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United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Policy Briefs
UNCTAD Policy Briefs provide authoritative data and analysis on trade, investment, finance and technology, offering solutions to the major challenges facing developing countries, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable nations. Beyond tailored analysis and policy recommendations, our research has also generated global standards that govern responsible sovereign lending and borrowing, investment, entrepreneurship, competition and consumer protection and trade rules towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
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Strategy for Graduation with Momentum: Bridging Pre-graduation and Post-graduation Development Processes in the Least Developed Countries
Publication Date: April 2022More LessThe development path followed by a country prior to graduation from the least developed country category has significant implications with regard to the challenges to be faced after graduation. The current conceptualization of a smooth transition strategy primarily aims to create a short-term post-graduation “soft landing” and ease concerns with regard to preparation for engaging in economic relations as a non-least developed country. Therefore, the concept currently does not have a focus on preparing countries for graduation with momentum. UNCTAD has maintained that the post-graduation success of a country significantly depends on the foundations built prior to graduation. Graduating countries need a new strategy, one that prepares them for the challenges ahead by linking the graduation process with the development of productive capacities and sustainable development. UNCTAD has proposed an alternative policy framework to help refocus the objectives and strategic direction of graduation strategies, as well as a new time frame for implementation.
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Integrating a Gender Perspective into Trade Facilitation Reforms
Publication Date: April 2022More LessWomen cross-border traders face significant challenges, including time constraints, costs of burdensome procedures, discrimination and harassment at borders. Despite multilateral calls to address those issues and to make trade policies gender-responsive, notably the Revised Buenos Aires Declaration, limited progress has been made on gender equality in trade. This policy brief outlines key gender-based barriers for women traders and provides 10+1 policy recommendations to address them.
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The Least Developed Countries Need a New Generation of International Support Measures to Face the Development Challenges of the 2020s
Publication Date: April 2022More LessThe least developed countries find themselves at a crossroad. Beset by long-standing structural weaknesses, shortcomings in international support and widening inequalities within and among all countries, they have to confront new or intensifying problems worsened by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, climate change, the rapidly evolving character of globalization and the new technological realities of the digital age. Developing productive capacities is the key to unlocking the potential of the least developed countries achieving structural transformation to face these new realities. To be able to rise to both old and new challenges, the least developed countries need a new generation of international support measures that are fit for purpose in a fast-changing global environment. These new international support measures need to be effective, relevant and closely tailored to least developed country aspirations if international support measures are to change the course of the development trajectories of these countries.
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Enhancing Productive Capacities and Transforming Least Developed Country Economies Through Institution-building: Upcoming United Nations Conferences and the Way Forward
Publication Date: August 2021More LessIn this policy brief, UNCTAD intends to shed light on the role of institutions in fostering productive capacities, and examines Institutions as one of the eight categories of the UNCTAD Productive Capacities Index. In the context of the formulation and implementation of policies and strategies in support of LDCs, recommendations are provided to support the building of stronger and more effective institutions, a prerequisite for fostering productive capacities.
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Embracing a New Conceptual Framework for the Statistical Measurement of Illicit Financial Flows
Publication Date: July 2021More LessThis policy brief examines illicit financial flows linked to the export of extractive resources from Africa, methodologies to measure them and their relationship to the new conceptual framework for the statistical measurement of illicit financial flows as part of the measurement of progress towards Goal 16, target 16.4. It highlights opportunities to curb illicit financial flows using improved methodologies for customs fraud detection and to enhance resource governance with regard to metals that will be in high demand for the battery-storage technology needed in the transition to a low-carbon future.
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Placing Productive Capacities at the Heart of Least Developed Countries’ Development Policy and Strategy
Publication Date: July 2021More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought to light not only the systemic interdependence of countries, but also the socioeconomic fragility of the global economy. From a trade and development perspective, this has been felt most acutely in the most vulnerable developing countries – the least developed countries (LDCs). Even prior to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, LDCs faced complex development challenges, compounded with economic growth patterns that have failed to translate into accelerated poverty reduction and job creation. As the international community prepares for the upcoming fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XV) and the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (UNLDC V), innovative strategies and approaches to enhance economic growth and address underlying vulnerabilities are urgently needed. This policy brief is a call to action for LDC Governments and the broader international community of development partners to take concerted action in the fostering of productive capacities for sustainable development.
