INTERVIEW: World Bank Exec Urges Developing Countries to Expand Trade

By Adriana Reinecke

Washington, April 23 (Jiji Press)--Developing countries should seek opportunities to expand trade amid growing concerns over a global trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on imports, World Bank executive Anna Bjerde said this week.

Due to heightened uncertainty, "we do anticipate that there could be a negative impact on the economic outlook," said Bjerde, managing director of operations at the World Bank, who sat down with Jiji Press on the sidelines of spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington.

She noted, however, that over the past 20 years, developing countries' share of global trade has risen from one-fifth to two-fifths, highlighting the positive impact trade has had on global poverty reduction.

"We are very much recommending (countries) continue to seek opportunities to have trading relationships within (their) regions bilaterally," she said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]