About Fiona Smith

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So far Fiona Smith has created 2 blog entries.

Fertiliser Trade and the Strait of Hormuz’ Blockade: How does it impact UK food security?

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to international shipping. An average of 129 ships travelled through the Strait during February. This number dramatically dropped to 4 by the beginning of March. Despite positive signals from President Trump that a peaceful resolution to reopen this vital shipping route might be imminent, it is likely that the effects of disruption will last for several months even when the Strait reopens. This blog argues that the disruption to international shipping has consequences for the UK beyond its impact on rising energy prices. The blockade also affects UK food security by disrupting fertiliser trade. One way to address such problems for the future is by incorporating more comprehensive export restrictions rules and sustainable food systems chapters into the UK’s new free trade agreements. The UK also has an opportunity to show global leadership by building a consensus among countries to limit the use of export restrictions during the current crisis. In doing so, it can ease the impacts on vulnerable people in least-developed countries. The Gulf conflict restricts trade in fertilisers Fertilisers are a key input into global food production. They renew essential nutrients in the soil, like nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and potassium, [...]

By |2026-05-27T07:16:54+01:0027 May 2026|Blog, International Trade|0 Comments

From ‘efficient’ to ‘resilient’ supply chains, and beyond

Global supply chains are in the midst of a fundamental paradigm shift. From the late 1970s to the 2000s, many countries embraced economic interdependence through trade liberalisation and promoted a free market economy with minimal government intervention. From the global financial crisis in 2008 to the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2023), governments have been shifting towards a more managed approach to trade. This trend has become more pronounced, as the world’s power balance changes, due to the rise of China, emerging technologies impact security and economy, and the sustainable global agenda becomes important for the world’s future in the 21st century. Highly industrialised economies, which previously focussed on liberalising trade through the WTO and through free trade agreements (FTAs), are shifting to more neo mercantilist approaches. They are pursuing resilient supply chain policies and measures to support climate change, national security concerns and other non-trade objectives (e.g. human rights). On top of that, ‘America first’ protectionism under the incoming US Trump administration will cast new challenges to its trade partners - including its resilient supply chain allies. What are the implications for trade policy of this paradigm shift from efficient supply chains to resilient chains and the return of US unilateralism? Major [...]

By , |2024-12-18T12:44:51+00:0018 December 2024|Blog, International Trade|0 Comments
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