United Nations TD/B/WP/311/Add.

1
United Nations Conference Distr.: General
on Trade and Development 15 October 2021

English only

Trade and Development Board

Working Party on the Programme Plan
and Programme Performance
Eighty-second session
Geneva, 1–5 November 2021
Item 3 of the provisional agenda

Review of the technical cooperation activities of UNCTAD

and their financing

Report by the Secretary-General of UNCTAD

Annex I: Review of activities undertaken in 2020*

* This document has not been formally edited.

GE.21-14835(E)
TD/B/WP/311/Add.1

Contents
Page
Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................... 4
Country/territory/region codes ......................................................................................................... 6
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 9
I. Theme A: Transforming economies, fostering sustainable development ......................................... 9
A1 Investment policy reviews ....................................................................................................... 9
A2 Services policy reviews ........................................................................................................... 16
A3 Trade policy framework reviews ............................................................................................ 17
A4 Science, technology and innovation policy reviews ................................................................ 19
A5 E-commerce and the digital economy...................................................................................... 22
A6 Investment guides .................................................................................................................... 26
A7 Non-tariff measures ................................................................................................................. 27
A9 Trade negotiations and the international trading system.......................................................... 33
A10 Sustainable trade and the environment .................................................................................... 41
A11 Investment promotion and facilitation ..................................................................................... 45
A99 Other ....................................................................................................................................... 48
1. Trade and creative economy ............................................................................................ 49
2. Voluntary sustainability standards .................................................................................. 53
3. Investment trends and issues ........................................................................................... 55
4. Macroeconomic and development policies ..................................................................... 59
5. International cooperation on science, technology and innovation under the auspices of
the Commission on Science and Technology for Development ...................................... 63
II. Theme B: Tackling vulnerabilities, building resilience .................................................................... 64
B1 Support to graduation from least developed country status ..................................................... 64
B2 DMFAS − Debt Management and Financial Analysis System ................................................ 69
B4 UNCTAD contribution to the Enhanced Integrated Framework ............................................. 72
B5 Market access, rules of origin and geographical indications for the least developed
countries................................................................................................................................... 74
B6 Breaking the chains of commodity dependence ...................................................................... 78
B9 Sustainable and resilient transport and logistics services ........................................................ 81
B99 Other ........................................................................................................................................ 83
1. Assistance to the Palestinian people ................................................................................ 84
2. Productive capacity-building in vulnerable economies ................................................... 86
3. Trade-related capacity-building in the least developed countries ................................... 92
4. Mobilizing Financial Resources for Development .......................................................... 93
III. Theme C: Fostering economic efficiency, improving governance ................................................... 97
C1 Voluntary peer reviews of competition and consumer protection laws and policies ............... 97
C2 Business facilitation ................................................................................................................. 102

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C3 Trade facilitation ...................................................................................................................... 105

C4 ASYCUDA − Automated System for Customs Data .............................................................. 109
C5 Statistics ................................................................................................................................... 118
C7 Enabling accounting and reporting on the private sector’s contribution to implementation of the
Sustainable Development goals ............................................................................................... 120
C8 Investment and public health ................................................................................................... 125
C9 International investment agreements ....................................................................................... 127
C10 Competition and consumer protection policies and frameworks ............................................. 132
C99 Other ........................................................................................................................................ 140
1. Capital markets and responsible investment ................................................................... 140
2. Addressing challenges and opportunities in economic globalization .............................. 142
IV. Theme D: Empowering people, investing in their future ................................................................. 143
D1 Trade, gender and development ............................................................................................... 143
D3 Entrepreneurship for sustainable development ........................................................................ 147
D6 Train for Trade ........................................................................................................................ 155
D99 Other ........................................................................................................................................ 163
1. Management and coordination ........................................................................................ 163
2. Virtual Institute .............................................................................................................. 163
3. Course on key issues on the international economic agenda – paragraph 166 ................ 164

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Abbreviations
ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States
ACS Association of Caribbean States
AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASYCUDA Automated System for Customs Data
COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
CARICOM Caribbean Community
DFQF duty free and quota free
DMFAS Debt Management and Financial Analysis System
DTIS Diagnostic trade integration study
EAC East African Community
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
EIF Enhanced Integrated Framework
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FDI foreign direct investment
GDP gross domestic product
GSP Generalized System of Preferences
GSTP Global System of Trade Preferences
among Developing Countries
ICT information and communication technology
IFFs illicit financial flows
IIA international investment agreement
IMF International Monetary Fund
IMO International Maritime Organization
IOM International Organization for Migration
IPR investment policy review
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ITC International Trade Centre
ITU International Telecommunication Union
LDC least developed country
LLDC landlocked developing country
MENA Middle East and North Africa
MSME Micro, small and medium-sized enterprise
OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OECS Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
PIFS Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
PPP public-private partnership
SADC Southern African Development Community

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SIDS Small Island Developing States

STI Science, technology and innovation
UNCITRAL United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
UNDA United Nations Development Account
UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNECLAC United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean
UNESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCWA United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UN-OHRLLS United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least
Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small
Island Developing States
UNRCO United Nations Resident Coordinator Office
UNSD United Nations Statistics Division
USAID US Agency for International Development
WAEMU West African Economic and Monetary Union
WHO World Health Organization
WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization
WTO World Trade Organization

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Country/territory/region codes
AFG Afghanistan COI Comoros
ALB Albania COL Colombia
ALG Algeria COS Costa Rica
ANG Angola CPR China
ANL Anguilla CUB Cuba
ANT Antigua and Barbuda CVI Cabo Verde
ARG Argentina CZE Czechia
ARM Armenia DJI Djibouti
ARU Aruba DMI Dominica
AZE Azerbaijan DOM Dominican Republic
BAH Bahrain DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo
BAR Barbados ECU Ecuador
BDI Burundi EGY Egypt
BEN Benin ELS El Salvador
BER Bermuda EQG Equatorial Guinea
BES Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba ERI Eritrea
BGD Bangladesh EST Estonia
BHU Bhutan ETH Ethiopia
BIH Bosnia and Herzegovina EUR Europe
BKF Burkina Faso FIJ Fiji
BOL Bolivia (Plurinational State of) GAB Gabon
BOT Botswana GAM Gambia
BRA Brazil GBS Guinea-Bissau
BRU Brunei Darussalam GEO Georgia
BUL Bulgaria GHA Ghana
BYE Belarus GIB Gibraltar
BZE Belize GLO Global
CAF Central African Republic GRN Grenada
CHD Chad GUA Guatemala
CHI Chile GUI Guinea
CMB Cambodia GUY Guyana
CMR Cameroon HAI Haiti

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HON Honduras MOT Montserrat

HUN Hungary MOZ Mozambique
IND India MYA Myanmar
INS Indonesia NAM Namibia
INT Interregional NCA New Caledonia
IRA Iran (Islamic Republic of) NEP Nepal
IRQ Iraq NER Niger
IVC Côte d’Ivoire NIC Nicaragua
JAM Jamaica NIR Nigeria
JOR Jordan NIU Niue
KAZ Kazakhstan OMA Oman
KEN Kenya PAK Pakistan
KIR Kiribati PAL Palestinian Authority
KOR Republic of Korea PAN Panama
KUW Kuwait PAR Paraguay
KYR Kyrgyzstan PER Peru
LAO Lao People’s Democratic Republic PHI Philippines
LAT Latvia PNG Papua New Guinea
LEB Lebanon POL Poland
LIB Libya PRC Congo
LIR Liberia PUE Puerto Rico
LIT Lithuania QAT Qatar
LSO Lesotho RAF Africa (regional)
MAG Madagascar RAS Asia and the Pacific (regional)
MAL Malaysia RER Europe (regional)
MAR Mauritius RLA Latin America and the Caribbean
(regional)
MAU Mauritania ROM Romania
MCD North Macedonia RUS Russian Federation
MDV Maldives RWA Rwanda
MEX Mexico SAF South Africa
MLI Mali SAM Samoa
MLW Malawi SAU Saudi Arabia
MOL Republic of Moldova SEN Senegal
MON Mongolia SEY Seychelles
MOR Morocco SIL Sierra Leone

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SIN Singapore TIM Timor-Leste

SLO Slovakia TOG Togo
SOI Solomon Islands TON Tonga
SOM Somalia TUK Turkmenistan
SPM Saint Pierre and Miquelon TUN Tunisia
SRL Sri Lanka TUR Turkey
STH Saint Helena TUV Tuvalu
STK Saint Kitts and Nevis UAE United Arab Emirates
STL Saint Lucia UGA Uganda
STP Sao Tome and Principe UKR Ukraine
STV Saint Vincent and the Grenadines URT United Republic of Tanzania
SUD Sudan URU Uruguay
SUR Suriname UZB Uzbekistan
SVN Slovenia VAN Vanuatu
SWA Eswatini VEN Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
SYR Syrian Arab Republic VIE Viet Nam
TAJ Tajikistan YEM Yemen
TCI Turks and Caicos Islands ZAM Zambia
THA Thailand ZIM Zimbabwe

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Introduction
1. This annex provides a description of the main technical cooperation projects
undertaken by UNCTAD in 2020. It is presented in accordance with the four themes
specified in the UNCTAD Toolbox: transforming economies, fostering sustainable
development; tackling vulnerabilities, building resilience; fostering economic efficiency,
improving governance; and empowering people, investing in their future. Under each
theme, there are a number of products around which projects are grouped. For projects that
are not linked with any of the 28 Toolbox products,1 they are reported under the category
“Other” of the pertinent theme. A table showing the individual projects implemented under
each product and under the category “Other” of each theme is provided. The technical
assistance and capacity-building activities, which draw on research conducted by UNCTAD
and on policy suggestions arising from the UNCTAD intergovernmental machinery,
contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

I. Theme A:
Transforming economies, fostering sustainable development
2. Attaining the Sustainable Development Goals requires building productive capacity
and transforming economies by shifting resources to more productive and sustainable
sectors and enhancing their competitiveness. Investment, trade and technology are
important channels for achieving economic diversification and structural transformation.
Trade and trade-related investment, combined with technology upgrading, could enable
countries to improve productivity, develop productive capacities and climb regional and
global value chains.
3. UNCTAD technical cooperation helps developing countries attract foreign direct
investment (FDI) towards sectors that would lead to economic transformation and
sustainable development; better integrate into regional and global value chains; and foster
the nexus between trade, productive capacity and employment. It also supports these
countries in formulating a services-driven development strategy, developing electronic
commerce
(e-commerce) and the digital economy, promoting sustainable trade and leveraging science,
technology and innovation for productive capacity-building.
4. In this section, 10 products under the theme “Transforming economies, fostering
sustainable development” are reported on. The reports highlight main technical cooperation
activities carried out in 2020 and key results to date. Technical cooperation projects that are
pertinent to the aforementioned theme, but not linked to any of the existing 10 products
under this thematic area, are reported on under “A99 Other”.

A1 Investment policy reviews

Table A1
Investment policy reviews: List of projects

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

INT/0T/3AW Examen des politiques d’investissement et 2003– Multi-donors

programme de suivi

1 See UNCTAD Toolbox, available at https://unctad.org/webflyer/unctad-toolbox-delivering-results-1.

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-building in investment for 2011– Multi-donors

development

5. Development context. To fully reap their associated benefits for development,

which are not automatic nor evenly spread across countries, foreign direct investment (FDI)
inflows should be directed towards activities and projects that lead to enhanced economic
and social development. To support beneficiary countries in their efforts to diversify the
economy, attract higher levels of FDI and promote sustainable development, UNCTAD
conducts diagnostic studies of the legal, regulatory and institutional framework for
investment: the investment policy reviews (IPRs). The reviews, which are country-specific,
provide action-oriented policy advice and concrete recommendations. To foster their
implementation and further build capacity for investment policymaking, UNCTAD
provides follow-up support through technical assistance activities.
6. Objective and features. The IPR process promotes ownership and learning, and is
conducted in five phases:
(a) Ensuring government ownership of the IPR process. A review begins at the
request of a Government. The counterpart ministry or agency is involved throughout the
process and the entire Government takes ownership of the policy recommendations.
(b) IPR evaluation and advisory report. The diagnostic phase includes desk
research and a fact-finding mission by UNCTAD technical staff. Policymakers at the
highest level and a wide range of stakeholders are brought into the process, including line
ministries and agencies, universities and other research institutions. Interviews and
consultations are also held with representatives of the private sector, non-governmental
institutions and the donor community active in the country.
(c) Dialogue on IPR recommendations and intergovernmental review. Once the
draft report is ready, beneficiary countries agree to go through a review process which
includes a national stakeholders’ workshop to discuss the findings of the draft report and
review its recommendations. It is followed by an intergovernmental peer review, which
draws upon the experiences of other countries in attracting and benefiting from investment,
including benchmarking against international best practices.
(d) Implementation and follow-up technical assistance. The review process is
designed with one key purpose: making FDI work for sustainable development. The
finalization and publication of the IPR report is the preamble to the core focus of the
programme, namely the delivery of technical assistance to help beneficiary countries meet
their development objectives by attracting higher levels and more diversified types of FDI
inflows, while maximizing their developmental benefits and limiting potentially negative
impact. The implementation phase is carried out through short-term action plans and multi-
agency medium-term technical assistance.
(e) Implementation report and additional follow-up actions. About five years
after the completion of the review, UNCTAD conducts an assessment of the
implementation of its recommendations and identifies the need for further technical
assistance.
7. Outputs. In 2020, the main outputs delivered by the programme included:
(a) Preparation and publication of the IPR of Seychelles.
(b) Publication of the IPR of Côte d’Ivoire.
(c) Publication of the report on the implementation of the IPR of Nepal.
(d) Background research for the implementation reports of Burkina Faso,
Ecuador, the Republic of Moldova and Uzbekistan.
(e) Development of a new tool – the Live implementation matrix. This tool will
assist member States to better address the challenges of dynamic investment policymaking

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at country level and improve prospects for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. By providing timely and up-to-date information on investment policy
reform, the Live implementation matrix will contribute to foster ownership of the IPR
recommendations, strengthen implementation results, improve transparency, enhance
accountability, strengthen the tracking of reforms, and highlight technical assistance and
capacity-building needs. The matrix came into operation at the end of 2020 and is being
used by Ecuador, Seychelles and Uzbekistan.
(f) Technical assistance activities and advisory services to support the
implementation of the IPR recommendations and to deal more effectively with issues
related to investment policies, promotion strategies, international investment agreements
and business facilitation. The beneficiaries from these activities included, at the country
level, Angola, Armenia, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Jamaica,
Mongolia, Nepal, the Republic of Moldova, Seychelles and Uzbekistan. Regional activities
on capacity-building for investment policymaking have also been delivered targeting
notably French-speaking African countries, including the West African Economic and
Monetary Union.
8. The following activities were implemented in 2020 at the country level and for
group of countries:
9. Angola. Following the publication of the IPR of Angola in 2019 (undertaken in the
context of the European Union-UNCTAD joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II),
UNCTAD engaged with the Government on capacity-building and advisory activities to
support the implementation of the IPR recommendations. The activities undertaken include
a review of existing bilateral investment treaties (BIT), the provision of assistance to
develop a new model treaty and online discussions to exchange on and validate the
findings. They also include preliminary work to prepare a strategic study to promote and
facilitate investment in the agricultural sector, undertaken in cooperation with the Angolan
investment promotion agency, AIPEX, and advisory services to strengthen investment
promotion efforts.
10. Armenia. As part of the follow-up activities following the IPR of Armenia, and with
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNCTAD prepared a strategy report in cooperation
with the Office of the President of Armenia. In line with the vision set forward for the
country to make it a worldwide hub for innovation, the report aims to assist the authorities
in identifying priority actions to contain divestment and support new and existing investors,
based on the country’s comparative advantage in high-tech, software and engineering
activities, with a special focus on artificial intelligence, data science and deep technology,
as well as food safety and security. The report was completed in June 2020.
11. Burkina Faso. UNCTAD provided assistance to further improve the investment
environment and put in place new measures to address ongoing and emerging challenges
the country faces, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end,
UNCTAD organized an online dialogue, which took place on 30 October 2020, to discuss
policy and institutional best practices to strengthen investment promotion and facilitation.
12. Cabo Verde. UNCTAD, together with members of the United Nations country team,
contributed to the preparation of the MAPS (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Integrated
Policy Support) and INFF (Integrated national financing framework) for the country.
Several meetings, chaired by the United Nations Resident Coordinator, took place to
prepare these two instruments, which include much needed actions to address the needs
arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the other challenges the country faces.
The Prime Minister wrote to the United Nations country team to acknowledge the support
received and express his appreciation for the work accomplished (letter dated 30 December
2020).
13. Côte d’Ivoire. The IPR was printed in early 2020, and discussions took place
throughout the year on measures to take to implement the IPR recommendations and on the
needs of technical assistance to support the Government’s efforts. The intergovernmental
presentation, initially planned for April 2020, did not take place due to travel restrictions
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the preference for a physical event. The Prime
Minister of Côte d’Ivoire was expected to lead the country’s delegation.

