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The following article presents a brief analysis of the effects on the economy and international trade of the rules and policies implemented in the world to face and contain the covid-19 pandemic, including: i) export restrictions on medical supplies and personal protective equipment, as well as import facilitation measures; ii) travel limitations and border closures; and iii) the effects of the uncertainty generated by the sanitary emergency on foreign direct investment. In addition, the paper proposes that one of the long-term consequences of covid-19 will be a generalized increase in protectionist policies through trade remedies and tariff and non-tariff barriers, in response to the economic recovery measures implemented in each country. Particularly, China has such an aggressive exports recovery plan, that it will potentially trigger a wave of trade remedies across the globe, to contain its expansion on foreign markets. The history of international trade development demonstrates that an increase in trade remedies, has been a usual response in the world, after deep financial crisis. In this case, early signs of the increase in protectionism are already appearing in some countries, especially in the steel industry. Thus, it is probable that, in the context of a global economic recovery, countries continue to adopt measures to protect the sustainability of their national industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some of the challenges related to integration and cooperation in Latin America: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a clear platform that involves every country in the region, as well as various actors, and trade negotiations in the twenty-first century, in particular, mega-regional agreements whose scopes are limited to a few countries. Latin America is currently exploring the possibilities of convergence and cooperation in a context of diverse geopolitical interests. This will require adopting a flexible and inclusive approach. The experiences of Asia and Africa in this arena will undoubtedly be relevant. Achieving convergence will be crucial to fostering cooperation and coordinating policies to respond to the challenges of globalization. The region will also have to find new resources and models for national and international funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent tensions in the current accounts of Argentina have reopened the debate regarding external constraints on growth (ECG). In 2003-2013, export growth was slightly lower than it was during the convertibility era, but a major decline in the income elasticity of import demand mitigated the ECG. However, the effective growth rate was higher than that imposed by the ECG, according to Thirlwall's law, which led to the deterioration of the trade balance and growth. This was due to the trade deficit in manufactured goods of industrial origin (MIO), in light of technology dependence in capital goods and inputs. This paper analyzes the evolution of ECGS in Argentina at both the global and sector level, aiming to determine which MIO sectors had the greatest impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses Kazakhstan's vision of long-term development and its ambitious goals. After revising the history of the infrastructure projects in the country during the tsarist period and the Soviet era, it sets out the plans of the Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to turn the country into a logistical hub between East and West by 2050. Later, the paper puts Nazarbayev's vision in the context of the political and economic reality of Kazakhstan, focussing, specifically, on how the government's multivector foreign policy fluctuates between Russia's regional integration projects and the Chinese push westwards to develop Xinjiang province along the new Silk Road. As a conclusion, it identifies the multiple goals that may put the future of this plan in doubt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an extended model that includes Thirlwall's simple rule. Growth in Mexico fell from an annual average of 6.76% in 1961-1981 to 2.95% in the 1982-2004 period. Net lows of capital, rents and transfers promote and stabilize the economy, but devaluation does not improve growth. Income growth rates and income elasticities between Mexico and the United States have become equal, which prevents convergence of per capita income. Mexico must design and implement an industrial policy if it wants to increase its rate of growth and face the fall of oil reserves and the changes in US immigration policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the profound transformations in the Argentine economy in recent years, this paper analyzes the evolution of trade specialization patterns, due to their effects on the long-term sustainability of economic growth and income distribution. This shows that, although a strong expansion in exports has been seen recently, the pattern of trade specialization continues to reflect a concentrated profile of primary goods and manufactures with low-level technology and job content. In other words, there has still been no structural transformation in the competitiveness of sectors unassociated with natural resources, compared with those that make abundant use of them. However, this phenomenon is taking place in a context where important modifications are occurring in the distribution of trade balances with different partners, where China is starting to acquire an important role. At the same time, the study points to the relationship between these modifications and the evolution of the pattern of specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric and heterogeneous phenomenon of the globalization offers opportunities to some societies, but also impacts adversely others. This paper evaluates for the Andean countries on an empirical basis the outcome of their insertion in the global economy during the last no decades. To this end, four topical axes are examined: growth," international trade," financial flows and foreign direct investment; and social equity. It concludes with a--non-exhaustive-- list of development policies that should be adopted (or furthered) by the Andean countries in order to improve the quality of their international insertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico, wages have stagnated and profits have increased since 1980. This paper analyzes the causes of this performance both at an aggregate and sectorial level. Although in theory trade liberalization should have led to increased wages and a reduction of profits, an unlimited supply of labor prevented wages from increasing and transformed productivity gains in higher returns on capital. Growth of qualified employment was not the result of generalized technological advances; it reflected changes in the composition of labor supply. Higher investment in human capital does not necessarily lead to higher productivity or income. If the improvement in education of the labor force is to generate higher productivity, a public policy of stimulus for economic growth is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]