Trade’s profound digital transformation has spurred a new era of digital trade. However, little is known about the impact of digital trade and related policies on sustainable development. To investigate this, our exploratory study employs Fixed-Effects (FE) regressions, linking digital trade variables with all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through SDG targets organized into 4 main areas of development: economic, social, environmental, and governance and global partnerships.

The sudden surge in the e-commerce sector has sparked concerns in several economies in the world, particularly in India. The country’s traders’ associations have complained that the online retail sector (dominated by e-commerce majors) has been growing at the expense of the offline retail sector, primarily the MSMEs. In this context, this study marks one of the initial endeavours to analytically evaluate the impact of the thriving online retail industry on India’s organised manufacturing and retail segments.

This paper examines the impact of digital trade on wealth inequality for 40 developed and developing member countries of the UNESCAP Asia Pacific region, for the period from 2005-2021. Data on digital trade, measured using two indicators, namely, trade in digitally deliverable services and trade in ICT goods, is obtained from UNCTAD. Data on within-country wealth inequality, measured using two indicators, namely, wealth share of the top 1 percentile and top 10 percentile of the adult population, is sourced from the World Inequality Database.

The increasing volume of digital trades inevitably generates more disputes. An efficient online dispute resolution mechanism is an important digital trade promotion policy measure, as it ensures the cyber order and strengthens online users’ confidence. The immediate implication is the furtherance of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.3 on better access to justice and SDG 16.7 on having a responsive judiciary. But having an online judiciary does not only improve SDG 16.

The growing relevance that the Internet has taken on the development of people, businesses, and the digital economy, as well as its influence in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has motivated States to generate different regulatory frameworks to ensure the proper functioning of the network. One of the most outstanding elements of these frameworks is ensuring access and use without discrimination for those on the net through the principle of net neutrality.

Trade in services has been of special interest to both India and the EU as services are a major contributor to GDP and trade flows in the two economies. Steadily rising services trade between India and the EU is, however, characterized by certain peculiarities, which are worth noticing. These include differences across sub-sectors, trading partners, modes of trade and regulatory barriers. These make it worth exploring the potential costs and benefits of increasing trade flows through trade agreements even further while also diversifying the sub-sectors and the destination countries.

The integration of digital technology into healthcare systems holds promise for improving services in developing countries, especially in remote and underserved regions. However, different types of challenges can impede the implementation and sustainability of digital health initiatives. Technical issues in remote areas, political instability leading to policy-related challenges, and inadequate government support are obstacles to progress. Regulatory barriers can create challenges for the effective implementation of digital health interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital health (DH) interventions in the Asia Pacific. This is evidenced in the 2022 Global Digital Health Monitor, with 58% of ESCAP members scoring 4 or higher, countries like Australia, Malaysia, PR China, and Thailand lead in DH categories. It is critical that countries establish national DH strategies that integrate goals and resources in digital health. The integration of national DH strategies into overall health policies faces challenges in regulation, implementation, and enforcement in the Asia Pacific, including LMICs.

This paper examines the role of digital trade policy in promoting sustainable development. It starts from the conceptual framework of digital trade, as well as the interplay between digital transformation and the roles of trade and investment as means to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is supported by examination of the growth in digital trade, with special attention to Developing Countries (DCs) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and broad inferences regarding the implications for more inclusive and sustainable development.

Sri Lanka's development strategy has long emphasized enhancing trade competitiveness, with agriculture playing a significant role in its economy. This study addresses the critical yet often overlooked issue of food losses at the country's borders, which undermine its trade competitiveness. From 2016 to 2020, agricultural exports comprised about a quarter of Sri Lanka's total exports, while food imports accounted for around 13% of total imports. The research investigates the magnitude and causes of these border food losses and proposes strategies to mitigate them.