Trade Restrictions and the Sustainable Development Nexus

This chapter provides foundational information on the nexus between trade restrictions and sustainable development. First, it provides an overview of the different types of trade restrictions and their adverse implications on the progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It then outlines the overall aim and structure of the book, providing information on the work that the authors have done to examine the core intersections between trade restrictions, trade treaty implementation and sustainable development. By highlighting the implications of prolonged trade restrictions on national security and the attainment of sustainable development, the chapter highlights the urgent need for reforms at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels to strengthen the speedy resolution of trade restrictions.