Globalization, of which the expansion of international trade and investment flows are the main pillars, has enabled the creation of unprecedented wealth. However, many countries and people remain excluded from benefiting from it. As noted in the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization (2004), this is largely due to poor global economic governance: lack of essential regulatory institutions, unfair rules for poor countries, and weak mechanisms for redressing imbalances and for delivering on social priorities. The financial and economic crisis that erupted in 2008 confirms that the laissez faire approach to liberalization exacerbates social problems instead of contributing to their alleviation.

For the benefits of expanded trade and investment to “trickle down” to the wider society and reduce poverty, the deficiencies in the governance of globalization need to be remedied. Crucial factors in this are the rules and regulations that govern international, inter-regional and intra-regional agreements, as well as national trade and investment policies, especially if they help create productive, decent jobs in a sustainable and equitable manner. Such rules and policy instruments can only derive from informed social dialogue, which has to begin at the national level with active multi-stakeholder participation.

Because the social implications of trade and investment are strongly linked with the quantity and quality of employment, the need to involve governments and the social partners in economic policy-making is critical, as clearly stated in the Global Employment Agenda and other ILO instruments.  

Our courses on trade and investment primarily aim to enhance the knowledge and analytical skills of participants regarding the causal links between economic liberalization and the world of work, and the related institutional and social policy challenges. Bringing together ILO constituents and other policy-makers, negotiators and experts, the courses promote an exchange and appreciation of the views of different stakeholders.

The training sessions look at labour provisions in trade and investment agreements, models and techniques for assessing the employment impact of such agreements, and policy measures to mitigate or enhance the labour market effects. Special attention is given to regional integration as an intermediary system of governance between national and international levels which, provided that it has a strong social dimension, can contribute to making globalization fairer.

Another important focus is the role of the State in influencing private investment in sustainable development. Some of our modules look more deeply into national public investment and public-private partnerships in infrastructure and utilities, their employment potential and their multiplier effect on economic development and the creation of sustainable jobs. 

We offer courses on:
• International trade and labour markets
• Regional integration, employment and labour market policies
• The social implications of the EU/ACP economic partnership agreements
• The FDI-employment link in a globalizing world (forthcoming)
• Employment-intensive investment
• Pro-poor public-private partnerships.
 
We take an interdisciplinary approach to training in this area, pooling expertise from different units of the Centre and the ILO as a whole.  For further information, please contact the SDTI Programme or visit the SDTI Training Platform.