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14. Ecuador. UNCTAD started to assess the implementation of the IPR

recommendations and to advise on measures that could be taken to further improve the
investment environment and attract quality FDI. The work is being carried out through the
Live implementation matrix. UNCTAD also provided inputs and comments to the country
on its draft National Investment Policy (NIP) and is expected to be further involved in the
next phase of this process in 2021.
15. Jamaica. UNCTAD provided detailed comments and inputs on the draft National
Investment Policy of the country in October 2020.
16. Mongolia. UNCTAD started preparing the assessment of the degree to which the
recommendations of the IPR, completed in 2013, have been implemented. The fact-finding
mission, expected to take place in 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNCTAD also provided inputs and comments on the draft national investment policy
prepared by the Government.
17. Nepal. UNCTAD assessed the degree to which the recommendations of the IPR
have been implemented. The preparation of the report enabled UNCTAD to gather all
relevant information on reforms undertaken to improve the investment environment, and to
exchange with stakeholders on new and emerging challenges faced by the country and
actions to take to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The report on
the implementation of the IPR was completed and published in early 2020.
18. Republic of Moldova. UNCTAD provided inputs to the country’s MAPS and INFF
process and a Sustainable Development Goal Fund project. These inputs were notably
informed by the IPR of the country, published in 2013, and the analysis of the IPR of
South-East Europe, which was completed in 2017. UNCTAD also contributed to the
Moldova Business Week through a keynote presentation on latest FDI trends and
challenges on investment policymaking, including those brought about by the COVID-19
pandemic.
19. Seychelles. In 2020, UNCTAD completed and published the IPR of Seychelles. The
IPR reviewed the regulatory framework for investment, including FDI, and proposed a
strategy to strengthen entrepreneurship to foster a flourishing local private sector and build
linkages with FDI in order to diversify economic activity and contribute to reaching the
Sustainable Development Goals. A fact-finding mission took place from 20 to 31 January
2020 in Victoria, Seychelles, to meet a wide range of stakeholders from the public and
private sector (domestic and foreign), as well as foreign embassies and other
intergovernmental organizations and gather all relevant information to draft the IPR.
It included a high-level presentation on 23 January 2020 to the Vice-President of
Seychelles, members of Cabinet and private sector representatives on investment policies
and strategies and approaches to address development challenges in a small island
developing State. A technical workshop was also held on 30 January 2020 on approaches to
strengthen entrepreneurship to stimulate local private sector development and to derive
more benefits from FDI. Speaking on the occasion of the Celebration of Micro, Small and
Medium-sized Enterprises Day (25 June 2020), the Vice-President of the country expressed
his appreciation for the IPR process and stressed that its recommendations would serve well
to guide investment policy initiatives. A national dialogue took place online (due to the
COVID-19 pandemic) during the months of July and August in order to share the findings
and recommendations of the draft IPR and collect comments and inputs to finalize it. On 10
December 2020, UNCTAD organized an online dialogue with key stakeholders to discuss
the implementation of the IPR recommendations and to offer a training on the utilization of
the Live implementation matrix. Seychelles will become the first country to start tracking
the implementation of their IPR recommendations immediately following the publication of
the report.
20. Eurasian Economic Union countries. Together with representatives of Eurasian
Economic Union (EAEU) countries, UNCTAD discussed investment strategies and policies
to attract FDI to the region and to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through
effective investment promotion initiatives.
21. Uzbekistan. UNCTAD started assessing the implementation of the IPR
recommendations and advising on measures that could be taken to further improve the

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investment environment and attract quality FDI. This work is being carried out through the
Live implementation matrix.
22. French-speaking African countries. On 10 July 2020, UNCTAD participated in the
annual conference of the RIAFPI (Réseau international des agences francophones de
promotion des investissements/International network of French-speaking investment
promotion agencies). Organized online, the meeting took place under the theme
“COVID-19 and promotion of private investment in a French-speaking area: which
measures to take for sustainable investment?”. The presentation by UNCTAD highlighted
the most recent data on FDI and latest investment policy developments. It then focused on
key actions governments were taking around the world to strengthen their efforts to
promote FDI, including enhancing digital services, continuing with legal and regulatory
reforms, and improving the targeting of investors. The meeting gathered representatives
from several French-speaking African countries, development partners, including France,
ANIMA Investment Network (the Euro-Mediterranean Network of Investment Promotion
Agencies), as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society, and provided
an excellent opportunity for a rich discussion on investment policymaking in times of a
pandemic.
23. West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries. Members of the
WAEMU (eight countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, the
Niger, Senegal and Togo) made a presentation during a three-day workshop to share
experiences on investment policymaking and on addressing the effects of the COVID-19
pandemic. Other participants included the Central Bank for West African countries,
representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the International Institute for
Water and Environment and of the Initiative for Policy. The discussions were rich and led
to a series of recommendations, including for UNCTAD to work with the WAEMU
secretariat to help member States adopt the eRegulation programme, digitalize their
services to businesses and design a regional project to further promote the adoption of
policies conducive to investment.
24. Results and impact. Overall, the IPRs have played a key role to strengthen the
investment policies and strategies of developing countries and economies in transition. This
has enabled them to attract higher levels of FDI and derive larger development gains, while
minimizing as much as possible the potential negative effects, in line with the UNCTAD
Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD). Furthermore, many
activities to support the implementation of the IPR recommendations have been undertaken
under the programme. 2 Evidence of impact can be illustrated at three levels – country
commitment and endorsement of recommendations, implementation of IPR
recommendations, and impact on investment flows and the investment environment.

Commitment at the highest level and endorsement of recommendations

25. The importance and relevance of the IPR work is reflected by the involvement of
Heads of State or Government in the process and their commitment to implement its
outcome. In most cases, the IPRs have been presented to and discussed with Heads of State
and cabinet ministers. Development partners have also directly expressed their interest, as
the following endorsements show:
(a) “The Group of 77 and China wishes to highlight the comprehensive analysis
of the investment frameworks of member states, through UNCTAD investment policy
reviews...The Group welcomes the recent release of the IPRs of Côte d’Ivoire, Angola and
Chad …These recent IPRs provide concrete, timely and actionable advice, in line with the
tradition of the UNCTAD IPR programme”. Statement of Zambia, on behalf of the Group
77 and China, Trade and Development Board, sixty-seventh session, 9 September 2020,
Geneva.

2 For further references on the IPR programme, see: (a) UNCTAD (2020). Live Implementation
Matrix: Fostering investment reforms for sustainable development. UNCTAD/DIAE/PCB/2020/3.
December. Geneva. (b) Sauvant K (2020). The WIR at 30: Contributions to National and Global
Investment Policymaking. AIB Insights, vol. 20, December. (c) UNCTAD (2018). Implementation
Reports: Lessons learned. UNCTAD/DIAE/PCB/2018/3. September. Geneva.

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(b) “I would like to thank UNCTAD for the wonderful job done. The IPR is a
reference for the Government and for investors”. President of Armenia (20 January 2020,
Zurich, on receiving a printed copy of the IPR of Armenia).
(c) “I would like to take the opportunity to express our gratitude to UNCTAD for
providing Seychelles with time, skills and knowledge to help us identify the opportunities
that exist”. Vice-President of Seychelles (25 June 2020, Celebration of Micro, Small and
Medium-sized Enterprises Day, online meeting).
(d) “Particularly effective areas of UNCTAD activities include [DIAE]
Investment Policy Reviews where evaluations have reported increases in foreign direct
investment inflows and increased knowledge levels of stakeholders.” MOPAN 2019
Assessments: UNCTAD.
(e) “The IPR programme is not only at the core of the UNCTAD mandate, it is
highly useful for moving forward in the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Representative of the delegation of the European Union to the United Nations
(12 November 2019, Geneva).
(f) “The IPR is an objective and substantive document, with well-targeted
recommendations and it will help Chad to improve its investment climate”. Counsellor
Minister, Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations (12 November 2019, Geneva).

Implementation of IPR recommendations

26. Another benchmark of the impact of IPRs is the extent to which Governments have
implemented the IPR recommendations.
27. Since the inception of the IPR programme, UNCTAD has published 50 IPRs
benefiting more than 55 economies worldwide. Assessments conducted in some of these
countries showed that to date more than 470 recommendations have been implemented.
A significant number of IPR recommendations were implemented with the technical
assistance of UNCTAD (about 40 per cent of them). This assistance took different forms,
including advisory services on policy, legal, regulatory and institutional matters.
28. The assessments showed that beneficiary countries have been active reformers, with
all of them implementing or partially implementing over 80 per cent of the
recommendations contained in their IPR. In some economies, this figure rises to
96 per cent.3

Direct impact on investment flows and improvement of the investment environment

29. It is difficult to assess the correlation between the implementation of IPR
recommendations and an increase in FDI flows, although this is one of the key objectives of
the requesting country. One of the goals of the review is to improve the quality of FDI and
ensure that it contributes more effectively to sustainable development. In this respect,
countries could experience a decline in flows but an improvement in the development
impact of FDI and the operations of investors. Similarly, it is difficult to compare the FDI
performance of countries that have completed an implementation report, which range
widely in geographic location, income level and political context, against a similar panel of
economies that have not received an IPR. However, data show that between 2000–2009 and
2010–2019, FDI inflows rose by 48 per cent worldwide while they grew by 110 per cent in
15 countries for which an assessment of the implementation of IPR recommendations has
been conducted.4 Furthermore, within this group of 15 economies, it is possible to discern a
positive correlation between the increase in FDI flows and the rate of implementation of

3 UNCTAD had published, by 2020, 17 implementation reports (Benin, Botswana, Colombia, the
Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Nepal,
Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) to assess the degree to which they
have implemented their IPR recommendations.
4 See UNCTAD (2020). Live Implementation Matrix: Fostering investment reforms for sustainable
development. UNCTAD/DIAE/PCB/2020/3. December. Geneva.

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IPR recommendations: that is, countries that implement more, experience a greater increase
in FDI.
30. Another indicator of IPR impact is countries’ commitment to reform as measured by
their progress in international business rankings, which assess the operational environment
for the private sector.5 Two thirds of the economies with an implementation report have
featured as a top ten reformer in the Doing Business rankings since 2006. Of these, six
economies were featured in multiple years.
31. Finally, another way to attest for the overwhelming expression of interest in the
IPRs is illustrated by the number of countries that have requested to benefit from the
programme, including follow-up technical assistance. Official requests for investment
policy reviews are in the pipeline for 29 countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, the
Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Central African Republic, Chile, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, the Islamic Republic
of Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Oman, Papua New Guinea, the
Philippines, Saint Lucia, South Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and
Turkmenistan.

Innovating to enhance the impact of the recommendations contained in the UNCTAD

IPRs
In 2020, UNCTAD put in place a new tool – the Live implementation matrix. The
tool aims at strengthening support to member States in their efforts to implement the IPR
recommendations. It will assist member States to better address the challenges of dynamic
investment policymaking at country level and improve prospects for achieving the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development.
By providing timely and up-to-date information on investment policy reform, the
Live implementation matrix will contribute to:
• Foster ownership of IPR recommendations
• Strengthen implementation results
• Improve transparency
• Enhance accountability
• Strengthen the tracking of reforms
• Highlight technical assistance and capacity-building needs.
Source: UNCTAD (2020). Live Implementation Matrix: Fostering investment reforms for sustainable
development. UNCTAD/DIAE/PCB/2020/3. December. Geneva.

5 Governance and business-related indices abound from several organizations. Despite the inadequacies
and limitations intrinsic in such indices and rankings, their publication means that countries are
exposed to global scrutiny to an unprecedented extent. Most countries have internalized the need for
quality regulations but what remains problematic, most of the time, is proper implementation.
UNCTAD advice has been to prioritize reforms, not chasing a higher ranking but more effective
regulations, as well as their implementation. For more information see, for example: UNCTAD
(2011). Investment Policy Reviews: Shaping Investment Policies around the world. United Nations:
New York and Geneva.

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A2 Services policy reviews

Table A2
Services policy reviews

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

No projects

32. Development context. The services economy has gained increased importance over
the last decade, contributing a major share to gross domestic product (GDP) and
employment, including in developing economies. The services sector is not only important
but can also help improve efficiency and competitiveness in all sectors of the economy, as
services constitute essential inputs to many other products and services. The sector
generates opportunities for greater income, productivity, employment, investment, and
trade, and also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by
providing essential services including health, education, energy, transport, and
telecommunications. Services also play a major catalytic role in the expansion of
international supply chains. Positively integrating developing countries – especially the
least developed countries and small economies – into the global services economy and
increasing their participation in services production and trade is essential. Despite the
significant potential of the services sector, many developing countries face challenges in
reaping the benefits of services trade for development, owing to their weakness in supply
capacities. Maximizing the positive contributions and pro-development outcomes of the
services sector requires the coordination of trade policies with several other policy
dimensions, good regulation and institutions capable of promoting domestic supply
capacity.
33. Objectives. UNCTAD work on services policy reviews (SPRs) is aimed to assist
developing countries in assessing their services economy and trade and reviewing their
existing policy and regulatory frameworks to inform their efforts to formulate best-fit
national services regulatory and institutional frameworks to develop competitive productive
capabilities in services sector and better engage in international trade negotiations and
agreements dealing with services. SPRs are a systematic review of economic, regulatory
and institutional frameworks, and support developing countries’ informed policy making,
regulatory formulation and institution building, as well as trade negotiations. SPRs serve as
a toolkit to allow policymakers and regulators to assess the potential of services productive
capacities and trade in order to identify constraints impeding services sector development
and ascertain practical solutions and a coherent policy mix of trade and other policies.
34. Outputs. UNCTAD provides demand-based assistance on services assessments –
services policy reviews, including specific country- and sector-focused services
assessments – that examine policy and regulatory frameworks and the potential impact of
trade liberalization. Such assessments provide beneficiary countries with the data and
information necessary for making informed policy choices about accelerating national
services development and about the liberalization and regulation of services sectors at the
national, regional, and international levels.
35. To date, SPRs have been conducted for Bangladesh, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan,
Lesotho, Nepal, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda and Uganda.
36. In 2020, UNCTAD concluded its first regional services policy review which was on
the ECOWAS region.6 The review spanned 13 services sectors such as financial services
(banking and insurance), telecommunications services, transport (road and air), tourism
services, energy services, professional services (accounting, legal and architectural),
cultural services, education services and engineering services. The two-volume report made
various overarching recommendations as well as 79 sector-specific recommendations.

6 UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/2020/1, UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/2020/2.

16
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A national SPR for Morocco was also concluded in 2020 that focused upon the
pharmaceutical and logistics services sectors.
37. Also in 2020, UNCTAD concluded the publication regarding the second SPR of
Paraguay. After undertaking a first assessment in 2014, the country requested UNCTAD to
undertake a second SPR, now with a focus on river transport services and on professional
services linked to the construction sector. This study also includes an analysis of trade in
value-added to explore the linkages of services with the whole economy. This highlights
how strengthening the services sector can improve the production and trade of downstream
farming and manufacturing sectors that use services’ inputs. The incorporation of this
analysis in this SPR builds on lessons from UNCTAD–European Union project on the
“Measurement of services value-added in exports and analysis of related services and trade
policies” and confirms the synergies between several technical assistance initiatives of
UNCTAD on services. In 2020, UNCTAD organized and participated in the following
meetings:
(a) The African Union 9th Stakeholders Retreat, on contribution and implication
of services policy reviews to national development policies (16–17 December, Geneva–
Addis Ababa, virtual meeting);
(b) Coordination meeting of UNCTAD/Moroccan Ministry of Trade/UNDP to
review the progress in the preparation of the SPR of Morocco (1 July, Geneva–Rabat,
virtual meeting).
38. Results and impacts. Services policy reviews for selected countries generated
important data and information which can be referenced by the beneficiary countries in
national services policy formulation as well as in multilateral and regional trade
negotiations. UNCTAD ground-level support on services policy reviews, customized
advice to specific countries, advisory services and workshops enhanced the technical
capacity of trade officials and policymakers to develop services economy in accordance
with their development objectives. UNCTAD continued to receive requests for support on
services policy reviews from a variety of countries (Cuba, Ecuador, Malawi and
Uzbekistan). To meet the needs of these countries, it is necessary to secure adequate
funding for technical assistance on services policy reviews.

