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UNCTAD Update (December/January?edition)
Our latest?news, thought leadership and events
News
UNCTAD has launched three reports since we last wrote to you. Below follows the latest news since December 2020.
We announced in December that UNCTAD’s 15th quadrennial ministerial conference (UNCTAD15) has been postponed to later in 2021. The conference will now take place in Bridgetown, Barbados from Sunday, 3 October through to Friday, 8 October 2021, with pre-events starting from Friday, 1 October.?
Ahead of the conference UNCTAD Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi, set?down his roadmap for health, productivity, prosperity and fixing a fractured global economy scarred by the coronavirus pandemic in his Secretary-General report, which establishes the areas of focus for UNCTAD15.?
Then, launching UNCTAD's COVID-19 report, a summary of UNCTAD's work in response to the coronavirus crisis?throughout, UNCTAD deputy chief, Isabelle Durant, said debt relief, greater cooperation, a more digital world, and shorter more regional value chains are key policy stepping stones for a better post-coronavirus recovery.?
Productive capacity or the challenges around fostering it formed the centre of UNCTAD's Least Developed Countries Report, also launched in December. The COVID-19 economic crisis is forecast to pull 32 million people back into extreme poverty?unless their productive capacities are drastically improved, UNCTAD warned.?
Then, after a year of pandemic-induced lockdowns, there couldn’t be a better time to appreciate the creative economy. The United Nations is doing just this as it marks 2021 as the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Here's why.?. Also in ?l .
Then this week?UNCTAD launched its updated BioTrade Principles and Criteria, a set of guidelines to help governments, companies and consumers adopt biodiversity-friendly trade practices. In , and .
Finally, on a sad note, UNCTAD’s Secretary-General Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi informed the UN Secretary-General that he would resign from his position with effect from 15 February 2021.
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The Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Ms. Isabelle Durant of Belgium will be appointed as Acting Secretary-General of UNCTAD while the UN Secretary-General launches a recruitment process, in consultation with member States, to find a successor.??
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Upcoming launches/ reports
UNCTAD will announce the launch of our Productive Capacity Index in February 2021.
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Upcoming events
Trade Policy Dialogue: Welcoming the International Year on Creative Economy for Sustainable Development
On 25 January 2021 we officially launch the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development with UNCTAD’s trade policy dialogue session.
The Creative Economy has an important role in helping us reach for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the year-long celebrations associated with #CreativeEconomy2021 will support efforts for all stakeholders to work together, exchange knowledge and experiences, build networks, and scale up collaboration.
Join our UNCTAD trade policy dialogue to explore creative economy policies and strategies implemented by governments to tackle the hardships around the #COVID-19 pandemic and build resilience for future challenges.
Register online and join the Webex meeting .?
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Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development, fourth session
The FFD session will open at 11am, on Monday, 25 January and close at 5pm?on Wednesday, 27 January 2021.?
Discussions will address strengthening the coherence and consistency of multilateral financial, investment, trade and development policy (Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, action area F (A/RES/69/313)). More .
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This newsletter was?prepared for?you by UNCTAD New York Office of the Secretary-General
Email:?UNCTADNY2@un.org
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Visit our? for more on UNCTAD’s work in monitoring the effects of the global pandemic on manufacturing, trade, foreign direct investment, and economic growth and new resources we offer to address them.
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