Driving inclusive growth and enhancing intra-african trade through service sector development
Channel: ICTSD
Date: 2017-10-06

The development of services sectors in least developed countries (LDCs) has the potential to strongly support the achievement of sustainable development objectives including by increasing the involvement of small firms and by enhancing female participation.

Services are increasingly a critical ingredient in the functioning of value chains and also a vital component for enhancing intra-African trade.  Given the importance of services in not only stimulating economic growth but also in terms of their ability to help governments address domestic development priorities from structural transformation to gender equality, addressing supply-side barriers is of vital importance.

Panelists:
- Sherry STEPHENSON, Senior Fellow, ICTSD
- Judith FESSEHAIE, Trade and Development Manager, ICTSD
- Moshe KAO, Former Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Lesotho in Geneva
- Deborah VORHIES, Managing Director, ICTSD
- Sonja GRATER, Associate Professor, North-West University 
Moderator:
-Wilma VIVIERS, TRADE Research Focus Area & WTO Chair, North-West University