A3 Trade policy framework reviews

Table A3
Trade policy framework reviews

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

No projects

39. Development context. Promoting a coherent and integrated approach to national

trade policy formulation and implementation became a salient challenge for national
policymakers, as an increasing number of countries reformulate their national trade policy
frameworks and strategies to better draw development benefit from trade and respond to the
imperatives of the Sustainable Development Goals, including in progressing towards the
achievement of Goal 17.11 on increasing the exports of developing countries, Goal 8
(economic growth) and Goal 9 (industry, innovating and infrastructure). Developing
countries and countries with economies in transition continue to face significant challenges
in the formulation of development-oriented trade policy framework that are best fit to their
national circumstances and development needs. Effectively done, trade policy can drive
progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Linking trade policy and productive
capacity and structural transformation is thus crucial for the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals.
40. Objectives. The aim is for trade policy framework reviews to contribute to the
(re)formulation and implementation of national trade policy regimes according to a

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country’s own development priorities and needs. The reviews, via research and training
activities, provide the tools to policymakers in developing countries and transition
economies that enable them to set their own priorities, make impact assessments of
different policy options and devise the best actions, including at the sectoral level.
UNCTAD provides support to individual countries in the assessment and reassessment of
national trade policy regimes to help them elaborate new comprehensive, development-
centred trade policy frameworks. The objective of support is to assess, develop, elaborate,
and implement a new generation of trade policy measures and strategies as well as to
promote and strengthen self-sustainable national institutional capacities on trade policy and
negotiations and in participating effectively in, and benefiting from, international trade.
These activities contribute to enhancing the understanding of trade policy community of the
contribution of trade to economic recovery, growth, and sustainable development, and
equipping the countries concerned with policy analysis and policy framework that promote
policy coherence to support inclusive and sustainable development. Trade policy
frameworks (TPFs) have helped countries in a systematic, comprehensive, and strategic
manner. These TPFs focus on identifying key sectors for diversification with the potential
to bring higher economic value, setting the best-fit trade policies to back up those
development priorities, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and
establishing a trade policy framework to ensure an effective and coherent implementation
of such strategies.
41. Outputs. UNCTAD assisted beneficiary countries in assessing and preparing
Millennium Development Goal/Sustainable Development Goal-oriented trade policy
frameworks. Up-to-date reviews have been conducted for Algeria, Angola, Botswana, the
Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Namibia, Panama, Tunisia and Zambia 7 and focused on
national policies and strategies needed to achieve inclusive and sustained development and
developmental provisions and flexibilities that are particularly important in creating an
enabling environment through the international trading system. These analyses and policy
recommendations were reviewed and validated by national stakeholders and associated
advisory and capacity-building support has strengthened stakeholders’ understanding and
analytical skills. This has supported the formulation, updating and reformulation of actual
trade policies, and fostered inclusive multi-stakeholder consultations for inclusive trade
policymaking. Several countries have embarked on the implementation of recommended
policy measures. Such experience could be usefully replicated in a broader number of
countries in need.
42. UNCTAD supported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
of Guyana in updating its new trade strategy within the framework of Trade Policy
Framework for Guyana as the country prepared for new resource endowments resulting
from the discovery of oil reserves and finalised Trade Policy Framework for Guyana. 8
43. In 2020, UNCTAD organized and participated in the national workshop “Assistance
to Guyana on updating its trade policy” (9 September, Geneva–Georgetown, virtual
meeting).
44. UNCTAD launched a Development Account project (13th tranche) in early 2021 in
support of trade policy formulation for post-conflict Arab countries (Iraq and State of
Palestine).
45. Results and impacts. UNCTAD support on trade policy formulation and
implementation has been instrumental in several respects. It has facilitated consideration,
and/or adoption, by Governments, of best-fit trade policy options and strategies that can
help strengthen productive capacities and increase participation in international trade in a
manner that maximizes the potential of development gains, especially job creation and
poverty reduction.
46. UNCTAD support contributed to (a) improved ability of policymakers and trade
negotiators to analyse, formulate and implement trade policies and strategies that are best
fit with holistic and comprehensive approaches to ensure that increased trade contribute to

7 See https://unctad.org/publications-search?f[0]=product%3A650.
8 UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/2020/3.

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greater resilience of productive capacity and employment; (b) better-informed and better-
trained trade officials in country groupings such as Africa, the LDCs and the African,
Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP); and (c) the advancement of multilateral and
regional trade negotiations with greater focus on the development dimension and a
proactive approach towards ensuring that negotiations and agreements are coherent and
emphasize development aspects framework that promote policy coherence to support the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. UNCTAD continued to receive
requests for support on trade policy frameworks from a variety of countries and
organisations (Namibia, Agadir Technical Unit, D-8 Organization of Economic
Cooperation, African Union). To meet the needs of these countries or organizations, it is
necessary to secure adequate funding for technical assistance on trade policy frameworks.

A4 Science, technology and innovation policy reviews

Table A4
Science, technology and innovation policy reviews

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ROA-1819 Strengthening policy coherence and 2018– Development

(L11) integration to ensure that science, Account
technology and innovation support the
achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals in Africa and Asia

47. Development context. The basic assumption that underpins this work is that
innovation, particularly innovation based on knowledge and technology, is a key driver of
economic growth, productivity, structural transformation and sustainable development.
Among the capabilities that developing countries need to generate in order to harness
science, technology and innovation (STI) for development, sound policymaking
frameworks leading to the establishment of effective innovation systems are key. While this
is recognized by the Governments of many developing countries, designing and
implementing national science, technology and innovation strategies and policies present
considerable challenges for many of them. There is a clear need to support a process of
science, technology and innovation policy learning, experimentation and the dissemination
of good practices.
48. Objectives and features. The science, technology and innovation policy review
programme provides policy advice to countries requesting assistance in building and
maintaining a dynamic and responsive science, technology and innovation framework that
can foster technological capabilities, create effective innovation systems, facilitate
technology acquisition and improve national innovation performance. It aims to ensure that
national science, technology and innovation programmes become an instrument for
supporting the national development agenda and promoting sustainable development. The
reviews assess the strengths and weaknesses of a country’s innovation systems, including
the policy framework, institutions, capabilities, and innovation effort as well as
performance. Reviews generally include an analysis of the technology and innovation
challenges and opportunities in specific industries (such as agriculture, textiles, oil and gas
or pharmaceuticals) or issue areas of high priority for the beneficiary country (such as
information and communications technology, biotechnology, human capital and energy).
Key science, technology and innovation issues that affect the productivity and
competitiveness of industries are identified. The reviews include recommendations for
action to revamp policy frameworks, including policies, regulations, measures and practices
that can improve technological and innovation capacity, increase investment in innovative
activity, raise productivity and upgrade firm and industry competitiveness. The primary
beneficiaries of the reviews are the major players in the national innovation system, such as
policymakers (from science and technology ministries or similar bodies, trade and industry
ministries and other ministries of importance to science, technology and innovation), the

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business community, academic and research institutions, civil society and development and
sustainability interest groups with a role in science, technology and innovation, in particular
those related to any specific areas to be adopted as a focus for a review.
49. Outputs. The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Review of Uganda was
published in October 2020 and UNCTAD agreed with the Government of Uganda to
implement follow-up activities. Based on the assessment provided in the review, UNCTAD
is supporting the development of a national policy framework for STI. A draft STI policy
was delivered in March 2021. Trainings will be delivered to all levels of governments using
the STI Policy Review. The Government expects that dissemination of knowledge on STI
will be conducive to the country’s efforts in using STI to achieve economic growth, social
development, and environment protection as well as gender equality and empowerment. 9
50. After the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Review of Ethiopia was
published in March 2020, Ethiopia embarked on the road to formulate, with advisory
support from UNCTAD, the country’s new STI policy, based on the findings and
recommendations of the STI Policy Review. For this purpose, the Government set up a
drafting committee. It is noteworthy that the STI policy review examined the use of STI in
the textiles and apparels industry, which is the main foreign exchange earner of Ethiopia, as
well as the pharmaceutical industry. Both industries are identified as high priorities of the
national development plan.10
51. The STI policy review for the Dominican Republic, undertaken at the request of the
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, was published in April 2021. The
analysis was largely based on the findings of an UNCTAD mission in November/December
2019 as well as virtual meetings organized in 2020. During the mission in 2019, over
80 meetings were held with representatives of major sectors participating in the national
system of innovation. A first draft of the document was reviewed in five workshops with
stakeholders in 2020. Abundant feedback was received that allowed fine-tuning of the
analysis and recommendations. In the process and based on the analysis of the STI policy
review, UNCTAD was able to contribute inputs to the national competitiveness plans that
the Government undertook in 2020. Potential follow-up capacity-building activities are
under consideration by the Government of the Dominican Republic.
52. The main recommendations of the STI policy review for the Dominican Republic
address three sets of issues: (i) raising awareness of the importance of STI for development;
(ii) fostering an effective governance system that promotes active government, private
sector and civil society participation; and (iii) building a more effective allocation of
resources to promote STI.
53. The STI policy review production process was in full activity during the reporting
period despite difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic prevented
most international travel and in-person meetings and, as a result, several missions were
cancelled while consultations and capacity-building activities were moved online. This has
led to a rethinking about adapting future activities by using online tools and platforms,
alongside in-person events, in a hybrid delivery mode. Such changes are necessary in order
to respond to country requests and assists policymakers in maximizing the contribution of
STI to the socioeconomic challenges of the post-COVID recovery.
54. The STI policy review for Zambia was launched in late 2019, and work continued in
2020. A complete working draft was delivered in May 2021. Consultations for adjustments
will continue throughout 2021 while publication is foreseen for autumn 2021. The review
provides perspectives on the national system of innovation of Zambia. It also discusses, in
greater detail, the role and contribution of STI in Zambia for digital transformation, gender
equality, a functional food system and the mining sector. The STI policy review highlights
the need to raise STI Policy to the highest level in national development planning and how
this will require greater efforts in capacity-building for STI policy design and

9 The STI policy review report for Uganda is available at https://unctad.org/webflyer/science-

technology-and-innovation-policy-review-uganda.
10 The STI policy review report for Ethiopia is available at https://unctad.org/webflyer/science-
technology-and-innovation-policy-review-ethiopia.

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implementation. The analysis in the review will serve to develop capacity-building for
policymakers in Zambia targeted for online delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021.
55. The STI policy review for Botswana commenced in mid-2020 and is under way. It is
planned to be finalized by December 2021. The uniqueness of this review is that this is the
first STI policy review in Africa that is fully funded by the beneficiary country. The review
is expected to help the country reap the great potential of STI in transforming the country
from a natural resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, as outlined in its
Vision 2036.
56. These STI policy reviews and related trainings improved the capacity of public and
private stakeholders to assess their national STI capacities, with a view to identifying gaps
and incoherencies in policies, and to identify priority actions. Especially through
participating in the review and follow up activities, policymakers in these countries
enhanced their capacity to design and implement coherent science, technology and
innovation policies that align with the overall development strategies of countries for the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
57. In order to reinforce the capacitybuilding delivered through STI policy reviews,
UNCTAD offers officials and policymakers from countries undergoing STI policy reviews
multiple training opportunities on STI policy for the Sustainable Development Goals. For
example, a series of online training on STI and the Sustainable Development Goals was
held between November and December 2020. The training workshops were co-led by
UNCTAD and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) under the Inter-agency Task Team, an operational arm of the Technology
Facilitation Mechanism (TFM). This activity was open among others to current and former
African STI policy review countries. The participants found the training helpful for them to
review, design and implement STI policy and to conduct STI for the Sustainable
Development Goal case studies.
58. Enhancing scientific research capabilities in developing countries is essential for the
sustainability of their STI systems. UNCTAD and the University of Okayama (Japan)
launched in November 2020 a Young Female Scientist Programme with a focus on African
countries. Once international travel conditions improve subsequent to the alleviation of the
COVID-19 pandemic, six young female scientists from Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt,
Ethiopia and Madagascar will conduct cutting-edge research in their respective fields of
sciences in Japan for brief periods and bring back home their experiences to contribute to
their countries’ research and development. They will also have an opportunity to improve
their access to research networks in their specialities. Most of the participating scientists
have chosen health-related research, including health sciences; medicine, dentistry and
pharmaceutical sciences; environmental and life science; natural science and technology;
and interdisciplinary science and engineering in health systems. These are key areas to
address COVID-19 challenges, but also important for the implementation of national
development plans. The program will contribute to building human capital in science,
technology and innovation-related fields in these countries and closing the gender gap
through gender equality and empowerment in scientific research.
59. Results. As at the end of 2020, UNCTAD had completed science, technology and
innovation policy reviews in 17 countries, in which they had often ignited a renewal in
science, technology and innovation policy, raised its profile in national development
strategies and facilitated the inclusion of related activities in international cooperation
plans. A key feature of the reviews is the systematic effort made to involve a broad range of
stakeholders. This participatory process can mobilize networks of actors towards
transformation through policy experimentation and learning. These activities under the STI
policy reviews have enabled policymakers and other STI stakeholders in these countries to
reach a better understanding of the key strengths and weaknesses in their STI systems,
policies, institutions and capacities, and identify strategic priorities and policy options for
improving STI capacity and becoming more innovative.
60. For example, in Ethiopia, the STI policy review was a catalyst for the Ministry of
Innovation and Technology (MInT) to promote several rounds of capacity-building on STI
Policy for governments officials of MInT, other relevant Ministries and State and local

21
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innovation agencies. The successful conclusion of the STI policy review also triggered the
request by MInT for UNCTAD to support the formulation of the new STI policy of
Ethiopia, taking into consideration the findings and recommendations of the STI policy
review. Redrafting of the national STI policy is ongoing. Through the homegrown
economic reform and the 10-year strategy, Ethiopia aims to become a middle-income
economy. Innovation and technology are key drivers for attaining this goal and the
Government has indicated that the STI policy review process has helped the Government to
move towards this objective. In Panama the recommendation made in the STI policy review
to revive the inter-ministerial committee on STI was implemented within weeks of the
document being shared with the Government. The National Secretariat for Science,
Technology and Innovation has indicated that the outcome of the STI policy review will be
a major input to the STI policy revision currently under way in the country.

