On 26 August the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a call for papers for the new WTO Trade Economist Thematic Award. Trade experts at universities in developing countries are invited to submit case studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade and trade policy. The winning paper will be rewarded with a prize of CHF 5 000. Papers must be submitted by 30 September.
The WTO is launching the award in response to the urgent need to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected trade and supply chains. The submitted papers are expected to provide important information on how countries’ trade policy responses are dealing with disruptions caused by the crisis.
The case studies must address one of the following themes:
- Trade policy responses to COVID-19, their design and effectiveness.
- The impact of measures adopted during the pandemic on goods and services trade.
- Trade policy and trade effects of COVID-19 on small and medium-sized enterprises, women and rural areas.
Winning paper
The winning paper will be awarded a prize of CHF 5 000 and will be published in the WTO Working Paper series. The author(s) of selected papers will be invited to present their papers at a WTO webinar.
Eligibility
The papers submitted must be country or sector-specific, preferably using a theoretical and empirical approach that combines rigorous research with specific information on trade policy responses to the crisis.
Trade experts at universities in developing countries may contribute papers. The author(s) of the paper must possess or be engaged in the completion of a PhD/Master's degree. The academic institution awarding the degree must be located in developing countries that are WTO members or observers. In the case of co-authored papers, this requirement applies to all authors. In addition, to be considered for the award, papers cannot exceed 15 000 words.
Deadlines
Papers must be submitted by 30 September. The selection panel will take a final decision by 15 December. Only the author(s) of short-listed papers will be notified.
Submissions
Submissions should be sent to TETA@wto.org.
They should include as separate attachments in PDF format:
- The paper; and
- The CV of the author(s), specifying current affiliation(s) and the academic institution awarding the degree.
Story by: Riaan de Lange