Law and Policy (ACWH) of National Taiwan University (NTU) College of Law and the Asian International Economic Law Network (AIELN) – the Asian Branch of the Society of International Economic Law (SIEL).

The organizing committee welcomes proposals on the following areas of international economic laws:

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