Emily Jones is a project associate for the GEG’s Global Trade Governance Project. She is leading a research project examining the constraints that face small developing countries in international trade negotiations, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Whilst systemic global constraints to small developing countries engaging in negotiations are well known and well documented, the study seeks to enhance understanding of how small states can manoeuvre effectively at the margins of international trade negotiations. The project examines constraints that arise in the trade governance and political economy of small developing countries as well as the constraints they face in deploying an effective negotiating strategy. The research methodology employed includes extensive interviews in home capitals, Geneva, and Brussels; an online questionnaire for trade officials; and in-depth country case studies of Benin, Ghana, Mauritius, Barbados and St Lucia.

Emily is reading for a DPhil in the International Relations and Politics Department, Oxford University, where she is examining the political economy of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between Europe and the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Prior to this, she worked as a trade policy adviser for Oxfam GB where she led research and policy development on bilateral and regional trade agreements across the Oxfam International federation. Before joining Oxfam, Emily worked in Ghana as a trade economist in the Ministry of Trade and Industry where she led the design of a five-year implementation strategy for Ghana’s trade policy. She also worked as an Associate Professional Officer for the UK’s Department for International Development in Brazil.

Emily holds a Masters in Development Economics from the School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London, and a BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.