November 29, 2022 -

LDCs need support to tackle the climate crisis to safeguard and further advance the hard-earned improvements in incomes, education and health achieved over the past decades. To successfully mitigate and adapt to climate change, LDCs have to address several challenges and strengthen their policy frameworks. Not only do they need to enhance the climate-resilience of their trade-related infrastructure but also to improve their digital connectivity. The latter will play a key role in addressing information asymmetries and broadening the reach of early warning systems.

November 15, 2022 -

Along with the damage posed to ecosystem and human health, climate change is already affecting what and how countries trade with one another. For instance, changing temperatures and weather patterns have an impact on crop yields, and therefore agricultural trade. Climate change can cause severe and costly disruptions to trade-related infrastructure, as sea level rises threaten seaports and rising temperatures affect and degrade railways. Tourism is another sector that is both crucial for trade and where changing weather conditions are affecting where people travel and the infrastructure that tourism relies on.

October 25, 2022 -

On 30th and 31st July, almost 300 mm of rain fell on Banjul and the capital region[HS1]  of The Gambia.

September 13, 2022 -

Vanuatu has emerged as a trailblazer in the Asia‑Pacific region in leveraging the benefits of trade facilitation through the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) program. For over 40 years, ASYCUDA, which is UNCTAD’s largest technical assistance program, has helped customs offices around the world clear goods faster and increase the pace of trade. Vanuatu is one of only seven ASYCUDA countries worldwide, and the only one in the Pacific region, running a single-window system using ASYCUDA.

August 02, 2022 -

In 2022, WTO members have the opportunity to move forward on an aid for trade agenda that supports LDCs to tackle pressing challenges at the intersection of trade and sustainability. Given the massive trade-related challenges facing LDCs, the huge gap between needs and available support for a just transition to sustainable trade, and the urgency, scale, and impact of intersecting environmental crises in LDCs, mobilizing additional resources, investments, and partnerships is vital.

July 19, 2022 -

Unlike in 2013, PPPs are today widely embraced as a vehicle to promote digital trade. Now, they need to be used in places where they have been scarcer, such as the LDCs.

July 05, 2022 -

The Ministry of Tourism hosts the handicraft and Souvenir Development project, which is supported by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF); with among other objectives being improving quality, standards and marketing tourism exports such as souvenirs to boost foreign exchange.

June 14, 2022 -

The Enhanced Integrated Framework has remained a key conduit for both channelling and leveraging wider Aid for Trade resources to the LDCs over the past decade but also has the mandate to support LDCs expand their trade funding base.

May 03, 2022 -

Trade is a critical part of on the ground adaptation efforts that must also be considered, specifically local trade amongst small and medium enterprises which are impacted head-on by climate emergencies. We are seeing communities already vulnerable to shocks affected not only in terms of their resources getting destroyed or depleted but also due to a lack of support systems when this happens.

March 08, 2022 -

Women are 14 times more likely to die from a climate disaster than men. Despite being face-to-face with the problem, women are often not part of the solution.

February 08, 2022 -

Ratnakar Adhikari (EIF) and Taffere Tesfachew (UNTBLDC) discuss how LDCs can benefit from technology on their path towards structural transformation.

January 18, 2022 -

The AfCFTA's success lies in last-mile implementation. Connectivity and mobility are key.

December 14, 2021 -

How can LDCs be supported to improve their trade performance and sustainably raise their share of trade in the global economy?

November 16, 2021 -

Manufacturing has traditionally driven economic growth in developing countries. A new book by the World Bank highlights the potential of the service sector in driving development. What are the implications of this shift for least developed countries? 

October 26, 2021 -

With climate change on everyone’s mind ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), what are the key issues on the table for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs)?

October 05, 2021 -

More collaboration, studies needed to boost developing country agri-food exports Pesticides are a hot topic when it comes to the intersection of agriculture, trade and food security.

August 24, 2021 -

Originally published on Devex on 3 August 2021

June 29, 2021 -

For SIDS and LDCs, tapping into the remote working revolution requires internet infrastructure

June 06, 2021 -

On avoiding risks and challenges for countries striving to reduce poverty and tackle climate change

March 25, 2021 -

Adoption of apps is facilitating farmers and businesses

March 18, 2021 -

Recovery taking a different shape than expected 

March 11, 2021 -

In January 2020, the spread of an infectious disease appeared at the very bottom of the World Economic Forum’s top ten high-impact risks. A year later, it had risen to number one.

March 04, 2021 -

Originally published by Thomson Reute

February 16, 2021 -

Multinationals and governments need to recognize the trade world’s interconnectedness, and its impact

January 21, 2021 -

Photo: An apparel worker at a garment factory that reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

January 12, 2021 -

Country embarking on a new tourism strategy as part of its building of trade sector When one thinks about tourism hotspots, Burundi is not the first that comes to mind. But, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t get there.

December 15, 2020 -

Public-private partnership to boost incomes in shea.