A5 E-commerce and the digital economy

Table A5
E-commerce and the digital economy

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

BOT/0T/HBM ICT Policy Review: National E-commerce 2018– Botswana

Strategy for Botswana

IRQ/0T/HCM Rapid eTrade Readiness Assessment of 2019– International

Iraq Islamic Trade
Finance

IVC/0T/IBA eTrade Readness Assessment of Côte 2020– Germany

d’Ivoire

KIR/0T/HCI Rapid eTrade readiness assessments of the 2018– United Nations

least developed countries – Kiribati, EIF Office for
Project
Services,
Switzerland

MYI/0T/IAT EIF – Myanmar E-commerce Strategy 2019– United Nations

Office for
Project
Services,
Switzerland

INT/0T/FAQ eTrade for all coordination 2016– Multi-donors

INT/0T/GAT Rapid eTrade readiness assessments, EIF 2018– Germany

INT/0T/HAT Information and communications 2018– Germany

technology policies for development,
German Agency for International
Cooperation

INT/0T/HCE Strategic partnership Netherlands (linked 2018– Netherlands

to INT/0T/HCJ)

INT/0T/IBN E-commerce and the Digital Economy 2019– Germany

(ECDE) for Development – BMZ

RAF/0T/HCC Africa E-commerce Week 2018– Germany

ROA-1819 Leapfrogging skills development in e- 2018– Development

(N11) commerce in South-East Asia in the Account

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

framework of the 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development

61. Development context. E-commerce and, more generally, the rise of the digital
economy, are rapidly transforming the way in which enterprises are interacting with each
other, consumers and Governments. Digitalization is creating new opportunities for
technological leaps, productivity gains across the economy, the rise of new sectors and
more trade. At the same time, the transformation is raising new challenges and costs for
countries. The importance of digital solutions was further enhanced in 2020 as a result of
the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the considerable divides in terms of
connectivity and the ability to harness digital opportunities became even more evident. The
evolution of the digital economy calls for unconventional economic thinking and policy
analysis. Policymakers need to make choices that can help reverse current trends towards
widening inequalities and power imbalances wrought by the digital economy. This involves
the adaptation of existing policies, laws and regulations, and the adoption of new ones.
While some issues can be addressed through national policies and strategies, the global
nature of the digital economy will require more dialogue, consensus-building and
policymaking at the international level. Many developing countries need to establish legal,
institutional and policy frameworks, as well as effective national strategies, to leverage the
dynamism of e-commerce and digitalization for value creation and capture. It is also
important to improve the availability of relevant statistics needed for the design of sound
policies and to learn from best practices in securing development gains from e-commerce
and the digital economy. Special efforts are also needed to ensure that women have equal
opportunities in e-commerce and the digital economy.
62. The Nairobi Maafikiano led to the establishment of the annual Intergovernmental
Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy and subsequently to the
Working Group on Measuring E-commerce and the Digital Economy. UNCTAD was given
a stronger mandate to position itself as an important enabler and a centre of excellence for
leveraging e-commerce and the digital economy for sustainable development. With the
launch of the eTrade for all initiative, the annual multi-stakeholder E-commerce Week,
including at the regional level, the development of eTrade Readiness Assessments as well
as the eTrade for Women initiative, UNCTAD has continued to show leadership in the area
of e-commerce and the digital economy for development through its three pillars of work:
research and analysis, consensus-building and technical cooperation. During 2020, the work
on e-commerce and the digital economy had to be adapted due to the pandemic but most
objectives were still achieved.
63. Objectives and features. The e-commerce and digital economy programme
ultimately aims to improve the ability of people in developing countries, in particular
LDCs, to reap inclusive and sustainable development gains from e-commerce and the
digital economy. This should be achieved through improved decision-making and policy
formulation in member States and development partners on e-commerce and the digital
economy for development, in a gender sensitive manner; and improved efficiency among
member States, development partners, international organizations, civil society and the
private sector in addressing issues and providing assistance on e-commerce and the digital
economy for development.
64. Outputs. In 2020, extrabudgetary funding contributed to the production and
dissemination of several research products. New global estimates of e-commerce were
published as a technical note in April 2020. A survey of consumers in nine developed and
developing countries was conducted to examine the impact of COVID-19 on e-commerce.
A second survey was also conducted of e-commerce businesses in 23 countries, mainly in
Africa and Asia. Moreover, under auspices of the eTrade for all initiative, a major global
review was undertaken in collaboration with United Nations regional commissions and
other partners to assess the impact of the pandemic on e-commerce in different parts of the
world (published in February 2021). Extrabudgetary funding also contributed to the
UNCTAD business-to-consumer e-commerce index 2020 (presented in February 2021).

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A technical note entitled “Digital economy growth and mineral resources: Implications for
developing countries” was also prepared.
65. The UNCTAD E-commerce Week has become the leading global forum at which
public and private stakeholders, as well as civil society, can engage in dialogues about the
development implications of the digital economy. The annual 2020 edition, which was
scheduled to take place between 27 April to 1 May 2020, was organized in a virtual format,
called eWeek, and saw the participation of more than 2,000 participants from 136 countries.
Fourteen sessions, including four at a high level, were organized with the active
involvement of 14 eTrade for all partners. The event looked in depth at key digital issues in
the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and its possible economic impacts, including data,
gender, trade and logistics, consumer trust, consumer protection, competition and digital
entrepreneurship. New data on global e-commerce sales and the state of cyberlaws were
also released.
66. The work on developing a national e-commerce strategy for Botswana, Myanmar
and Rwanda continued, all of which should be competed in 2021. Preparatory work also
began on similar strategies for Benin and Kenya, as well as for a regional e-commerce
strategy of ECOWAS. This is indicative of the rapidly expanding demand from member
States.
67. In the framework of the work on e-commerce and law reform, UNCTAD organized
two online training sessions for the Government of Guatemala on e-commerce and
development, and on e-transaction laws, respectively. UNCTAD also received a request to
assist the Government of Kazakhstan in the area of e-commerce and law reform.
68. The global database on cyberlaws (the cyberlaw tracker) developed in 2015 was
updated in 2020 in time for the UNCTAD virtual eWeek 2020.
69. The eTrade for all initiative, acts as both an information-hub and global helpdesk to
developing countries on e-commerce related issues, as well as a catalyst for building
synergies across its partners. As a global help desk, it offers digests, news, events and a
new COVID-19 repository page to help developing countries bridge the knowledge gap on
e-commerce and related issues. Thanks to several outreach activities to grow the
institutional partners membership of the initiative, since the end of 2019, the United
Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the International Labour Organization (ILO)
and the Commonwealth Secretariat have officially joined the partnership, bringing the total
number of partners to 32. Members were offered regular opportunities to bring their
expertise to the forefront of the global debate, including in the first virtual eWeek. Regular
development and content management work on the online platform have also benefited
from extrabudgetary funding. As a result, the platform experienced a 123 per cent year-on-
year growth in 2020, reaching 80,000 visitors in 2020, of which 60 per cent from
developing countries. The initiative continued to issue a monthly newsletter offering
relevant insights and a snapshot of partners’ agenda in the various policy areas and their
relevant main policy priorities. The eTrade for all initiative also acts as a catalyst of
partnership among its members, offering a regular platform for exchange and create
synergies to enhance efficiency and transparency of interventions. In 2020, eTrade for all
partners engaged in the first research-oriented joint project resulting in the production on
the global report on the impact of COVID-19 on e-commerce and digital trade.
70. In 2020, with the support of the Government of Germany, the Enhanced Integrated
Framework (EIF), and the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), UNCTAD published
new eTrade Readiness Assessments with concrete policy recommendations for five LDCs
(Benin, Malawi, Mali, the Niger and the United Republic of Tanzania) and two non-LDCs
(Côte d’Ivoire and Iraq).
71. Moving from assessment to implementation, UNCTAD started applying its new
Implementation Support Strategy in 2020, which rests on a monitoring methodology
providing evidence on progress in implementing effectively recommendations emerging
from the eTrade readiness assessments, according to countries’ priorities. As a result,
UNCTAD undertook a comprehensive review of the implementation of the
recommendations in 18 countries, mostly LDCs, and published the report “Fast-tracking
implementation of eTrade readiness assessments”, which serves as a powerful tool to guide

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stakeholders’ engagement at the country level to accelerate e-commerce enabling reforms

and investment projects.
72. The digitalization of the economy is creating new business opportunities for women.
Yet this potential is far from fully exploited. Women still face many obstacles to scale up
their business or to get a seat at decision-making tables. The eTrade for Women initiative
launched by UNCTAD in 2019, combines the transformative power of female
entrepreneurship with the positive impact of digital technologies. The initiative supports
women digital entrepreneurs who are shaping the digital ecosystems in developing and
transition economies to thrive as business leaders, and who are emerging as influential
voices in the policy debate. This is done through a core network of successful women
digital entrepreneurs, the eTrade for Women Advocates, targeted empowerment activities,
Masterclasses, and support to build eTrade for Women Communities.
73. During 2020, the UNCTAD Manual for the Production on Statistics on the Digital
Economy was updated and presented to the second meeting of the Working Group on
Measuring E-commerce and the Digital Economy (3–4 May 2021). This will serve as the
basis for the technical assistance to be provided to member States in the area of measuring
e-commerce and the digital economy.
74. Results. The ongoing work of UNCTAD on e-commerce and the digital economy
continued to raise considerable interest among donors, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
Additional funding was secured from Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, the Republic of
Korea and Sweden, and Switzerland pledged to become a core donor to the work
programme in 2021.
75. The UNCTAD secretariat received many new requests from member States for
capacity-building activities. The number of participants at the virtual eWeek exceeded
2,000 as compared with 1,500 at the E-commerce Week in 2019. Moreover, the number of
partners of the eTrade for all initiative has increased considerably since its creation in 2016.
As at December 2020, 32 partners from the public sector and civil society had subscribed to
the collective vision of supporting developing countries on their journey to e-commerce for
development, while championing successful initiatives.
76. In 2020, 48 women digital entrepreneurs from 11 countries across South-East Asia
and Africa participated in an eTrade for Women Masterclass. Participants have been able to
boost their capacities to sustain their businesses and positively impact their communities in
challenging COVID-19 times. In their feedback, participants highlighted the relevance of
the topics addressed and the need to build bridges to support women digital entrepreneurs.
The Masterclasses paved the way for the creation of the eTrade for Women Regional
Communities, network of women digital entrepreneurs interacting with like-minded peers
in order to push down barriers for women entrepreneurship in the digital economy. In
November 2020, the first community was established in Francophone West Africa with
17 women digital entrepreneurs from seven countries: Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte
d’Ivoire, Mali, the Niger and Senegal, followed by a second community in South-East Asia,
with 16 members from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
77. In terms of supporting more inclusive and gender-responsive digital ecosystems, a
series of formal policy dialogues and consultations between policymakers and women
entrepreneurs were organized at the local, regional and global level, such as in Côte
d’Ivoire (February 2020), at the UNCTAD E-commerce Week (April 2020), and as part of
the virtual masterclasses organized for Eastern Africa (July 2020) and for South-East Asia
(October 2020). These interactions helped to inform policy and regulatory processes about
the challenges encountered by small and medium digital businesses, including women-led
businesses, and have allowed to identify good practices and opportunities of collaboration
between the public sector and digital businesses. The eTrade for Women Advocates
engaged in 2020 in numerous high-level events, such as the World Summit Information
Society Forum (WSIS), the World Medium and Small Enterprises Day, the annual meeting
of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the
E-commerce Conference of North Macedonia and at the ECOWAS Forum on e-commerce.
They shared their experience with a wide range of stakeholders and contributed
to increasing the visibility of the eTrade for Women initiative while drawing attention to

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the need to make the digital economy more gender-inclusive, in line with Sustainable
Development Goals 5 and 8.
78. The rapid eTrade readiness assessments contributed to raising awareness on
e-commerce in the beneficiary countries. The 27 assessments conducted for LDCs and two
non-LDCs have confirmed that the countries are inadequately prepared to capture the many
opportunities emerging from the digital economy. Given the cross-cutting nature of
e-commerce, better synergies and cooperation between development partners and
Governments are needed to accompany the implementation of the recommendations
contained in the assessments. In this context, UNCTAD has adapted the methodology of the
eTrade readiness assessments to better respond to the needs of requesting countries –
setting up national committees linked to the assessments, increasing consultations with
Governments and strengthening synergies with development partners and digital
programmes on the ground. The official launches of the eTrade readiness assessment are
also providing a policy platform for Governments, private sector representatives and
development partners to discuss digital priorities and prepare a road map towards the
implementation of the policy actions recommended.
79. The report, “Fast-tracking implementation of eTrade readiness assessments”, found
that all 18 LDCs, at varying speeds, had made use of the assessments by turning
recommendations into concrete actions. The overall implementation rate was at 50 percent.
The assessments had triggered the development of national e-commerce strategies, which
have been adopted in Cambodia, Nepal and Senegal, are in the process of being finalized
(e.g. Myanmar and Zambia) or are pending assistance from development partners. Such
strategies help to promote public-private dialogue, policy coordination and support for the
inclusion of e-commerce in countries’ overall development plans, including in the context
of regional integration processes. ECOWAS and the EAC in Africa, and the Pacific Islands
Forum Secretariat (PIFS) in the Pacific, have built on eTrade readiness assessments to
trigger requests and engage new processes for the development of national and regional
e-commerce strategies. The analysis also suggested that four policy areas received the
greatest attention by countries: payment solutions, ICT infrastructure and services, legal
and regulatory frameworks, and trade facilitation and logistics. These areas featured an
implementation rate of the eTrade ready recommendations of above 50 per cent. Relevant
country experiences in these areas include Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, the Lao
People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nepal, Senegal, Togo, Uganda,
Vanuatu and Zambia.

A6 Investment guides

Table A6
Investment guides

Project number Short title Period Source of fund

covered

INT/0T/HCJ Strategic Partnership the Netherlands 2018– Netherlands

80. Development context. The investment guides (iGuides) programme provides

developing country Governments with the necessary capacity to better market their
countries or territories as investment destinations to the global investment community, in
order to attract quality FDI in pursuit of their development goals.
81. Objectives and features. The iGuides online platforms, designed by UNCTAD and
the International Chamber of Commerce, provide international investors with essential
up-to-date information on rules, economic conditions, procedures, business costs and
investment opportunities in developing countries. The platforms are developed jointly with
beneficiary Governments, at their request. Content includes the following:
(a) Locally available costs. In addition to taxes, social contributions or the state
of infrastructure, iGuides provide indicative price ranges regarding wages, rents, consumer

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goods and transportation costs. This hard-to-find information enables investors to build a
basic business model for their projects.
(b) Relevant licences, procedures and useful contacts. iGuides platforms give an
overview of procedures and licences required to start a business, obtain work permits,
acquire land, clear imported goods or repatriate funds. Contact persons are also identified in
the most useful institutions and offices. iGuides can integrate seamlessly with existing
eRegulations systems to provide full information on start-up and business procedures.
(c) Experiences of established investors. Whether the topic is paying taxes,
hiring labour or obtaining electricity, iGuides platforms summarize the experiences of
established investors and provide case studies of their investment history.
82. During a project, UNCTAD creates a national iGuides platform for the country and
trains the government staff assigned to the project in researching and compiling the
necessary information and entering it into the system. Once completed, an official launch is
organized in the country, and the platform is made publicly available to investors. At the
end of project implementation, the beneficiary country has its own iGuides platform and
trained staff to administer and update it under the continuous guidance of UNCTAD. The
iGuides online platforms replace the previous practice of publishing printed investment
guides. It is essential that the new iGuides allow information to be kept up to date by
Governments and may be accomplished in a third of the time and at half of the cost.
83. Outputs. In February 2020, UNCTAD launched the iGuide to Barbados. It marks
the sixth Caribbean country or territory to get an iGuide (others launched are Antigua and
Barbuda, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Curaçao). Work was
under way for iGuide for Saint Kitts and Turks and Caicos Islands; however, activities
ground to a halt due to COVID-19. These guides are expected to be completed in 2021.
In addition, a Caribbean investment portal is being prepared and is expected to be launched
in 2021. In the African region, work on an iGuide for Cameroon, in cooperation with the
Economic Commission for Africa, was postponed and will also resume in 2021.
84. Results. iGuides are web-based, and any element may be easily updated at any time
to reflect changes in legislation, infrastructure, costs or taxes. iGuides therefore remain
relevant and useful to their audience. In addition, Governments (not UNCTAD) are
responsible for researching, inputting and updating data based on information standards and
training provided by UNCTAD and the International Chamber of Commerce. The iGuide
launches enjoy high-level participation and receive extensive press coverage. Governments
have updated their sites, showing retained capacity to update the website in an effective
manner and the continued relevance of the website. The availability of online training
allows staff working on iGuides to more easily transfer knowledge and capacity to their
peers.

A7 Non-tariff measures

Table A7
Non-tariff measures

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

GHA/0T/HBC Sector project trade and investment for 2018– Germany

sustainable development

MYA/0T/HBI United Nations Inter-Agency Cluster on 2019– United

Trade and Productive Capacity, Myanmar Nations Office
for Project
Services,
Switzerland

INT/9X/00J Development and dissemination of selected 2000– Multi-donors

computerized trade data

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/CBG Non-tariff measures trust fund (under 2013– World Bank

Transparency in Trade programme)

INT/0T/IAQ a NTM data update and conversion for 2019– Public

selected APEC economies 2020 donation -
National
Graduate
Institute for
Policy
Studies, Japan

INT/0T/JAY NTM data update for selected APEC 2020– National

economies Graduate
Institute for
Policy Studies
(GRIPS),
Japan

RAF/0T/HBT AfCFTA support programme to eliminate 2018– Germany

non-tariff barriers, increase regulatory
transparency and promote industrial
diversification

RAS/0T/HAQ Transparency in trade regulation and 2018– Australia,

facilitation in Pacific Agreement on Closer New Zealand
Economic Relations Plus

ROA-1617 Programme on statistics and data 2016– Development

(A10) Account

ROA-2023 Transport and trade connectivity in the age 2020– Development

(X12) of pandemics Account
a Operationally but not financially completed or fully completed in 2020.