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Small Island Developing States: Maritime Transport in the Era of a Disruptive Pandemic - Empower States to Fend Against Disruptions to Maritime Transportation Systems, Their Lifeline to the World
Publication Date: June 2021More LessThe coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have had less noticeable impacts on small island developing States (SIDS). However, the impacts may be longer lasting and more critical. The pandemic has exacerbated the unique and overwhelming challenges in these States related to connectivity; a high level of dependence on external trade; remoteness and prohibitive transport costs; food security; infrastructure gaps; resilience; sustainability; and access to finance. This policy brief builds on the findings in Review of Maritime Transport 2020 and of the ongoing United Nations-wide project “Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics: Contactless, seamless and collaborative solutions”, launched in 2020 amid the pandemic. It highlights key priority actions and policy recommendations to support SIDS in strengthening their ability to respond to shocks and disruptions that undermine their maritime transportation systems and to future proof their maritime supply chains through sustainability and resilience-building efforts.
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Container Shipping in Times of Covid-19: Why Freight Rates Have Surged and Implications for Policy Makers
Publication Date: June 2021More LessAt the start of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, expectations were that seaborne trade, including containerized trade, would experience a strong downturn. However, changes in consumption and shopping patterns triggered by the pandemic, including a surge in electronic commerce, as well as lockdown measures, have in fact led to increased import demand for manufactured consumer goods, a large part of which is moved in shipping containers. As at the third quarter of 2020, lessening of lockdown measures and varying speeds of recovery worldwide, as well as stimulus packages supporting consumer demand, inventory-building and frontloading in anticipation of new waves of the pandemic, contributed to leading to a further increase in containerized trade flows.
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Towards a New Trade Agenda for the Right to Food
Publication Date: June 2021More LessAccess to food is a fundamental human right. Trade plays a key role in food security but an excessive exposure to global markets also increases risks. Trade policy needs to be advanced from a right-to-food perspective. This calls for the effective implementation and reform of existing World Trade Organization provisions. In 2021, the fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization will provide opportunities to incorporate the right-to-food agenda in the global trade architecture.
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Curbing Illicit Financial Flows to Finance Sustainable Development in Africa
Publication Date: July 2021More LessCurbing illicit financial flows (IFFs) can help African countries mobilize capital to finance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and other national priorities. IFFs contribute to US$88.6 billion of capital flight per year from Africa. Reducing these outflows can increase the stock of capital available for businesses to build productive capacity and create jobs. Increased tax revenues can provide governments additional fiscal space to, for example, invest in infrastructure, spend on poverty reduction programmes, or assist citizens during emergencies, such as the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This policy brief examines IFFs in Africa, including how they contribute to capital flight and tax evasion. We then recommend specific actions governments can take to curb IFFs and use the proceeds to finance sustainable development.
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Making Trade Agreements Work For Gender Equality - Data and Statistics
Publication Date: July 2020More LessWhat is the impact of trade on gender equality, and how can trade policy influence that impact? These questions are difficult to answer without reliable and comprehensive statistics. In December 2017, the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment1 called for an inventory of data sources, collection of gender-disaggregated data and the analysis of gender-focused statistics related to trade. This policy brief provides some tools for taking stock of available data to assess the gender impacts of trade agreements. In 2018, UNCTAD developed a statistical conceptual framework to bring together key elements for understanding the impact of trade on gender equality. This brief applies that framework by exploring data availability and gaps. The work builds on the expertise of the UNCTAD Statistics and Trade, Gender and Development programme working to improve women's economic empowerment through the development of gender-responsive trade policy.
