New and dynamic sectors of world trade

Increased participation in dynamic and new sectors of world trade is critical to successful export performance and to development in general. The dynamic sectors of world trade are those that have grown five times in value since 1995, and now constitute at least US$10 billion in value. New sectors are also growing rapidly (double the rate of the world average), and include niche and specialty goods and services for which the returns are very high.

Dynamic and new sectors are driven by a sustained rise in demand, shifts in consumer preferences, and technological and skill-related developments. These sectors include beverages; marine products; energy-based products (such as biofuels); minerals and metals in commodities; manufactures such as electronics and electrical products; automotive parts; textiles and clothing items; renewable energy equipment; and services (including IT-enabled services, computer and information services, construction, travel and transport, telecom, audiovisual, financial and professional services, and commercial services). As a group, these dynamic sectors grew on an average of 12 per cent annually over the last decade. Many of them are based on new technologies with high value addition.

The increasing participation of developing countries in world trade in these sectors is a positive trend. Over the last ten years, the share of developing countries in the top 25 new and dynamic products rose to 35 per cent in 2005. Even in niche products such as organic and environmental goods and services, their contribution is rising. Such participation in new and dynamic sectors enables developing countries to increase export earnings, augment value-addition and diversification, as well as improve both the terms of trade and build technological capacity.

Sectoral reviews of new and dynamic sectors have been carried out by UNCTAD for the purpose of strengthening developing countries participation through identifying policy pre-requisites for successful productive capacity-building, competitiveness and better market access. Such reviews have covered South-South trade in new and dynamic sectors, energy, electronics, fish and fishery products, steel and related specialty products, IT-enabled outsourcing of services, renewable energy products, including bio-fuels, and textiles and clothing. Particular attention is given in these sectoral reviews to the needs of LDCs and African countries. These specific sectoral reviews indicate that the ability of developing countries to participate and benefit from new and dynamic sectors depends on productive capacity, competitiveness, and market access and entry conditions. Also, participation in global production, value and distribution chains through trade and investment links is important to enable developing countries to take advantage of opportunities in this regard.

Of special note among the dynamically growing sectors of world trade are creative industries and the creative economy. Since 2000, creative industries globally have grown at an annual dynamic rate of over 7 per cent, to reach an estimated global market value of US$1.3 trillion in 2005. These industries – with strong cultural and creative components – include a number of sub-sectors from traditional art and crafts, the visual and performing arts and music, to the more technological and services-oriented fields such as publishing, audiovisuals, design, and the news media.

Recent growth in trade in creative industries has been particularly high in OECD countries as well as in a number of leading developing countries. Between 1996 and 2005, world trade in the creative industries nearly doubled to stand at US$208 billion in 2005. A notable feature of these trends has been the sharp rise in the share of developing countries in world exports in this category, increasing from 24 per cent in 1996 to 40 per cent in 2005. The increase was accounted for mainly by exports from Asian developing countries, which arose from 22 per cent of world trade in 1996 to 37 per cent in 2005. There is much potential also for LDCs to benefit from production and trade in creative industries as also for Latin American, Caribbean and African countries. LDCs could benefit from production and trade in their traditional and distinctive arts and crafts as well as music.