WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47197) on Aug. 1, 2022, entitled "African Continental Free Trade Area: Overview and Issues for Congress in Brief." The report was written by African affairs specialist Nicolas Cook, international trade and finance specialist Brock R. Williams and research assistant Rileigh K. Greutert. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a framework agreement   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service issued the following summary of a report (No. ERR-307): China is the world's largest textile manufacturer and cotton consumer, but changes in China's economy are reshaping the geography of its cotton-textile sector. Nearly all of China's cotton is produced in the country's Xinjiang Region, while textile manufacturers, the main consumers of cotton, are concentrated in coastal and central regions where   more

KARACHI, Pakistan, Aug. 3 -- The International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group, issued the following news release: IFC more than doubled its trade financing program in Pakistan in fiscal year 2022 to support critical imports and foster a resilient post-pandemic recovery. That work came alongside other milestone engagements to boost financial inclusion, bolster key sectors, like agriculture and retail, structure groundbreaking public-private partnership projects, and promote gend  more