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.

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:

Africa's digital future: From theory to action

Africa’s digital future makes an important and timely contribution to the literature on Africa, exploring the many opportunities and challenges that the continent faces in a world characterised by accelerating technological change. Edited by Prof Wilma Viviers, Ali Parry and Dr Adelia Jansen van Rensburg, the book has been published in an online format by AOSIS, the open-access publisher which hosts a wide range of journals and independent publications on its platform. The book is therefore freely available to anyone who wishes to read it online or download a copy.

Adapting to the Digital Trade Era: Challenges and Opportunities

Presented my chapter on trade, women empowerment and blockchain at Joint Vienna Institute's webinar on World Trade Organization Chair Program's publication ‘Adapting to the Digital Trade Era: Challenges and Opportunities', edited by Maarten Smeets

Enjeux de l’adhésion du Maroc aux négociations plurilatérales sur le commerce électronique : quelle stratégie pour le Maroc ? [The stakes of Morocco's accession to the plurilateral negotiations on electronic commerce: what strategy for Morocco?]

In light of the rapid advancement of e-commerce in the country, it is imperative that Morocco formulate a national e-commerce strategy and participate in the plurilateral negotiations which are taking place at the WTO. As a developing country, it must analyse the risk of adopting e-commerce rules that could widen the digital deficit in favour of businesses and developed countries which have a technological and historical advantage.
 

Harnessing digital trade to curb COVID-19 impacts on MSMEs: A gender and sector discourse

The project aims at analysing the effects of COVID-19 on Mauritian MSMEs including women and blue entrepreneurs.

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