UNCTAD Update: Zambian cotton entrepreneur goes beyond the fibre
UNCTAD Update (23-31 May)
Our latest news, thought leadership and events
News
This week UNCTAD also told the story of how a Zambian entrepreneur is trying to improve the import imbalance for its cotton yield. Zambia produces about 55,000 metric tons of raw cotton each year but imports most of the cotton wool products consumed in the country. Read more in English, Français or Español.
UNCTAD's integrated customs management system, ASYCUDA, is expected to be a game-changer in customs processing in Iraq and improve ease of doing business in the country. Read more.
This week Sweden contributed $480,000 to UNCTAD's work on e-commerce. The funds will help UNCTAD enhance developing countries' capacity to participate in the digital economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. More on the grant here.
A new online course was also launched Online course enhances capacity of trade data compilers A course on international merchandise trade statistics boosts participants' knowledge on goods movement data between countries and areas. Find out more.
Upcoming events
UNCTAD15 civil society discussion on frontier technologies, the digital economy and development, 4 June, 8am (ET)
Join us for a pre-event on the road to UNCTAD15. This discussion is the second part of a series of online discussions with civil society held in preparation for the UNCTAD15 ministerial conference. The dialogue aims to raise awareness of civil society representatives on the issues of technology transfer, e-commerce and the digital economy. The outcome of the session will be presented to member states as part of the intergovernmental preparatory process for UNCTAD15. Find out more here.
United Nations Trade Forum, 14-15 June 2021
Join UNCTAD for our second UN Trade Forum in mid-June. It looks at how to make trade and trade policy foster a green and inclusive recovery. With the COVID-19 crisis and the climate emergency negatively impacting the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental), what the world needs is a more coherent policy mix to protect the planet and ensure more inclusive development. Inevitably, this must include trade policy. However, designing a coherent policy mix is a challenge. Register for the event to hear proposed solutions.
UNCTAD Prebisch Lecture, 15 June, 10am-12pm (ET)
The 17th Raúl Prebisch Lecture will be given by Esther Duflo, Nobel laureate and Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Join us for the online broadcast of this prestigious lecture. Register here or watch it live on UNCTAD's Facebook channel.
Visit the New York office website
This newsletter was prepared by UNCTAD New York Office of the Secretary-General
Email: UNCTADNY2@un.org
Visit our dedicated website page 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.
