Spotlight on Africa during Service Exporter Network meeting

All eyes will be on Africa when South Africa hosts the International Trade Centre’s high-profile Service Exporter Network (SEN) annual meeting and conference from 12 – 15 November 2008 in Johannesburg.

This is the first time that the Geneva-based International Trade Centre (ITC) – a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations – is holding this important meeting outside Europe. It will be collaboratively hosted in South Africa by the ITC, the national Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and the City of Johannesburg, with additional support being provided by the International Marketing Council (IMC) and Johannesburg Tourism.SEN is managed by the ITC’s Trade in Services Programme (TSP).Its annual meeting aims to foster innovation, forge networks and provide a platform for its members and TSP specialists from around the world to share services trade expertise.Identified as a key driver of economic growth, the services sector is also one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy.The South African Reserve Bank estimates that the service trade grew 56% between 2002 and 2006 alone.Internationally, the picture is very similar.The services sector accounts for two thirds of global output, one third of global employment and nearly 20% of global trade.It provides every input into goods trade, from transport to financial and IT services.Since 2000, the global services sector has grown at an annual rate of 10.1%, one percentage point more than that of goods trade.- From The International Trade CentreIt will be collaboratively hosted in South Africa by the ITC, the national Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and the City of Johannesburg, with additional support being provided by the International Marketing Council (IMC) and Johannesburg Tourism.SEN is managed by the ITC’s Trade in Services Programme (TSP).Its annual meeting aims to foster innovation, forge networks and provide a platform for its members and TSP specialists from around the world to share services trade expertise.Identified as a key driver of economic growth, the services sector is also one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy.The South African Reserve Bank estimates that the service trade grew 56% between 2002 and 2006 alone.Internationally, the picture is very similar.The services sector accounts for two thirds of global output, one third of global employment and nearly 20% of global trade.It provides every input into goods trade, from transport to financial and IT services.Since 2000, the global services sector has grown at an annual rate of 10.1%, one percentage point more than that of goods trade.- From The International Trade Centre