85. Development context. Regulations, including behind-the-border regulations

protecting safety, health and the environment, affect 90 per cent of merchandise trade. Such
non-tariff measures are policy measures, other than customs tariffs, which often have an
impact on international trade in terms of quantities traded or prices. These measures,
although mostly legislated with non-protectionist and non-discriminating intents, can have
important implications for international trade in terms of both increasing trade costs and the
effects of trade diversion. Non-tariff measures affect trade by raising trade, compliance and
procedural costs, which often disproportionately burden small enterprises and poorer
countries. LDCs and smaller producers in developing countries are disproportionately
affected, hampering trade and economic development. However, most non-tariff measures
have important public policy objectives such as protecting health, safety and the
environment. More than 40 per cent of non-tariff measures are directly and positively
linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. Striking a balance between trade costs and
regulatory benefits requires transparency, policy coherence and international-level
regulatory convergence. Concrete actions in this regard are often coupled with regional
economic integration and domestic regulatory reforms. Over 140 countries resorted to the
use of non-tariff measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, both to facilitate and to restrict
international trade. While many of these measures were put in place for legitimate policy
objectives, such as ensuring access to or safety of essential goods, they impacted
sustainable development. For developing countries, understanding the uses and implications
of such measures is essential for the formulation and implementation of effective
development strategies.

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86. Objectives and features. The UNCTAD programme on non-tariff measures aims to
increase transparency and understanding of trade control measures and regulations so that
policies can better promote sustainable development. The programme covers the entire
chain of non-tariff measures, ranging from classification, 11 data collection and
dissemination, to research, policy advice and capacity-building in countries and regional
integration groupings. UNCTAD leads international cooperation (working with the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the
International Trade Centre, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,
the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Bank and the World
Trade Organization) on the development and revision of the International Classification of
Non-Tariff Measures and with regional and international partners (African Development
Bank, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African
Community (EAC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic Research Institute for
ASEAN and East Asia, International Trade Centre, Latin American Integration Association,
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Southern African Development Community
(SADC), World Bank and WTO) on data collection. This ensures a globally coordinated
and resource-saving approach. UNCTAD assists developing countries and countries with
economies in transition in enhancing transparency and building analytical capacity on non-
tariff measures by the following means: collecting and making available online data on
such measures to enhance transparency in this regard; conducting regional reviews of the
integration of non-tariff measures; providing online and in-country training on data
collection on non-tariff measures and on data sources, tools, methods and policy-relevant
research questions on such measures; and providing advisory services upon request to
countries and regional groupings in building capacities to address such measures and
remove non-tariff barriers.
87. Outputs. UNCTAD delivered the following in 2020:
(a) Receiving approval of agencies of the international cooperation for the
revised and extended International Classification of Non-Tariff Measures, including now a
detailed taxonomy for government procurement, intellectual property, rules of origin and
subsidies. In March 2019, the United Nations Statistical Commission endorsed the
International Classification of Non-Tariff Measures for data collection across countries and
for reporting on internationally comparable data on non-tariff measures. In 2020, the related
guidelines for data collection were published.
(b) Data on non-tariff measures for some 20 countries were updated or newly
collected. The UNCTAD database on non-tariff measures, the Trade Analysis and
Information System, is the world’s largest and most comprehensive, covering 90 per cent of
world trade, and data on non-tariff measures are publicly available through the
dissemination tool TRAINS Portal for non-tariff measures (for policy makers), the World
Integrated Trade Solutions platform (for researchers) and the Global Trade Helpdesk (for
private sector users);12 TRAINS Portal (https://trainsonline.unctad.org) aims to strengthen
the transparency of non-tariff measures across countries and reduce access to information
cost of traders. It is an interactive web portal that allows public users to benefit from
efficient search queries, data compilation, data retrieval, as well as download customized
search results. Non-tariff measures and trade regulation data on TRAINS Portal are
retrieved from the newly developed TRAINS Data Entry Tool
(https://dataentry.trains.unctad.org/), where data from over 109 countries have been
collected using a standardized approach that ensures cross-country comparability.
(c) Capacity-building activities conducted through online training and face-to-
face workshops on non-tariff measures. In response to the special circumstance of 2020, the
sixth and seventh editions of the online course on non-tariff measures and data collection
were modified to reflect both the relevance of non-tariff measures and the coronavirus

11 Classification focuses on the identification of policies and regulations that determine trade and market
access and how information about non-tariff measures can be structured.
12 See https://trains.unctad.org.

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pandemic. Two hundred seventy-six participants (135 women and 141 men) from around
70 countries joined the courses from 15 June to 10 July 2020 and 5 October to 30 October
2020. Over 90 per cent of participants believed that the knowledge acquired during the
online course helped them understand non-tariff measures and the policy issues that their
country faces in international trade, especially during the time of the pandemic. Four
region-specific online courses were finalized for government officials from 9 member
countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely Brunei
Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam (July 2019–February 2020). Face-to-
face training sessions were conducted in Africa, Asia and Latin America and in economies
in transition.
(d) UNCTAD continued to support the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) Agreement in the implementation of the AfCFTA Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB)
online reporting, monitoring and eliminating mechanism. On https://tradebarriers.africa,
traders can report an NTB affecting intra-African trade. The online tool is inclusive to
micro, small and medium-sized companies, informal traders, and youth and women
business operators. It enhances transparency and gives equal voice to all stakeholders, small
or large. To resolve NTBs, governments have appointed national NTB focal points. In
2020, these officials received further training by UNCTAD and the African Union (virtual
inter-governmental workshop on17–18 June; followed by many additional country-specific
coaching sessions) in the use of the online tool. The focal points receive NTB complaints in
real time and are mandated under the AfCFTA to resolve the barriers within the set
deadlines. Communication and exchange of relevant documents is facilitated through the
online tool. The online tool also translates communication from 16 African languages into
the official languages of the African Union. To raise awareness among the private sector,
UNCTAD and the African Union ran a social media campaign, organized six subregional
webinars, and a continental training event with 172 participants (21 October, virtual). To
further improve inclusiveness of the mechanism and allow participation of traders without
internet connectivity, UNCTAD also supported the development of a feature that allows
NTB reporting via text message (SMS). The feature was discussed with AfCFTA member
States on 16 December and 20 member States expressed their interest in participating in the
pilot phase.
(e) Twelve AfCFTA member States (Comoros, Eswatini, the Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Kenya, Namibia, the Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Togo) have requested
UNCTAD support on increasing regulatory transparency through NTM data collection and
dissemination. Increasing transparency are a horizontal objective of the AfCFTA and has
significant potential to reducing the costs of NTMs. This work builds on and extends
previous data collection efforts in ECOWAS (2014–2015) and the COMESA-EAC-SADC
Tripartite region (2015–2020). UNCTAD assistance on NTM data collection and
transparency also aims to foster inter-agency collaboration between various ministries to
improve policy coherence (Sustainable Development Goal 17.14, indicator 17.14.1).
(f) UNCTAD continued support for nine SIDS signatories in the Pacific
(Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and
Niue) to build their capacity to fulfil transparency commitments under the Pacific
Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus. Most activities were conducted
vis-à-vis the Cook Islands, which had put the project on hold until the late 2019. In line
with the assistance provided to other SIDS signatories in 2019, a legislation tab, developed
for the non-tariff measure component of the project, was integrated into the Cook Islands’
Trade Information Portal (https://cook-islands.tradeportal.org/Regulations/Index?lang=undefined).
Also, UNCTAD provided training on the substance of the PACER Plus commitments and
how to use the legislation tab, as well as assisted in the organization of national contact
points. Based on the gap analysis of regulatory framework, UNCTAD supported the Cook
Islands to collect and publish laws and regulations that are related to trade in goods and
services. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNCTAD replaced face-to-face workshops with
virtual weekly meetings and virtual workshops. On 13 August, UNCTAD held a virtual
national validation workshop with the Cook Islands where 6 out of 17 participants were
female. Moreover, on 25 November, UNCTAD held a virtual closing regional forum with
all SIDS signatories, donors, an external evaluator and partner agencies who are/will be

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conducting development activities in the region. The closing forum provided an opportunity
to present the project’s achievements and recapitulate training materials as well as to share
countries’ experiences and discuss next steps. Lastly, UNCTAD responded to ad hoc
requests of the signatories.
(g) Support for regional integration and economic development in ASEAN,
working with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia and the ESCAP.
Training on non-tariff measures and good regulatory practices for the region were
conducted in Brunei Darussalam (10–11 February 2020), and Malaysia (13–14 February,
2020). Under a United Nations Trade Cluster Project for Trade and Productive Capacity in
Myanmar, a review of technical NTMs of Myanmar on select products with respect to
NTMs in potential export markets was carried out to identify opportunities and challenges
for market access. The study also entails a detailed analysis of technical regulations in
potential export markets. Workshops and capacity-building trainings for key sectors of
Government and the private sector have been planned.
(h) A Non-Tariff Measures Cost-Effectiveness Toolkit was developed to provide
policymakers with a framework and tools to evaluate national NTMs. The toolkit analyses
NTMs in terms of the objective they are designed for, the manner in which they are
implemented, and how easy it is for the private sector to comply with them. Designed to
review NTMs applicable to intermediate inputs for a value chain of national economic and
political interest, the toolkit targets increasing competitiveness in the identified sector and
creation of regional value chains (RVCs). The toolkit was piloted in the Kenyan cotton and
textiles sector in collaboration with the Ministry of East African Community Affairs and
Regional Development. Discussions. Further implementation is planned across ASEAN.
(i) In close cooperation with UNECE and UNESCAP transparency in East
Europe and Central Asia has been increased. Non-tariff measures data are available for all
Eurasian Economic Union countries as well as for Azerbaijan. Validation workshops were
conducted with these governments (Kazakhstan, 16 November). Data collection for
Georgia and the development of a national e-NTM platform started with UNECE in 2020.
88. Results. Based on a Heads of State mandate, the project led by UNCTAD and the
Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia significantly increased
transparency in non-tariff measures in the ASEAN region. The forty-ninth meeting of
ASEAN economic ministers (7–10 September 2017) recognized the UNCTAD–Economic
Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia data and dissemination portal as a foundation
to address non-tariff measures and mandated a regular review of the database. 13 The
ASEAN Ministers thanked the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia and
UNCTAD for the work developing the non-tariff measures database and the in-country
trainings on NTMs collection, classification and analysis at the fifty-first meeting of
economic ministers (9 September 2019). The data is “a good resource in assisting ASEAN
Member States in populating and developing the NTMs section of their National Trade
Repositories (NTRs)”. Furthermore, the data has been used in the implementation of
customs single windows in Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar
and Viet Nam. ASEAN members are using the joint data to explore possibilities for
harmonizing non-tariff measures in ASEAN. Malaysia is using the data for a cost-benefit
assessment to streamline national regulations, and other countries have requested UNCTAD
support in this area. NTM data were updated for Viet Nam in 2020, and discussed with the
Government with a view to including this officially in a trade portal that is going to be built
with United Kingdom cooperation.
89. The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus entered into
force on 13 December 2020 as eight out of 11 signatories (Australia, Kiribati, New
Zealand, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Cook Islands and Niue) ratified the agreement.
Over 130 pieces of laws and regulations that are related to not only trade in goods and
services, but also business and foreign direct investment are now publicly available with
detailed explanation in the Trade Information Portal of the Cook Islands. Collection of
regulatory information also contributed to identifying and clarifying mistakes and

13 See http://asean.i-tip.org.

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confusions regarding the Cook Islands regulatory system, as well as highlighting the needs
for legislation consolidation, which was conducted lastly in 1990s. In regard of the national
validation workshop, 94 per cent of the participants who responded to the assessment found
it “Good” or “Excellent”. Also, in the closing regional forum, 100 per cent of participants
who responded to the assessment “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that “the project responded
well to my country’s needs in trade-related regulatory transparency”. The project is
extended until June 2021 at no additional cost.
90. After the ceremonial launch at the African Union Summit on 7 July 2019 and
subsequent training of national focal points, the AfCFTA NTB online reporting, monitoring
and eliminating mechanism went “live” on 13 January 2020. A first few NTBs were
reported, and the resolution process was initiated by national focal points. Outreach
activities reached and trained over 1500 stakeholders and private sector operators. The NTB
mechanism was also picked up and discussed on television and in major newspapers.
A social media campaign also increased website visits by 250 per cent.
91. The Latin American Integration Association is continuing to promote trade through
the continuous provision of updated information on non-tariff measures to policymakers,
exporters and importers, based on UNCTAD methodology and technical support. Southern
Common Market countries are revitalizing their efforts towards deep economic integration,
including based on an UNCTAD regional non-tariff measures integration review providing
background data on and an analysis of non-tariff measures.
92. The dissemination of research results on non-tariff measures has improved
awareness of the importance of non-tariff measures for international trade and export-led
development strategies and of the need to devise policies to minimize the negative effects
of non-tariff measures. In particular, transparency on non-tariff measures was increased
through the collection and dissemination of data and through a series of studies that helped
to provide better understanding of the implications of these measures for developing
countries. A milestone was the research and launch of the joint ESCAP and UNCTAD
Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2019 which sheds light on the close link between
non-tariff measures and the Sustainable Development Goals and which was used in many
capacity-building activities in 2020. Due to the consistent and standardized global
methodology for data collection, the resulting data can be used to assess the different
countries’ use of these tools as policies, shedding light on its importance and incidence in
everyday life. A document explains the statistical procedures to use the data for quantitative
analysis.
93. The TRAINS Data Entry Tool since its release in July 2020, has been used in data
collection and update of non-tariff measures and trade regulations for over 10 countries in
Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The new tool has received strong buy-in from countries
including Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Viet Nam, with the support of UNCTAD, in developing
a common integration platform that will allow non-tariff measures and trade regulations
data collection within these countries, and a secure information exchange channel with
TRAINS Portal. These efforts signal the increasing transparency and openness of countries
in reducing additional information costs for traders as well as boosting investors’ interest in
their markets.
94. The pilot implementation of the Non-Tariff Measures Cost-Effectiveness Toolkit in
Kenya brought together private and public sector agencies to discuss challenges associated
with NTM design, implementation and compliance on cotton imports. This encouraged a
deeper understanding of the potential impact of NTMs on businesses and the need to apply
good regulatory practices – something that was well reflected in participants’ evaluation
responses. This was followed by a round of face-to-face interviews with all stakeholders.
The deployment of the toolkit has culminated into a “Kenya Case Study” which
summarizes the key findings and policy recommendations - proposals for the immediate
next steps, and the potential partners at the national and international level. These were also
discussed during a validation workshop with the Government of Kenya (21 July).

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A9 Trade negotiations and the international trading system

Table A9
Trade negotiations and the international trading system

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

MOZ/0T/JAH Building Competitiveness for Exports in 2020– European

Mozambique Union through
United
Nations inter-
agency
agreement
with UNIDO

INT/9X/00M SUPPORT TO THE GSTP 2020– Multi-donors

INT/0T/HAA a Measurement of services value added in 2018– European

exports and analysis of related services and 2020 Union
trade policies
a Operationally but not financially completed or fully completed in 2020.