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The Need to Protect Science, Technology and Innovation Funding During and After the COVID-19 Crisis
Publication Date: June 2020More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has infected more than 2,950,000 people and killed more than 202,000 worldwide to this date. While the overall economic impact of this outbreak is still unfolding, there are strong indications that it will cause the largest economic downturn since the 2008 financial crisis. This policy brief makes a case for protecting science, technology and innovation (STI) budgets during the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath, based on the fact that continued investments in STI will be critical to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Even though developing countries as a group have recorded continued growth in R&D expenditure over recent years, the absolute levels remain small and their STI capabilities limited. It is therefore crucial for developing countries to reinforce their commitments to protect investment in STI and to design recovery packages that leverage technology and innovation for sustainable development. Stability and predictability of funding for science, technology and innovation are critical for the ability of national innovation systems to support sustainable development. During and after the COVID-19 crisis countries, particularly in the developing world where innovation systems remain fragile, should protect science, technology and innovation resources from austerity drives given their long-term implications for development strategies. The policy responses proposed in this policy brief introduce concrete steps in effectively continuing investments in science, technology and innovation, both during and after the crisis, towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
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COVID-19: un plan d’action en 10 points pour renforcer la facilitation des échanges et du transport en période de pandémie
Publication Date: July 2020More LessLa pandémie de coronavirus (Covid-19) affecte considérablement la vie et les moyens de subsistance des gens tout en exerçant des tensions extrêmes sur les systèmes socioéconomiques. Une collaboration, coordination et solidarité internationales seront essentielles pour surmonter ce défi mondial sans précédent. Dans le cadre des efforts visant à réduire la propagation internationale du virus et à atténuer les conséquences potentiellement dévastatrices de la pandémie à plus long terme, en particulier pour les pays les plus vulnérables, les décideurs politiques doivent prendre un certain nombre de mesures pour assurer la facilitation du commerce international et du transport des marchandises. Il est crucial de garder les navires en mouvement, les ports ouverts et le commerce transfrontalier et de transit fluide, tout en veillant à ce que les agences frontalières puissent effectuer tous les contrôles nécessaires en toute sécurité.
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2019冠状病毒病:在疫情期 间加强国际贸易和运输便利 化的十点行动计划
Publication Date: July 2020More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is substantially impacting people’s lives and livelihoods and putting extreme stress on socioeconomic systems. International collaboration, coordination and solidarity among all is going to be key to overcoming this unprecedented global challenge. As part of efforts aimed at reducing the international spread of the virus and to mitigate the potentially crippling longer-term consequences of the pandemic, especially for the most vulnerable countries, policymakers need to take a number of measures to ensure the facilitation of international trade and the transport of goods. It is crucial to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border and transit trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. There is a need to keep ships moving, ports open and crossborder trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. Facilitating trade and the transport of goods has become more important than ever, to avoid logistics obstacles that lead to shortages of necessary supplies. The concrete measures proposed in this policy brief help to facilitate transport and trade and to protect the population from COVID-19.
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COVID-19: un plan de acción de 10 puntos para fortalecer el comercio internacional y la facilitación del transporte en tiempos de pandemia
Publication Date: July 2020More LessLa pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) está afectando sustancialmente las vidas y los medios de subsistencia de las personas y provocando un estrés extremo en los sistemas socioeconómicos. Colaboración internacional, coordinación y la solidaridad entre todos, va a ser clave para superar este desafío global sin precedentes. Como parte de los esfuerzos que buscan reducir la propagación internacional del virus y para mitigar las consecuencias potencialmente devastadoras a largo plazo de la pandemia, especialmente para los países más vulnerables, los responsables de la formulación de políticas deben tomar una serie de medidas para garantizar la facilitación del comercio internacional y el transporte de mercancías. Es crucial mantener los barcos en movimiento, puertos abiertos, comercio y transporte transfronterizo fluyendo, al tiempo que se garantiza que las agencias fronterizas puedan llevar a cabo todos los controles necesarios con seguridad.
