Speakers for prioritizing evidence-based data in trade to depoliticize economy

ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a webinar has said that politicizing economy is fatal for the country at a time when it is undergoing a serious political situation, therefore, the evidence-based data must be prioritized in trade and commerce to depoliticize economy.

They were speaking at a webinar about ‘Strengthening Evidence-informed Decision-making in Pakistan’s Trade Sector’, organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said the institute’s food security dashboard, which ensured evidence-based prediction of food items and their prices, was a prime example of it.

He was of the view that the Russia and Ukraine conflict also demanded the use of evidence-based policy action to avert any emergency of food shortage, and supply chain, said a news release issued here on Sunday.

Referring to ‘Strengthening the Use of Evidence for Development Impact’ (SEDI), a prorgramme launched in Uganda, Ghana and Pakistan to contribute towards a more efficient and effective decision-making by the partner governments, he said SEDI was of immense importance especially in the unprecedented times like the COVID-19.

Naveed Aziz, Governance Advisor, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the better use of data in improving performance and accountability was of utmost importance.

He stressed the need for updating database by the provincial governments in their important ministries. “We do not have dearth of data but to have it on routine and real time and their use by the provincial and federal governments is important,” Naveed said.

Harry Achillini, Research and Evidence Adviser, FCDO said SEDI had been contributing to the evidence-based policy input in trade in different countries, including Pakistan, which had yielded fruitful results in many respects.

Rahika Menon, Head of Evidence Use Hub, Oxford Policy Management, India said in every crisis there were opportunities and so as in the pandemic, which proved to do an informed and evidence-based policies and decisions.

She said use of evidence was a continued process and needed to be encouraged in policy making and futuristic decision-making.

Hamood ur Rauf, Director Investigations, National Tariff Commission (NTC), was of the view that collecting and analyzing data and its distribution to stakeholders was important for the smooth trade relations. Use of evidence-based data was important for informed decision making and improving the work of the public and private sector organizations, he maintained.

Dr Vaqar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director, SDPI, said a deeper public-private dialogue could play a critical role in ascertaining the right regulatory measures as the economy comes out of the pressures induced by COVID-19.

The pandemic had provided an opportunity to introduce interventions related to e-payments, e-signatures, and e-contracts in the overall trade processing chain. Greater reliance of traders during COVID-19 on internet banking and insurance could cut trade costs.

Protection of confidential information held by exporters and importers remained always a concern that should be addressed, he emphasized.

Umer Bhatti, International Development Analyst, said liberalization of trade was the real purpose of GATT, for which the evidence-based data is central. He was of the view that data had been a helping hand in identifying trade gaps in free trade agreements with countries like China and ASEAN countries.