95. Development context. Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that
called for revitalizing the global trade partnership in achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals, a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory, and equitable
multilateral trading system continues to be the cornerstone of such a partnership,
particularly to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 17. While international trade
negotiations can open access to new markets, thus creating opportunities, they also
represent daunting challenges for policymakers and trade negotiators as new rules and
commitments resulting from such negotiations would define a country’s participation in
international trade. The challenge for developing countries is to design adequate national
policies and negotiating strategies that best reflect their national development objectives,
and to effectively participate in the negotiations so as to facilitate development-oriented
outcomes. Thus, continued and enhanced support on trade negotiations, including in the
context of WTO accession, remains critically important for developing countries,
particularly for the least developed countries, Africa and small vulnerable economies. Such
support would be required particularly for agriculture, food security, domestic support,
cotton, non-agricultural market access, non-tariff measures, services market access,
domestic regulations, services trade facilitation, services preferences, duty-free and quota-
free market access, rules of origin, special and differential treatment and fishery subsidies.
96. Services economy is the new frontier for the expansion of trade, productivity and
competitiveness, providing jobs and universal access to essential services. The role of
services as inputs into other sectors of the economy is crucial. Infrastructural services such
as financial services, telecommunications and ICT services, transport and energy are
important for economic diversification and enhancement of domestic supply capacity. The
work on services, trade and development is aimed at building the human and institutional
capacities of key national stakeholders – including civil society, entrepreneurs,
policymakers and trade negotiators – to harness the opportunities arising from
strengthening of the services sector and services trade. This includes the effects of services
in all sectors that rely on stronger services inputs to increase their productivity and
competitiveness. This is important because the integration of developing countries into the
global services economy through increased services trade requires them to design and
implement appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks, negotiate and manage trade
agreements that cover services, establish institutional structures, create an enabling
environment for entrepreneurship, and build competitive services supply capacities.

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UNCTAD work on services is expected to contribute to achieving several Sustainable

Development Goals, including Goal 8, Goal 9 and Goal 17.
97. The provision and utilization of trade preferences for LDCs (duty-free quota-free) is
a key goal of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade
2011–2020, as further reaffirmed in Goal 17.12. At the South–South level, UNCTAD
provides technical support to the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing
Countries (GSTP) participants. Following the successful conclusion of the Sao Paulo
Round of GSTP negotiations in December 2010, UNCTAD continued to support GSTP
participants in their efforts towards effective implementation of the Round and in follow-up
discussions. UNCTAD assisted them in coordinating and backstopping their activities in
various GSTP activities.
98. Objective. UNCTAD provides capacity-building support aimed at helping
developing countries, particularly LDCs, and their regional groupings, Africa, small and
vulnerable economies, and countries with economies in transition reap benefits and handle
challenges in the areas of multilateral and reginal trade negotiations, services regulatory and
institutional frameworks at the national level, and WTO accession. UNCTAD promotes
coherence of bilateral and regional trade agreements with the multilateral trading system;
and supports regional cooperation mechanisms as well as utilization of trade preferences.
Given the limited progress in the Doha Round and renewed interest in regional trade
arrangements, UNCTAD also places greater emphasis on development impact of regional
dimension of trade (South–South and South–North).
99. UNCTAD’s support in the area of services is aimed to enhance expertise and
human, regulatory and institutional capacities to elaborate and implement national services
regulatory frameworks, services sectoral assessments and preparations for (a) regional
negotiations with a view to developing a regional framework on services trade;
(b) participation in WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations;
(c) responding to the challenges associated with parallel negotiations between the
multilateral track and regional tracks; and (d) coordinating trade policy negotiations with
other policy dimensions to ensure the best policy mix that ensures supply capacity in
services for direct and indirect trade. In the context of the latter point, the particular
objective of the project on the measurement of services value added in exports and analysis
of related services and trade policies is to reduce the knowledge gap in developing
countries on measuring services value added in exports and on analysing policies that affect
this value added. This should allow for evidence-based policymaking, as aimed at in the
Goals, in particular with regard to trade and services-related policies that contribute to
efficiency, increased productive and export capacity and greater participation in global
value chains.
100. UNCTAD comprehensive work on services includes advisory services on legal,
economic and policy issues; support for stakeholder consultations; and support for services
negotiations at regional and multilateral levels. These activities are informed by evidence-
based research and analysis on such issues as market trends and the economic and legal
aspects of the services economy and specific services sectors, regulatory and institutional
frameworks, and international trade negotiations. Synergies were created with ongoing
analytical and intergovernmental work, especially through the Multi-year Expert Meeting
(MYEM) on Trade, Services and Development. The follow-up of meetings and
deliberations of the WTO Council for Trade in Services and subsidiary bodies has also been
synergic with work in support of services-related objectives of developing countries.
101. The objective of UNCTAD support for the Generalized System of Preferences
(GSP) and other preferential arrangements is to help developing countries, in particular
LDCs, to increase the utilization of GSP and other trade preferences. Such support includes
raising awareness and enhancing understanding among exporters and government officials
in beneficiary countries of the trading opportunities available under the schemes;
strengthening understanding of technical and administrative regulations and laws governing
preferential market access, in particular rules of origin; and disseminating relevant
information for users of preferential schemes.

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102. The objective of UNCTAD support for GSTP is to increase trade among developing
countries by facilitating market access negotiations and the operation of GSTP and
benefiting from it, and to provide substantive and administrative support to GSTP
participants for them to implement the results of the third round of negotiations.
103. Outputs. The main outputs in 2020 in the area of trade negotiations and the
international trading system are reported as follows:

Trade negotiations
104. In 2020, UNCTAD made a substantial contribution to African countries in their
trade policy formulation and implementation, capacity-building in trade negotiations, and
services policy assessment and review.
105. At regional level, UNCTAD pioneered in providing technical and substantive
support to pan-African negotiations aimed at the establishment of the Africa Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) since 2015. UNCTAD support to reaching consensus among
African countries was essential in the finalization of AfCFTA Negotiating Modalities for
trade in goods and services, as well the text of the Agreement. In cooperation with the
African Union Commission, UNCTAD supported African countries in this area in
finalizing market access offers and implementing tariff reduction commitments in a manner
supportive of their development needs. In 2020, UNCTAD produced a publication entitled
“Designing Trade Liberalization in Africa: Modalities for tariff negotiations towards an
African Continental Free Trade Area.”
106. UNCTAD continued to monitor and assess the evolution in international trade and
the trading system from a development perspective, including those affecting African
countries. In 2020, UNCTAD launched a new platform for policy discussion entitled
“UNCTAD Trade Policy Dialogue” and promoted focused and candid debate on new and
emerging issues affecting developing countries, including Africa. Such discussions were
held on the following topics: “The multilateral trading system in the post-pandemic “new
normal” (25 September 2020)” organized in cooperation with Organization of the ACP
States (OACPS); “Towards model RTA provisions for trade in essential supplies in times
of crisis (28 October 2020)”, organized in cooperation with United Nations regional
commissions, including United Nations ESCAP and United Nations ECA; and “Elements
of a policy mix for trade-led recovery: Services, creative economy, and making the best of
trade agreements (16 November 2020)”, which was held in cooperation with the Group of
77 and China, then coordinated by Zambia.
107. At multilateral level, despite the lack of movement among members of the WTO,
largely due to rising trade tensions since 2018 and the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic,
strategic interventions were made to support African countries in multilateral trade
negotiations. UNCTAD continued to provide technical support to developing countries and
groupings in their engagement in multilateral and regional trade negotiations and the
implementation of the resulting trade agreements. Support was provided to the African,
Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Ambassadors’ and technical experts’ retreat
in preparation for the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference (January 2020) in assessing
stakes and issues on agricultural negotiations. Technical support was provided to the five
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) countries (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles
and Zimbabwe) in their preparation for ESA5-European Union Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) deepening negotiations in the aeras of trade and sustainable development
and rules of origin. Under the Commercial Diplomacy component of the European Union–
UNCTAD Joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II, UNCTAD supported the
Ministry of Commerce of Angola in building capacity in trade negotiations, including
negotiating techniques, trade data and regional integration. A Virtual Seminar on
Negotiating Techniques, Trade Statistics and Regional Integration was organized on
25 November 2020. UNCTAD also intensified efforts to support the Ministry in its
engagement in EPA negotiations with the European Union, with a view to preparing the
impact study and in-country support to trade negotiating team. UNCTAD successfully
launched European Union-UNIDO project to support Mozambique in implementing
safeguards, which will be implemented over the period 2021–2023.

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108. In 2020, UNCTAD organized or contributed to the following meetings:

(a) UNCTAD-UNIDO advisory meeting on the assistance project to
Mozambique in the area of trade safeguards in the context of Mozambique European
Union-EPA (4 June 2020 Geneva-Vienna, virtual meeting);
(b) UNCTAD-UNIDO and Ministry of Trade of Mozambique advisory meeting
on the launch of the inception phase of the project on the assistance to Mozambique in the
area of trade safeguards (Mozambique European Union-EPA) (9 July, Geneva-Vienna-
Maputo, virtual meeting);
(c) Advisory support to Eastern and Southern Africa region for Economic
Partnership Agreement (17 July, virtual meeting);
(d) Webinar on the Impact of COVID-19 on Regional Integration of Intra-
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Trade and Investment (22 July, virtual
meeting);
(e) UNCTAD-UNIDO and Ministry of Trade of Mozambique 2nd advisory
meeting on the launch of the inception phase of the project on the assistance to
Mozambique in the area of trade safeguards (Mozambique European Union-EPA)
(18 August, Geneva-Vienna-Maputo, virtual meeting);
(f) Advisory meeting with Côte d’Ivoire trade officials on the issues of
dependence on commodities, price volatility and loss of export earnings (16 October,
Geneva, virtual meeting);
(g) UNCTAD–ESCAP webinar on Model Provisions for Trade in Times of
Crisis and Pandemic in Regional and other Trade Agreements (28 October, Geneva–
Bangkok).
109. UNCTAD assisted more than 20 countries acceding to WTO, including all LDCs
negotiating or preparing for accession. 14 UNCTAD technical assistance on WTO accession
targets building human resources, regulatory, policy and institutional capacities in WTO
acceding countries to deal more effectively with the challenges of the international trading
system and take advantage of emerging opportunities as well as to implement their
obligations associated with WTO membership. The technical assistance provided by
UNCTAD has increased the awareness among the acceding country’s negotiating team and
stakeholders of the multifaceted issues in the accession process and has enabled them to
better understand WTO rules and disciplines, including the special and differential
treatment and other developmental provisions. It has therefore enabled them to participate
more effectively in the accession negotiations. The programme further assists countries in
maintaining coherence between undertakings at multilateral and regional levels including
South-South. In 2020, the following activities were undertaken on WTO accession:
(a) Advisory meeting with South Sudan trade officials on WTO accession
preparation and requirements (12 February, Geneva – Juba, virtual meeting);
(b) WTO accessions week webinar (29 June – 3 July, Geneva);
(c) High-Level Regional Dialogue: WTO Accession for the Arab Region
(10 November, Geneva, virtual meeting);
(d) Round table meeting with developing partners on WTO accession of Timor-
Leste (26 November, Geneva, virtual meeting).
110. In support of WTO accession, UNCTAD launched in early 2021 a Development
Account Project (13th Tranche) in post-conflict Arab countries (Iraq and State of Palestine).
111. In implementing work on the WTO accession process, UNCTAD collaborated and
maintained close cooperation with the WTO secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank,

14 Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cabo Verde,
Comoros, Ethiopia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nepal, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Liberia, Samoa, Seychelles, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Uzbekistan
and Yemen.

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the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization. An extensive network of cooperation had been established with
national trade institutions and trade policymakers and regular contacts are maintained with
donors.

Services, development and trade

112. The eighth session of the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services, and
Development (23–24 September) was focused on leveraging services, including
infrastructure services, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It was highlighted
that sound regulatory and institutional framework was necessary to ensure the supply of
good quality infrastructure services. Smart regulations require a supportive institutional
framework, with accountable regulators, including with regard to criteria related to the
coherence, clarity and consistency of decisions. It is important to ensure regulatory
transparency, particularly in the enforcement of laws to ensure stability, predictability, and
confidence. The design of regulations should involve, as much as possible, the
consideration of international standards and the establishment of bridges with other
regulatory frameworks. Regulations are more effective if performance-based rather than
prescriptive, to reduce rigidity, promote innovation and allow for lower compliance costs.
It is necessary for regulatory impact assessments, implementation oversight and evaluation
to be integral to regulatory design, to ensure that regulation is fit for purpose.
Implementation and enforcement mechanisms should be transparent and equitable and
envisage stability. Services, including infrastructure services, are increasingly covered in
trade agreements, which impacts the national regulation of such services. A coherent and
coordinated approach to domestic policymaking, regulation and trade liberalization is
necessary to benefit from any agreement on trade in services.
113. UNCTAD carried out numerous activities aimed at enhancing national and regional
capacities of developing countries on trade policy and trade negotiations as they relate to
services. Technical assistance and customized support, including specialized training, was
extended to policymakers and negotiators in developing countries and country groupings
such as the LDCs, the African Group, small and vulnerable economies, in defining national
and regional strategies and polices to build services supply capacities and in preparing
themselves for General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and other trade
negotiations and debates. Advisory services were provided to developing countries
regarding debate on GATS and regional trade negotiations, defining strategies for services
negotiations at the national, regional and multilateral levels, and at the interface between
regional services negotiations and GATS negotiations and debates.
114. UNCTAD collaborated with the African Union in discussions on how to support the
formulation and implementation of trade and services policies. The African Union
Commission participated in the UNCTAD Multi-year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services
and Development (23–24 September), where discussions covered how the implementation
of the services protocol of the AfCFTA could contribute to overcoming pandemic-related
challenges and boosting trade in services. It also highlighted the relevance of services for
modern industrialization and the need for aligned services negotiations and regulatory
cooperation frameworks. UNCTAD participated in the African Union 9th Stakeholders
Retreat (16–17 December, Geneva–Addis Ababa, virtual meeting), and discussed how its
Services Policy Reviews, its Multi-year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services and
Development and its Global Services Forum can contribute to create capacity in
policymaking on trade in services and provide an opportunity for further collaboration with
the African Union.
115. UNCTAD implemented the Joint UNCTAD−UNECA Development Account
Project on Services Trade in Africa and provided virtual technical assistance to the
Governments of Ethiopia and Kenya on trade policy, including transport services
development. Furthermore, stakeholders in the area of services trade negotiations under the
European Union–UNCTAD joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II, Services
component were trained.

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116. UNCTAD conducted and published country case studies for Cambodia, Nepal,
Senegal and Zambia on the use of the WTO LDC waiver to promote their services exports
through preferential treatment.15
117. In 2020 substantive contribution were made to national and regional technical and
consultative meetings, such as:
(a) “What future for the global trading system?”, webinar organized by the
Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), 17 June.
(b) “Building back better in tourism: The roles of international organizations”,
webinar organized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), 23 June.
(c) “Digital Credit Technologies and Financial Inclusion”, webinar organized by
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 23 June.
(d) “Central Bank Digital Currency and Financial Inclusion”, webinar organized
by the ITU, 26 June.
(e) “Digital currency applications and need for standards”, webinar organized by
the ITU, 29 June.
(f) “What role for the United Kingdom in the global trading system?”, webinar
organized by the PIIE, 8 July.
(g) “Global Services Forum 2021”, preparatory meeting with regional partners
(ECLAC and Latin American Association of Services Exporters), 9 July.
(h) “Mobilizing and Retaining Resources to Build Back Better: Financial
Integrity in Post COVID World”, High Level Political Forum virtual side event, 10 July.
(i) “Impact of COVID-19, reactivation measures and recommendations for
tourism sector recovery”, webinar organized by the Central America Secretariat for
Economic Integration (SIECA), 21 July.
(j) “Digital Currency Global Initiative”, intergovernmental and inter-agency
initiative organized by the ITU, 23–24 July.
(k) “Interoperability and resilience requirements of Digital Payments System”,
webinar organized by the ITU, 27 July.
(l) “Servicification and Manufacturing for Export”, webinar organized by the
International Chamber of Commerce in Brazil, 28 July.
(m) Summit Forum, China International Fair for Trade in Services, 3 September
2020.
(n) “Digital Currency Global Initiative, Policy and Governance Working Group”,
intergovernmental and interagency initiative organized by the ITU, 18 September.
(o) Trade and Development Board Briefing to UNCTAD delegates and Angola
government officials in connection with the Multi-year Expert Meeting on trade, services,
and development (9 and 21 September, virtual meeting).
(p) Keynote intervention on the Conference on “Trade in services, e-commerce
and logistics in the pandemic economy” of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of
Researchers and Policymakers in the field of Services (REDLAS), 26 November 2020. This
focused on the role of IT-enabled services before and during the pandemic, and on the

15 Effective Market Access for Least Developed Countries’ services exports: Case Study on Utilizing
the World Trade Organization Services Waiver in Zambia,
UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/MISC/2020/8; Effective Market Access for Least Developed Countries’
services exports: Case Study on Utilizing the World Trade Organization Services Waiver in Senegal,
UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/MISC/2020/7; Effective Market Access for Least Developed Countries’
services exports: Case Study on Utilizing the World Trade Organization Services Waiver in Nepal,
UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/MISC/2020/6; Effective Market Access for Least Developed Countries’
services exports: Case Study on Utilizing the World Trade Organization Services Waiver in
Cambodia, UNCTAD/DITC/TNCD/MISC/2020/5.

