Foreign Policy Blogs

Trade & Economics

Sarwar Kashmeri: The Deadly Coronavirus Crisis is Also an Opportunity

Sarwar Kashmeri: The Deadly Coronavirus Crisis is Also an Opportunity

The Pew Research Center recently reported that 66 percent of Americans view China unfavorably. And the Chinese are returning the favor in spades. Meanwhile, politicians in each country continue to encourage these nationalistic feelings instead of cooling their citizens’ tempers. The die is cast to tear up 50 years of cooperation and mutually beneficial ties […]

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Nostalgia Finally Brings us an EU-Mercosur Free Trade Deal

Nostalgia Finally Brings us an EU-Mercosur Free Trade Deal

In the early 2000s, the idea behind many policy approaches were to promote complete and open free trade. An international policy that has come upon much criticism in the wake of several alliances and trade agreements coming apart or being re-designed, the idea of trade agreements have lost some of its luster. The agreement between […]

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Tactics Over Ideology in International Negotiations

Tactics Over Ideology in International Negotiations

The United States elected their latest President for many reasons, some good, some terrible, but the outcome to the rest of the world was that relations were shaken up between the United States and its partners. Mexico has been able to placate much of the conflict over the latest demands of the American president and […]

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So You’ve Been Fined Again by the EU

So You’ve Been Fined Again by the EU

It is remarkable that large corporations do not employ many people in their organisations that have the foresight to warn their Directors that what they might be doing will not only subject them to record breaking fines by the EU, but will also cost them billions. I had time to ponder this while going through […]

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The Increased Cost of Living is the Fuel for Protests

The Increased Cost of Living is the Fuel for Protests

It is an anachronism in today’s society that anyone in a developed country would rightly claim that there is no path to warm shelter, food and employment for most in a community. But the effect of added taxes in a policy to reduce carbon emissions is exactly what lead a father in Ontario, Canada to […]

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Possible Penalties if Nation States Ignore the EU’s GDPR

Possible Penalties if Nation States Ignore the EU’s GDPR

In May of 2018, the European Union passed The General Data Protection Regulation, known as the GDPR and many companies worldwide took notice. If you were a company operating within the EU it was well known and services were made available so you could become compliant. Compliance meant that you were required to take diligent […]

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Trade, National Security, and Canada

Trade, National Security, and Canada

Canada is the United States’ second largest trade partner after China. While issues exist, it is not a problematic partner. President Trump, however, has imposed economic sanctions on it, has threatened more sanctions, and singled it out for special condemnation in his rhetoric. A high point in the latter regard came when Peter Navarro, the […]

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The NAFTA Trap

The NAFTA Trap

In the mid-1960s, during the height of the American auto industry’s success in Detroit and surrounding border states, the US and Canada developed the Auto Pact. The Auto Pact brought Canada into the thriving industrial base in the northern region of the United States and over the years integrated Canadian and American auto production under […]

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The trade deficit is widening. Is that really such a bad thing?

The trade deficit is widening. Is that really such a bad thing?

Recent US Commerce Department figures showing a widening of the country’s trade deficit serve to illustrate the inherent contradictions in President Trump’s vow to narrow the gap while urging faster economic growth.

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Under the Radar: Ethiopia’s economic growth offers opportunities and challenges

Under the Radar: Ethiopia’s economic growth offers opportunities and challenges

Not many may know that Ethiopia was among the first countries to join the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when the latter was formed on 27 December 1945.  Nevertheless, it took another 72 years for Ethiopia to welcome its first visit from the IMF Managing Director, in this case, Christine Lagarde who in December 2017 visited Addis […]

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For American business to thrive, bilateral trade deals aren’t enough

For American business to thrive, bilateral trade deals aren’t enough

The Trump administration has made it very clear that the United States is no longer interested in multilateral free trade agreements or policies. At the same time, the European Union, Japan, and China are forging ahead with multilateral deals. As the U.S. steps aside and other nations and blocs step up, the American economy will […]

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How the drive for North American energy independence could save NAFTA

How the drive for North American energy independence could save NAFTA

Current negotiations between Canada, Mexico and the United States to revise and modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have been characterized by notable disagreements and heavy demands across parties, as well as threats from US President Donald Trump to exit the current agreement altogether. However, the energy sector – and North American energy […]

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Could the Shipping Industry Be Susceptible to Cyber-Attacks?

Could the Shipping Industry Be Susceptible to Cyber-Attacks?

As sectors of the domestic and world economy become more dependent on the internet and the cloud, their vulnerability to new forms of attack and disruption increases. Cybersecurity is not just a national defense issue, but must also become a cost of doing business. It is clear that the shipping industry is susceptible to cyber-attacks. […]

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NAFTA Negotiations will Extend China’s Influence in North America

NAFTA Negotiations will Extend China’s Influence in North America

Trump’s blunt mercantilism risks pushing Mexico and Canada into China’s arms. Indeed, both countries have expressed interest in signing a deal with Beijing.

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Theresa May’s Misplaced Bet on Donald Trump

Theresa May’s Misplaced Bet on Donald Trump

France was recently declared the world’s top soft power for 2017, outranking both the US and the UK for the first time. How should Theresa May respond?

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