by Andrew Jay Rosenbaum
ANKARA
Improving trade and customs procedures will create 26 million jobs across the world, of which 18 million will be added in emerging markets, John Danilovich, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Commerce told Anadolu Agency in an interview at the Turkey B20 on Thursday.
"Trade facilitation, or making it easier for goods to get through customs, and removing legal barriers to trade, will boost global trade by $1 trillion, according to a study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics. And what is particularly useful is that trade facilitation isn't complicated, and can be implemented relatively easily in most countries," Danilovich said.
The B20 is an outreach group of the G20, which brings together influential business leaders from G20 countries. More than 1,000 were gathered in Ankara on Thursday to review the results of the Turkish G20 presidency within this framework. The ICC is a Paris-based organization which brings together chambers of commerce around the world.
"Results have been particularly constructive," Danilovich commented. "The Turkish presidency recruited a highly-qualified and influential group of leaders, and they have put together a series of robust recommendations which, we expect, will be adopted by the G20 at its next meeting in Antalya, Turkey in November."
Danilovich pointed to the work on Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, which, along with recommendations on trade facilitation, have been an important focus for B20 discussion.
"The creation of the World SME forum in Istanbul will create a platform that will implement the G20 recommendations. In particular, it will provide a global platform for support for SMEs, helping them to reach new markets. For example, SMEs are rarely able to bid for government contracts, as the procedure is complex. The new platform will provide advice to teach SMEs how to do this," Danilovich explained.