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policies required to harvest the development potential of services for post-pandemic

economic recovery.
(q) Africa’s services trade liberalization and integration under the AfCFTA:
Assessing regional integration in Africa (ARIA X) (15 December, virtual meeting).
118. UNCTAD provided support to LDCs in negotiating their specific interests including
the implementation of the Preferential Treatment in Favour of Services and Service
Suppliers of LDCs and their participation in services trade.
119. UNCTAD has emphasized the importance of potential benefits and opportunities of
trade, investment and developmental links between countries of origin of migrants and their
communities abroad as well as the issue of maximizing the development impact of
remittances. UNCTAD continues to participate in the United Nations Network on
Migration and in the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) to highlight
the linkages between trade, services, migration and development. In this context, UNCTAD
collaborated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other agencies in
providing to the countries in the GFMD a background paper on “The Future of Human
Mobility: Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Development - Skilling Migrants for
Employment”. With the Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy Branch (TNCDB)
of the Division on International Trade and Commodities (DITC) as the focal point in
UNCTAD, this work includes the participation in the process of setting up the United
Nations Network on Migration as the successor of the Global Migration Group (GMG). In
2020, UNCTAD contributed to the following meetings on migration trade and
development:
(a) “COVID-19 and People on the Move”, webinar organized by the United
Nations Network on Migration, 17 June.
(b) “The many faces of women and men migrant workers”, webinar organized by
the International Labour Organization (ILO), 26 June.
(c) “Migrant workers and COVID-19”, webinar organized by the ILO, 26 June.
(d) Second annual meeting of the United Nations Network on Migration,
15–16 December 2020 (virtual conference).

Market access and trade preferences

120. With regard to GSP and other trade preferences, UNCTAD has continued to
promote enhanced awareness among developing countries on ways to better utilize the
preferences available under GSP and other preferential schemes through the periodic
provision of information on a dedicated website, administrative support on certificates of
origin, collection of data, publication of handbooks on GSP schemes and technical
cooperation and capacity-building services. UNCTAD ensured the dissemination of
relevant information by updating and revising GSP handbooks of individual GSPs and
related schemes and preparing related studies. In 2020, the following publication were
prepared: GSP Handbook of Canada and GSP Handbook of Japan. UNCTAD also
continued to compile and update the GSP database based on data submitted by GSP donor
countries, which provide useful information on trade conducted under each preferential
scheme. Going forward, the Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy Branch, in
cooperation with Trade Analysis Branch and Division for Africa, Least Developed
Countries and Special Programmes, will intensify its efforts to disseminate GSP
preferential trade data.
121. With regard to GSTP, UNCTAD continued to act as the secretariat of the Global
System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP) providing support to the
participants in the operation of GSTP Agreement and their efforts to revitalize the GSTP as
a unique platform of South–South trade cooperation. Outreach efforts were conducted to
raise awareness on the necessity of revitalizing GSTP. For instance, the Group of 77 and
China was briefed on its stakes and issues under GSTP (17 December). A special event is
being proposed on GSTP at the fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development.

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122. Results and impacts. Through its integrated analytical and capacity-building
activities UNCTAD has strengthened capacities of developing countries and countries with
economies in transition in participating in the multilateral and regional trade negotiations to
integrate beneficially into the global economy and the international trading system.
UNCTAD assistance enhanced ability of policymakers and trade negotiators of developing
countries and countries in transition to under the emerging issues arising in the international
trading system, such as the WTO reform, especially the WTO debate on categorization of
developing countries in the use of special and differential treatment in future trade
agreements, and the importance of aligning the multilateral and regional or bilateral trade
agreements with the national goals of inclusive and sustained development. UNCTAD
intervention has had sustained positive strong impact in strengthening human, institutional,
and regulatory capacities in trade negotiations in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition.
123. UNCTAD successfully supported the accession negotiations of a number of
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The following
beneficiaries under the General Trust Fund for WTO Accession recently became WTO
members: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Liberia and Seychelles. These countries expressed
appreciation for UNCTAD assistance. UNCTAD continued to receive an increasing
number of requests for support on WTO accession from a variety of countries, including
LDCs (Comoros, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). To
meet the needs of acceding countries, it is necessary to secure adequate funding for
technical assistance on WTO accession.
124. UNCTAD work on services, trade and development has helped developing countries
better understand this area, and the potential opportunities this field can provide. Greater
synergy was created between the three pillars of UNCTAD work on services. UNCTAD
support to trade policymakers and trade negotiators in continuing to articulate their interests
in the multilateral, regional and bilateral services negotiations helped them to maintain the
development focus in the negotiations. The developmental benefits of international
migration and related remittances have received added emphasis from UNCTAD in the
light of its growing impact on development prospects. UNCTAD support helped countries
and regional integration groupings to ensure greater coherence in priorities pursued
multilaterally, regionally, and bilaterally. UNCTAD assistance was important in facilitating
enhanced extensive multi-stakeholder consultations on services development. Sharing of
experiences and lessons learnt had been a special feature of UNCTAD support, which was
repeatedly appreciated by member States.
125. UNCTAD support in the area of market access and trade preferences has contributed
to building the knowledge base and to wider dissemination of GSP-related information,
including through the preparation of GSP handbooks, and collection and analysis of GSP
trade data, as well as improved understanding and awareness of GSP among exporters and
government officials in some individual beneficiary countries. UNCTAD contributed to
making LDC preferences more effective, so that they better contribute to the Programme of
Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020 and further, towards
achieving the Goals. UNCTAD support provided to GSTP participants has ensured the
operation of the Agreement and effective follow-up of the Sao Paulo Round results towards
its effective implementation by the signatories. Further efforts are needed towards effective
implementation of the Sao Paulo Round results, which could provide an important impetus
for robust expansion of South–South trade and deepening South–South cooperation.

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A10 Sustainable trade and the environment

Table A10
Sustainable trade and the environment

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

INT/0T/7BS Climate change programme 2007– Norway

INT/0T/EBF BioTrade facilitation programme, phase III 2015– Switzerland

INT/0T/HAI BioTrade Facilitation Programme: Linking 2019– Switzerland

trade, biodiversity and sustainable
development

INT/0T/HBD Sustainable manufacturing and 2018– United

environmental pollution programme Kingdom of
Great Britain
and Northern
Ireland
ROA-1819 Evidence-based and policy coherent oceans 2018– Development
(K11) economy and trade strategies Account

126. Development context. The Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development

recognized that countries’ transition to a green economy can make increasing contributions
to sustainable development and poverty eradication through economic diversification,
employment creation, export earnings, environmental protection and social equity.
Sustainable products, defined as internationally traded goods and services that are
sustainably produced and promote sustainable consumption, offer considerable export
opportunities for developing countries. Many sustainable products are produced in rural
areas by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by lower- and medium-skill workers
including women and youth, and their production can contribute significantly to
environmental protection, efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, conservation of
biodiversity, economic diversification, job creation and poverty reduction in economically
marginalized rural areas of developing countries. To seize these new inclusive and
sustainable growth opportunities, developing countries need strengthened capacity to
identify their production and export strengths for sustainable products, sustainable use and
trade of biodiversity-derived products and services, and put into place national policies,
regulations and institutions needed to create an enabling environment for their production
and export.
127. Objectives/features. Programmes and initiatives on sustainable trade and the
environment aim to strengthen the capacity of developing countries in designing and
implementing mutually supportive trade, environment, climate change and sustainable
development strategies while integrating sustainable development objectives at all levels.
UNCTAD explores the trade opportunities arising from multilateral environmental
agreements, as well as trade and environment-related negotiations. It promotes sustainable
trade in sectors that contribute to further economic growth, job creation and opportunities
for social inclusion, and biodiversity conservation. UNCTAD work is based on requests
from developing countries to examine the development impact and economic repercussions
of existing and potential multilateral environmental agreements, as well as trade and
environment negotiations and how best to address the challenges and seize the
opportunities related to trade. Guided by the Sustainable Development Goals and the
principles under the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, UNCTAD facilitates multilateral and expert processes in areas in which
the environmental aspect is central to trade. Making economic growth compatible with

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sustainable development requires adequate policies and mechanisms, and UNCTAD

programmes and initiatives on sustainable trade and the environment work towards
stimulating economic diversification, creating jobs, raising income levels, fostering
environmental protection and conserving biodiversity resources, thereby improving living
standards.
128. Outputs. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, UNCTAD was able to
implement technical cooperation activities by using advanced communication technology in
organizing meetings and seminars as well as in undertaking advisory services and
consultations through virtual platforms. Efforts were undertaken to adjust its work
programme and included COVID-19 in its research and analysis, consensus-building and
technical cooperation activities.
129. Under the climate change programme, UNCTAD published the Trade and
Environment Review 2021 on trade-climate readiness for developing countries, and a
research paper on climate change, sustainability transitions and trade.
130. UNCTAD, as requested by China and Fiji, prepared and submitted an analysis on
trade in plastics sustainability and development to the World Trade Organization’s
Committee on Trade and Environment (WTO CTE). The analysis aimed at assisting WTO
Members in their discussions of “trade, plastic pollution and a sustainable plastics
economy” and transitions to a more circular economy. It considers the developing
countries’ shift from plastic production to the development of sunrise industries of plastic
substitutes with low environmental footprint, recyclable, biodegradable or subject to
erosion, such as natural fibres and agricultural wastes. The UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative
and its partners contributed to the United Nations Environmental Management Group
(EMG) report entitled A United Nations System Commitment for Action to stop the Loss of
Biodiversity and a background concept of the United Nations Biodiversity Summit.
131. UNCTAD continued to coordinate the Global BioTrade Programme: Linking trade,
biodiversity and sustainable development and provided technical assistance in
implementing BioTrade in Africa, Asia and Latin America. BioTrade experiences, lessons
learned and methodologies were disseminated in different events organized by partners and
other organizations in the Latin America and the Caribbean and Mekong regions.
UNCTAD also held dialogues with BioTrade stakeholders and partners in disseminating
best practices of how BioTrade is enhancing companies’ resilience to COVID-19. The
Third Stakeholders’ Steering Committee (SSC) meeting was held on 5 May 2020 via
Webex. The meeting provided a platform for international coordination in promoting sector
collaboration, coordinating joint initiatives in more than 60 countries, identifying and
addressing emerging issues and sharing knowledge, lessons learned and best practices. The
2020 BioTrade Principles and Criteria and a biotrade self-assessment tool were launched on
16 November 2020. The updated BioTrade Principles and Criteria strengthens UNCTAD
work in mainstreaming biotrade in relevant multilateral, regional and national processes,
and in building the case of the positive role that trade can play when conducted under
environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria. In collaboration with the
Development Statistics and Information Branch (DSIB) of UNCTAD, a trade and
biodiversity mechanism was developed to assist BioTrade partners, actors and key
stakeholders in developing their activities. It could also provide them with data on trade
flows of biodiversity-based products from 2007, which could be useful in their reporting in
other national and international processes, including the post-2020 global biodiversity
framework. A pilot exercise with 14 countries and over 140 HS codes was completed in
early 2020. This served as the basis in upscaling the mechanism to cover all countries and
biodiversity-based products.
132. UNCTAD launched the project “Seizing the trade and business potential of blue
biotrade products for promoting sustainable livelihoods and conservation of marine
biodiversity in selected Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries” on
7 October 2020. The project aims at promoting trade and investment in marine biological
resources using the 2020 BioTrade Principles and Criteria. It is jointly implemented by
UNCTAD and OECS in cooperation with the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

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133. UNCTAD continued to implement the Development Account project on Oceans

Economy and Trade Strategies – OETS (1819K) aimed at building capacity in identifying
oceans-based products and services with potential in Barbados, Belize and Costa Rica.
Online consultations with the focal points in the beneficiary countries were held on the
impacts of COVID-19 on the value chains being analysed. UNCTAD also conducted
policy-oriented research on Sustainable Development Goal 14 and sustainable fisheries
value chains, blue biotrade, fish subsidies negotiations, blue economy and COVID-19 and a
2020 oceans economy classification. In Barbados, the Second National Stakeholder
Workshop to discuss and validate the Oceans Economy and Trade Strategy was held from
3 to 4 March 2020 in Bridgetown. The OETS strategy and the derived plan of action will
work towards increasing the value and sustainability of tuna exports. The Oceans Economy
and Trade Strategy of Belize was published in November 2020. The report assesses the
economic potential and regulatory needs for the marine fisheries (finfish) and seafood
processing sectors (queen conch and spiny lobster). It also presents an action plan that
enables sustainable trade in these sectors. In Costa Rica, a training webinar on the
experiences in the use of distinctive signs and traceability systems in the country’s fisheries
sector was held on 24 November 2020. The webinar provided a platform to share
experiences in using various forms of distinctive signs as a marketing tool in promoting the
origin, quality and sustainability of fish and seafood products in Costa Rica.
134. Under the work on Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP)
Programme, UNCTAD published the report entitled “Manufacturing Pollution in
sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: Implications for the environment, health and future
work”. It examines impacts on human health and ecosystems arising from manufacturing
pollution in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The results from this scoping study will be
used to inform and further define the scope of research calls to be commissioned under the
SMEP programme.
135. Under the European Union-UNCTAD joint Programme of support for Angola to
strengthen and diversify its economy towards more sustainable products, UNCTAD
organized a webinar on cooperation for apiculture development in Angola on 29 July 2020.
Fifty representatives from the country’s private sector, Government of Angola and
academia participated in the webinar, where national experts provided a diagnostic of the
Angolan honey sector and four Brazilian experts shared their experiences in upgrading
production for certification and exports. Despite the challenges brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic, the capacity-building seminar reached eight remote provinces.
Producers, university professors and government representatives from eight provinces
actively engaged in the training. Bridging of the digital gap will continue through delivery
of the training to additional provinces and beneficiaries, as well as follow-up mentoring.
136. In increasing the awareness and understanding of issues related to sustainable trade
and the environment by public and private stakeholders, UNCTAD organized and/or
participated in various seminars, workshops, conferences as well as relevant discussions of
international development processes. A complete list of events is below:
(a) Second National Stakeholder Workshop: Discussion and validation of an
Oceans Economy and Trade Strategy for Barbados toward a sustainable tuna value chain,
3 to 4 March 2020, Bridgetown, Barbados;
(b) Circular Economy Symposium at Harvard, 6 March 2020;
(c) Webinar on the Blue Economy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: new
challenges, recovery measures and resilience, 4 June 2020;
(d) Webinars on the Trade and Biodiversity mechanism for Latin America,
10 June 2020 and for the Mekong region, India and Europe on 12 June 2020;
(e) Participation in the panel 2020 GlobalChem Webinar Series: Part 9 –
Sustainability: A New Benchmark for Chemicals and Chemical Regulation?, 1 July 2020;
(f) UNCTAD presentation of an analysis of trade in plastics, sustainability and
development to the World Trade Organization’s trade and environment committee, 3 July
2020;

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(g) Participation in the panel Nexus Dialogue on COVID-19 and the