December 08, 2020 -

Country working toward regional and global trade goals in a post-conflict scenario. Becoming a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) isn’t automatic – it’s a process that involves commitments and consensus, questions and responses, meetings and negotiations.

December 02, 2020 -

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic kick in, hopes for better progress, at least in the short term, appear to be fading.

November 26, 2020 -

Breaking down the data on productive capabilities, debt and more in the world’s poorest countries

November 17, 2020 -

Integration into one or more value chains could enable LDCs to specialize in certain production activities or modules while gradually evolving towards more complex tasks.

November 10, 2020 -

Cabo Verde is often described as “off the beaten path”, whatever that means. In reality, the tiny country of 10 islands has been on many paths since the 15th century, when Portuguese sailors first stopped in the uninhabited archipelago.

November 03, 2020 -

Companies have a key role to play in building societal resilience to crises, including the current pandemic and climate impacts, across their value chains. 

October 22, 2020 -

On transforming healthcare where it’s needed most

October 20, 2020 -

The COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the global value chain (GVC) world we live in; what happens in one country has profound impacts, intended and unintended, across countries.

October 13, 2020 -

How can the country build back better?

October 01, 2020 -

In trade for development, more female trainers could make a big difference

September 14, 2020 -

New paper looks at the supply chain dimension of African trade during and post-COVID

September 02, 2020 -

Originally published by THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION NEWS on 18 August 2020

August 19, 2020 -

Urgent digital transformation is needed to create safe and secure cross border ecommerce customs clearance in the world’s poorest countries

August 05, 2020 -

Food products comprise around 17% of LDC merchandise imports – more than double the world average of 8%.

July 31, 2020 -

The macroeconomic context for developing country trade in the time of COVID-19

July 21, 2020 -

Women’s specific needs and potential as leaders and agents of change must be considered for COVID-19 mitigation and recovery measures.

July 14, 2020 -

Although LDCs are home to 13.3% of the world’s population, their share of COVID-19-related medical imports is just 1%.

July 07, 2020 -

Originally published by UNIDO in May 2020

June 30, 2020 -

The collapse in trade provoked by the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the fragility of carefully constructed supply chains in the global fashion industry, and the asymmetries with which they are governed.

June 15, 2020 -

How to ensure the women who collect shea benefit from being part of the global marketplace

June 03, 2020 -

Originally published by UNCTAD on 7 May 2020

May 19, 2020 -

To get LDC graduation back on track, and to help other LDCs, reform of the international system of support must be fundamental and far-reaching.

May 13, 2020 -

Examining the potential impact of tourism disruption in LDCs; developing policy recommendations to limit the damage, initiate recovery and build resilience

May 04, 2020 -

COVID-19 is highlighting the need for paperless trade in developing countries; a recent assessment offers recommendations for how to start

April 28, 2020 -

Originally published by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) on 1 April 2020

April 22, 2020 -

Information access via tech could increase yields and incomes for cotton farmers in Africa

April 14, 2020 -

Following research into the mukula value chain, recommendations to preserve livelihoods and landscapes

April 07, 2020 -

Originally published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on 27 March 2020

March 26, 2020 -

The possibility of reconfiguring manufacturing processes through new digital technologies and data provides opportunities to reboot industrial development in least developed countries.

March 16, 2020 -

SDG 2 commits governments to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, with five specific targets setting the level and ambition of this goal.

March 10, 2020 -

Transforming the economies of least developed countries (LDCs) requires a nationally supported vision on how to tackle the binding constraints to higher value-added production.

February 27, 2020 -

Originally published in World Economic Forum Agenda on 10 February 2020

February 13, 2020 -

Agriculture 4.0, fuelled by innovation and technology, is driving more productive, efficient and sustainable food systems.

February 06, 2020 -

Efforts towards the automation of the CITES permitting system is an example of how trade facilitation could be applied in the wildlife sector.

January 07, 2020 -

In order to be effective, existing and future home country outward FDI measures need to be customised to the needs and realities of LDCs.

December 16, 2019 -

A Global Multilateral Benefit-Sharing Mechanism is the appropriate vehicle by which biodiverse rich countries can be compensated for genetic resources utilised in intellectual property.

December 04, 2019 -

Graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category, a milestone in a country’s development, is not free of controversies.

November 05, 2019 -

Many least developed countries are vulnerable to recurrent natural disasters, which exacerbate existing challenges, disrupt long-term investments and divert resources away from development to reconstruction.

October 31, 2019 -

The international system governing the environment and economy is under pressure, but it is in trade where least developed countries (LDCs) may lose most from cracks in the global order.

September 18, 2019 -

Originally published by Thomson Reuters Foundation News on 11 September 2019

August 22, 2019 -

Originally published by Devex on 5 July 2019

July 01, 2019 -

Originally published by World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 June 2019

August 10, 2018 -

Originally published by Devex on 5 July 2018

May 01, 2018 -

Originally published in Bridges Africa

November 11, 2017 -

Originally published in Bridges Africa

July 10, 2017 -

Originally published on 10 July 2017 in the World Economic Forum Agenda