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كوفيد19-ذ خطة عمل من عرش نقاط لتعزيز التجارة الدولية وتيسر حرقة النقل ي ظل الجائحة
Publication Date: July 2020More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is substantially impacting people’s lives and livelihoods and putting extreme stress on socioeconomic systems. International collaboration, coordination and solidarity among all is going to be key to overcoming this unprecedented global challenge. As part of efforts aimed at reducing the international spread of the virus and to mitigate the potentially crippling longer-term consequences of the pandemic, especially for the most vulnerable countries, policymakers need to take a number of measures to ensure the facilitation of international trade and the transport of goods. It is crucial to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border and transit trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. There is a need to keep ships moving, ports open and crossborder trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. Facilitating trade and the transport of goods has become more important than ever, to avoid logistics obstacles that lead to shortages of necessary supplies. The concrete measures proposed in this policy brief help to facilitate transport and trade and to protect the population from COVID-19.
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COVID-19: План действий из 10 пунктов по усилению международной торговли и облегчению процедур перевозок во времена пандемии
Publication Date: July 2020More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is substantially impacting people’s lives and livelihoods and putting extreme stress on socioeconomic systems. International collaboration, coordination and solidarity among all is going to be key to overcoming this unprecedented global challenge. As part of efforts aimed at reducing the international spread of the virus and to mitigate the potentially crippling longer-term consequences of the pandemic, especially for the most vulnerable countries, policymakers need to take a number of measures to ensure the facilitation of international trade and the transport of goods. It is crucial to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border and transit trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. There is a need to keep ships moving, ports open and crossborder trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. Facilitating trade and the transport of goods has become more important than ever, to avoid logistics obstacles that lead to shortages of necessary supplies. The concrete measures proposed in this policy brief help to facilitate transport and trade and to protect the population from COVID-19.
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COVID-19: A 10-Point Action Plan to Strengthen International Trade and Transport Facilitation in Times of Pandemic
Publication Date: June 2020More LessThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is substantially impacting people’s lives and livelihoods and putting extreme stress on socioeconomic systems. International collaboration, coordination and solidarity among all is going to be key to overcoming this unprecedented global challenge. As part of efforts aimed at reducing the international spread of the virus and to mitigate the potentially crippling longer-term consequences of the pandemic, especially for the most vulnerable countries, policymakers need to take a number of measures to ensure the facilitation of international trade and the transport of goods. It is crucial to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border and transit trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. There is a need to keep ships moving, ports open and crossborder trade flowing, while ensuring that border agencies can safely undertake all necessary controls. Facilitating trade and the transport of goods has become more important than ever, to avoid logistics obstacles that lead to shortages of necessary supplies. The concrete measures proposed in this policy brief help to facilitate transport and trade and to protect the population from COVID-19.
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Topsy-turvy World: Net Transfer of Resources From Poor to Rich Countries
Publication Date: June 2020More LessThe crisis stemming from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has turned a spotlight on financial vulnerabilities in developing countries and the limitations they face in mobilizing domestic financial resources to respond to the pandemic at the required scale. This brief takes a step back from the COVID-19 crisis to highlight a longer-standing trend which is adding to the troubles facing developing countries. For the past two decades, net financial resource transfers between developed and developing countries have typically favoured the former and disadvantaged the latter. Overall, more financial resources have gone from developing to developed countries than have been returned. The policy brief looks at the main drivers of this net financial resource transfer to the developed world, including illicit financial flows from developing countries, and offers some policy proposals to address this problem.
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Trade Facilitation in Developing Countries: Can Blockchain Prompt a Leap Forward?
Publication Date: June 2020More LessThe entry into force of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation of the World Trade Organization in February 2017 propelled the concept of trade facilitation into mainstream policy dialogue and brought major attention to the challenges traders face, particularly in developing countries. At the same time, e-commerce (electronic commerce), just-in-time delivery, global value chains and smart shipping have been on the rise. Crossborder business-to-business, business-to-consumer and even consumer-to-consumer e-commerce, for instance, is poised to become globally ubiquitous, bringing along with it challenges for Governments. The challenges involve the implications for compliance, revenue collection, consumer protection, competition policy and safety and security. Amid these developments, how can Governments keep trade risks low and, at the same time, facilitate cross-border trade? Can modern technologies, such as blockchain, provide a solution and allow developing countries to make leaps forward in efficiency?
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