Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA) hosted a two-day conference on Trade Policy and Trade Performance in Emerging Markets, bringing together researchers and policymakers to engage on pressing issues in trade, industrial policy, and economic development.
The conference programme featured cutting-edge research presentations examining themes such as trade and inequality, industrial policy, carbon border adjustments, regional integration, export competitiveness, and production networks. The programme also included poster sessions showcasing PhD research from South African universities.
A highlight of the conference was the keynote address by Arvind Subramanian (online), Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. His keynote explored global economic shifts, lessons from India’s trade and growth experience, and their relevance for Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa, with a particular focus on trade, structural transformation, and inclusive job creation.
In addition to elevating the quality of trade research, the conference fostered discussions on how trade policy can support growth, structural transformation, and resilience in emerging markets, while creating space for engagement between academics, students, and policy practitioners.
Programme Details:
Day 1
| Start | End | Description | Speakers |
| 09:00 | 10:00 | Keynote Address: Trade and Development Strategies in the Wake of Deglobalization, China and Al | Arvind Subramanian (Peterson Institute for International Economics) |
| 10:00 | 10:30 | Trade under duress: Assessing South Africa’s trade diversification toward China in response to U.S. tariff actions Download presentation |
Godfrey Kamutando (DNA Economics) |
| 11:00 | 11:30 | Exchange rate depreciation and volatility effects on exports vs imports Download presentation |
Simiso Msomi (University of KwaZulu Natal) |
| 12:00 | 12:30 | The role of exports for income and jobs in Sub-Saharan African Countries: New evidence from ASUT Database | Emmanuel Mensah (Utrecht University) |
| 14:00 | 14:30 | The effect of port fees on export margins: Case Study of South Africa’s export market | Sebastian Breitenbach (University of Cape Town) |
| 15:00 | 15:30 | Exporter dynamics in South Africa: The influence of foreign technology and information networks on survival Download presentation |
Guivis Nkemgha (University of Cape Town) |
| 16:00 | 16:30 | Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism vs Carbon Tax: General Equilibrium insights from South Africa | David Suárez-Cuesta (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) |
Day 2
| Start | End | Description | Speakers |
| 09:00 | 09:30 | In search of Demand Engines: Evidence from South Africa’s automotive industrial policy | Matteo Filippi (University of Zurich) |
| 10:00 | 10:30 | Environmental provisions and export margins: Evidence from preferential trade agreements | Catherine Smith (University of Cape Town) |
| 11:00 | 11:30 | Trade barriers or catalysts? Non-tariff measures and firm level trade margins in Africa Download presentation |
Abraham Lartey (SOAS, University of London) |
| 13:00 | 13:30 | Chinese import penetration, firms’ coping mechanisms and job duration: Evidence from South Africa | Raynold Runganga (University of Cape Town) |
| 14:00 | 14:30 | Capital flow, strategic subcontracting, and formal employment | Dibyendu Maiti (University of Delhi) |
| 15:00 | 15:30 | The economic consequences of financial integration: A production network approach | Lucas Mariani (Bocconi University) |
