Asia & South Asia

Historically, ad hoc funding arrangements have enabled CLDP to conduct a limited amount of work in Asia. This work has included assisting Viet Nam with drafting its first commercial code and supporting the country with World Trade Organization (WTO) and trade policy-making concepts. In addition, CLDP has worked with the Government of the Philippines to foster a legal environment conducive to better enforcement of Intellectual Property rights both in the public and the private sector.

In recent years, CLDP has been conducting wide-ranging technical assistance programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, making the region one of CLDP’s largest portfolios. CLDP has also begun to conduct investment environment assessments in Burma as a prelude to programming in that country.

Please click here to learn about CLDP's results in Asia and South Asia.

AFGHANISTAN

Goal: CLDP has been working with the Government of Afghanistan and the Afghan private sector on increasing the trade and investment capacity of the country.

Program Areas:

  • Commercial Law Implementation
  • Commercial Law Education Development
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution Development
  • Investment Promotion Capacity-Building
  • Judicial Education in Commercial Law

 PAKISTAN

Goal: CLDP has been working with the Government of Pakistan on its goals of diversifying Pakistan’s exports and creating a legal environment to promote foreign investment in Pakistan. CLDP will also start an energy program that will contribute to regional energy security and a commercial law education program that will strengthen rule of law in Pakistan.

Program Areas:

  • Energy Law Capacity Building
  • Commercial Law Education
  • Judicial Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards
  • Judicial Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
  • Academia-to-Business Technology Transfer
  • Trade policy/research and building of e-Learning trade modules

 INDIA

Goal: Pursuant to a 2010 Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of India (GoI) and the United States on shale gas resources, the Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) has been helping the GoI build its capacity in developing a legal and regulatory framework conducive to foreign investment in shale gas exploration and production.

Program Areas:

  • Energy Legal and Regulatory Framework

BURMA

Goal: At the request of the US Embassy in Rangoon and the Government of Burma (GoB), CLDP has reviewed and coordinated interagency comments on Burma’s draft Foreign Investment law and draft telecommunications law. CLDP has also been asked to join USAID’s BizCLIR assessment team to conduct an assessment on commercial law capacity building needs in the Spring of 2013.

As part of the State Department’s Energy Governance Capacity Initiative (EGCI), CLDP has been asked by the State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) to conduct an energy assessment in Burma in March, 2013. Following the assessment, CLDP will be preparing a white paper that includes a summary of the assessment trip and action plan for future energy technical assistance to the Government of Burma.

Program Areas:

  • Legislative Review and Comment
  • New York Convention on Foreign Arbitral Awards
  • Public Procurement
  • Energy Legal and Regulatory Framework