Environment: Pollution and Waste, 14 July 2020;
(h) Webinar on Cooperation for Apiculture Development in Angola, 29 July
2020;
(i) Informal e-session between the Commission for the Promotion of BioTrade
(Peru) and UNCTAD on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, 15 September 2020;
(j) Biodiversity and Trade Webinar I – Sustainable guidelines for biodiversity,
23 September 2020;
(k) Trade, biodiversity and natural resources: What role for trade policy in a new
deal for nature?, 29 September 2020;
(l) Trade and trade policy in the fight against plastic pollution: What are the
challenges and opportunities?, 30 September 2020;
(m) Launch of the project “Seizing the trade and business potential of Blue
BioTrade in selected Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries”,
7 October 2020;
(n) 15th Global Forum on Human Settlements, 15–16 October 2020;
(o) Trade and Biodiversity Webinar II: Sustainable guidelines for biodiversity-
based value chains in Latin America and the Caribbean (via Zoom), 28 October 2020;
(p) Towards model provisions for trade in times of crisis and pandemic in
regional and other trade agreements, 29 October 2020;
(q) Webinar Launch of the 2020 BioTrade Principles and Criteria: Making
sustainable trade part of the solution, 16 November 2020;
(r) Think2030 conference: Circular economy in aid of global recovery panel, 17
November 2020; and
(s) Webinar on the Experiences in the use of distinctive signs and traceability
systems in the fisheries sector of Costa Rica, 24 November 2020.
137. The following reports, publications and opinion pieces were prepared:
(a) Economic and trade aspects of fisheries and coastal and marine
environmental services sectors in Barbados – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/INF/2020/1;
(b) The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Blue Economy: New challenges and
prospects for recovery and resilience – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/INF/2020/2;
(c) Oceans Economy and Trade Strategy – Costa Rica: Tuna, Seabream,
Swordfish and Coastal Fish Sectors – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/INF/2020/3;16
(d) Towards an Effective and Practical Verification and Transparency
Mechanism on the Utilization of Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge
in Intellectual Property System of Viet Nam – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/INF/2020/4;
(e) Oceans Economy and Trade Strategy: Belize marine fisheries and seafood
processing sectors – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/INF/2020/5;
(f) Guidelines and Model Clauses on Access and Benefit-Sharing and BioTrade
in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2020/1;
(g) BioTrade Principles and Criteria – for Terrestrial, Marine and Other Aquatic
Biodiversity-based Products and Services – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2020/2;
(h) Trade and Environment Review 2021: Trade-Climate Readiness for
Developing Countries – UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2020/3;
(i) Climate change, sustainability transitions and trade –
UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2020/4;
(j) Op-ed on the environmental impacts of coronavirus crisis, challenges ahead;

16 Unofficial translation of original Spanish.

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(k) Op-ed on the opportunities of COVID-19 in making fishing industries more

sustainable;
(l) How to craft a strong WTO deal on fishing subsidies – commentary on the
WTO fish subsidies text for a potential agreement on tackling harmful fish subsidies.
138. Results. UNCTAD submission of the analysis on trade in plastics sustainability and
development to the WTO opened an opportunity for UNCTAD to be a major player on the
topic of trade in plastics at the WTO CTE, the Conference of the Parties to the Basel
Convention and other international forums. Research on the potential and trade trends of
plastic substitutes could be carried out in this regard.
139. In the wake of the pandemic, the BioTrade Stakeholders Steering Committee
members have issued a call to action urging countries to use BioTrade as a lever for
recovery and resilience. One small company in Myanmar has acknowledged that adopting
the BioTrade Principles and Criteria earlier on in their operations made them resilient to the
business challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
140. Biotrade’s importance was recognized by the biodiversity-related Multilateral
Environmental Agreements (MEAs), particularly in the decisions of the Conferences of the
Parties to CITES and the draft long-term strategic framework for capacity development to
support implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD).
141. The implementation of UNCTAD programmes on sustainable trade and the
environment is anchored on partnerships with like-minded organizations and institutions in
delivering results. In implementing the work on oceans economy and fisheries, partnerships
proved crucial in developing a coherent strategy, coordinating actions, and implementing
activities in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14. Partnerships with BioTrade
practitioners and stakeholders in the conservation and sustainable use of biological
resources and trade of its derived products and services played an important role in further
strengthening governance frameworks, mechanisms, and networks in scaling up the
BioTrade agenda.

A11 Investment promotion and facilitation

Table A11
Investment promotion and facilitation

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/1BN Capacity-building in investment promotion 2001– Multi-donors

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-Building in Investment for 2011– Multi-donors

Development

ROA-1819 Facilitating investment into Sustainable 2018– Development

(M11) Development Goals sectors in developing Account
countries

142. Development context. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a critical source of

finance for developing countries, but the competition for FDI is fierce. This has resulted in
proactive policies to attract and retain foreign investment, including investment in
Sustainable Development Goal sectors, in order to generate inclusive and sustainable
economic growth and build resilient infrastructure while safeguarding the environment.
143. Objectives and features. UNCTAD work on investment promotion aims to assist
developing countries in strengthening their capacity to create and manage the policy and
institutional framework for attracting and retaining foreign investment and in developing an
operating climate in which international business can thrive and contribute to sustainable
development. The investment promotion programme provides tailor-made training,
advisory and networking services, and prepares publications related to investment policies,

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investment promotion strategies and practices, investment facilitation, aftercare services,

and institutional arrangements and good governance in attracting and retaining sustainable
FDI. Special attention is being paid to strengthening investment promotion programmes in
least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small
island developing States (SIDS).
144. Outputs: In 2020, the main outputs of the programme were as detailed below.

Publications and training material

145. Investing in the Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Diplomats. This
publication in the Investment Advisory Series is a handbook for diplomats and commercial
attachés on the role that the diplomatic service can play in promoting and facilitating
Sustainable Development Goal-related projects. It includes examples of best international
practices, listings of potential stakeholders, diplomat’s checklists and practical tools.
146. Investment Promotion Agencies: Striving to Overcome the COVID-19 Challenge.
This advisory report for investment promotion agencies (IPAs) on COVID-19 related
challenges and remedies includes results from an UNCTAD survey on the online response
of IPAs to the pandemic and a selection of innovative and proactive measures that IPAs had
taken in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
147. Special Economic Zones and Urbanization is an UNCTAD–UN-Habitat discussion
paper on the links between special economic zones (SEZs) and sustainable urbanization.
The paper includes examples from different countries and continents, and recommendations
on how to maximize mutual benefits between zones and sustainable urban development.
148. Post-COVID-19: Investment Promotion Agencies and the “New Normal”. This issue
in the IPA Observer series looks at emerging IPA trends in the “new normal”, including
changes in strategies with new target sectors, adjustments in the use of investment
promotion and facilitation practices, the servicing of new client groups and more attention
for strategic partnerships.
149. Mainstreaming Gender Equality in Investment Promotion. Based on an UNCTAD
IPA survey on gender, this issue in the IPA Observer series looks at the way that IPAs
integrate women’s empowerment in the investment promotion workflow and how they
support gender equality in-house. The publication includes case studies and practices from
around the globe that could inform IPAs on how to advance gender equality and
Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Workshops, seminars and conferences

150. On 11 February 2020, as a side event at the World Urban Forum 10 in Abi Dhabi,
UNCTAD held a session on Urbanization and the Role of SEZs that included panel
discussions with experts from UNCTAD, UN-Habitat, Masdar City and the private sector.
151. On 7 April 2020, a brainstorm session of heads of IPAs was held to discuss and
advise IPAs on the immediate response to the COVID-19 crisis. Over 20 agencies from
Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas participated. This webinar was the first
brainstorming meeting of IPA Executives from across the globe on challenges and actions
that IPAs could take as a response to the health crisis, national lockdowns and travel bans.
152. On 27 May 2020, a regional webinar was held for the East African Community
(EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) IPAs entitled “Towards
Post COVID-19: IPAs Adapting to the New Normal”. The webinar brought together over
80 participants from 15 African countries. Panellists represented UNCTAD, the secretariats
of the EAC and SADC as well as business councils and 9 IPAs from both regions. On
30 June 2020, a similar regional webinar was held in collaboration with Caribbean
Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) and the Caribbean Export
Development Agency for over 90 officials from IPAs of 19 Caribbean countries and
territories. The panel included high-level officials from IPAs from the Caribbean and
Mauritius as well as from CAIPA and private sector entities.

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153. On 18 September 2020, the P166 short course Investing in the Sustainable
Development Goals: The Role of Diplomats was held at the Palais des Nations for
delegates of permanent mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva and the World
Trade Organization. The interactive course provided diplomats with a general background
on FDI trends worldwide, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on FDI prospects and
investment promotion, and the promotion of investment in Goal-related projects with best
practices and tools for diplomats. The course had over 20 participants from 16 countries.
154. On 7 and 8 December 2020, over 800 officials from IPAs and SEZs, policy makers,
private sector executives and other investment stakeholders from across the world
participated in the Global Investment Promotion Conference, an UNCTAD World
Investment Forum satellite event that was organized in partnership with the World
Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). The virtual conference brought
together state leaders, ministers, and high-level executives from leading global companies,
international finance institutions and private sector groups, as well as Chief Executive
Officers from IPAs and SEZs. Discussions focussed on the shape of the investment
promotion and facilitation landscape beyond the pandemic.
155. In 2020, a large number of online substantive interventions on investment promotion
and facilitation were organized by or with partner organizations, including the Annual
Investment Meeting (AIM), the ANIMA Network of Mediterranean IPAs, Belarus National
Agency for Investment and Privatization, CARICOM, CAIPA, ECLAC, ILO, the Jamaica
Promotions Cooperation (JAMPRO), the Government of Curaçao, the Ibero-American
Network of Export Promotion and Investment Attraction Entities (REDIBERO),
UN-Habitat and WAIPA.

Advisory services and best practice exchanges

156. The UNCTAD investment promotion programme created and monitored a database
on the online response of 180 IPAs to the COVID-19 crisis. Based on this data, an
international panel of judges selected three winners of the United Nations Investment
Promotion Awards 2020 for Excellence in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis. On
7 December 2020, the winning agencies received the awards during an UNCTAD global
investment promotion conference. The winners were the Estonian Investment Agency,
Invest India and the Rwanda Development Board.
157. UNCTAD conducted a survey on Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Women’s
Empowerment in Investment Promotion. Fifty-two IPAs participated in the survey, and
several were interviewed on whether and how IPAs are introducing gender issues in their
day-to-day work. From all the information collected, a publication was prepared in the IPA
Observer series. In addition, the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) was
identified as a best practice agency and received a Special Recognition for Mainstreaming
Gender in Investment Promotion, from UNCTAD on 7 December 2020.
158. In May 2020, advisory services were provided to PRONACOM, the IPA of
Guatemala, on the strengthening of investor aftercare services through online consultations.
In August 2020, UNCTAD participated in an online discussion with senior management of
the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and other investment stakeholders in
Jamaica on adapting and transforming investment promotion beyond the COVID-19 crisis.
UNCTAD also provided comments to the green paper of the Government of Jamaica, on
national investment policy.
159. The UNCTAD sustainablefdi.org website is specifically designed for IPA
professionals, policymakers and other investment stakeholders. It features a resource centre,
UNCTAD activities on sustainable FDI, a network of IPA contacts, training material, and a
new window on the United Nations Investment Promotion Awards, showcasing best
practices. Over the year 2020, the sustainablefdi.org platform had 3,318 visitors with a total
of 14,544 page views. The visitors were from 167 countries, including 152 developing
countries.
160. Results and impact. In 2020, over 1,200 IPA officials, SEZ representatives,
diplomats and other investment stakeholders participated in UNCTAD investment
promotion training sessions and global meetings. Other online events by partner

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organization in which UNCTAD made substantive interventions on investment promotion

and facilitation had another 1,000 participants. Comments from IPAs and IPA associations
received included:
(a) “Thank you for the wonderful presentation ……These sessions provide our
Investment Promotion Agency with valuable information and further reference we can use
to realize the Agency’s mandate in the most productive way in order to attract foreign
investment and promote exports.” Moldovan Investment and Export Promotion
Organization.
(b) “This was very useful, especially for Zimbabwe as we have just established a
new IPA. The presentations will assist us as we strategize for the new organization. The
IPAs presented varied practical solutions to COVID-19 that are easy to replicate and
implement.” Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency.
(c) “It [UNCTAD’s Global Investment Promotion Conference] is an excellent
opportunity to showcase the work of the IPAs as well as to share best practices and lessons
learned.” PROPANAMA, Panama.
(d) “The webinar was excellent. It gave us a good perspective on the post-
COVID-19 environment and the possible options the Caribbean can consider in moving
forward.” CAIPA secretariat.
161. Selection of other reactions to UNCTAD’s investment promotion programme
activities in 2020:
(a) “Congratulations to Invest India for winning the 2020 United Nations
Investment Promotion Award given by UNCTAD. This is a testimony to our Government’s
focus on making India the world’s preferred investment destination and improving ease of
doing business.” Prime Minister of India.
(b) “I would like to acknowledge UNCTAD for their continued efforts in
facilitating these exchanges and fostering greater cooperation and dialogue amongst
countries on investment promotion. They do a tremendous job.” Minister of Investment of
the United Kingdom.
(c) “Thank you so much for sending me that excellent publication on investment
promotion during COVID-19. I have shared it with my colleagues back home, and we are
finding it very useful indeed.” Ambassador of Namibia to Belgium, the Netherlands and
Luxembourg.
(d) “Creating markets and creating bankable projects will be key for a resilient
recovery. Thanks @UNCTAD for hosting such a positive, solution-focused Global
Investment Promotion Conference + awards!” Vice-President of the International Finance
Corporation.
162. Cooperation with partner organizations was strengthened during the COVID-19
crisis, particularly with investment promotion associations. A series of joint events were
organized with the ANIMA network of Mediterranean IPAs, CAIPA and WAIPA.
Cooperation with United Nations entities was also strengthened, including with the
Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF/WTO), ILO, UN-DESA, UNOHRLLS and UNIDO.

A99 Other

Table A99
Other

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Division on Investment and Enterprise

INT/0T/3AO Support to the UNCTAD–International 2003– Multi-donors

Chamber of Commerce Investment
Advisory Council

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-building in investment for 2011– Multi-donors

development

RAS/0T/EAY ASEAN Investment Report 2015–2017 2015– Association of

Southeast
Asian Nations

INT/0T/HCJ Strategic Partnership the Netherlands 2018– Netherlands

INT/0H/WIF WIF Abu Dhabi 2020 2020– United Arab
Emirates

Division on International Trade and Commodities

INT/0T/IBM 4th UNFSS Flagship Report on Voluntary 2020– United

Sustainable Nations
Forum on
Sustainability
Standards

ROA-1617 Fostering the development of green exports 2016– Development

(AI10) through voluntary sustainability standards Account
in Asia and the Pacific

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

Division on Globalization and Development Strategies

INT/0T/HBY South–South Integration and the 2019– Department of

[Sustainable Development Goals] SDGs: Economic and
Enhancing Structural Transformation in Social Affairs
key partner countries of the Belt and Road
Initiative

INT/0T/HCD Reclaiming multilateralism for global 2018– Public

development donation

ROA-1617 Development policies for sustainable 2017– Development

(L10) economic growth in Southern Africa Account

1. Trade and creative economy

163. Development context. Over the last fifteen years, the topic of creative economy has
become well-inserted into the international economic and development agenda. Today,
creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in world trade. UNCTAD research
shows that between 2010 and 2015, creative goods exports outpaced global merchandise
exports. In terms of creative services, exports had an annual growth rate of 4 per cent
between 2011 and 2015. 17 The creative economy generates jobs, innovation and trade,
while contributing to social inclusion and cultural diversity.
164. Recognition of the scope, role, and impact of the creative economy on countries’
socio-economic development has only accelerated, alongside increased demand for insight
into the creative economy. The creative economy is thus increasingly high on both the
global agenda and that of emerging and developing economies seeking to diversify their
economies.

17 https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditcted2018d3_en.pdf

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165. In December 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted for the first time
a resolution on the creative economy (A/RES/74/198). This resolution, which was
co-sponsored by 81 countries and agreed by consensus, highlights the creative economy as
an important tool for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and declares
2021 the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. This
resolution gives UNCTAD the mandate to inform the General Assembly in a dedicated
section of the Creative Economy Outlook of UNCTAD on how the implementation of
General Assembly resolution 74/198 “is aligned with and advances the 2030 Agenda,
including recommendations on concrete actions that would help Member States and the
United Nations system to accelerate their efforts in the implementation of the Agenda”. 18
166. Objectives and features. Since the creation of the Creative Economy Programme in
2004, UNCTAD has played a leading role in supporting developing countries to enhance
understanding of the economic contribution of the creative industries from a trade and
development perspective through capacity-building, analysis and consensus-building.
167. The programme’s core focus is on trade in the creative industries and the role of the
creative economy in the growth of developing economies. UNCTAD data-driven insights
on trade in creative goods and services make a unique contribution to understanding the
creative economy.
168. Reliable and consistent data on the trade in creative goods and services remain the
key drivers of the UNCTAD creative economy programme. A key component of the
UNCTAD Creative Economy Programme is its proprietary statistical database on trade in
creative goods and services. The data offering is one of our key unique selling points.
However, data need to be interpreted, analysed and used to inform decision-making at both
a policy and practical level. Flowing from UNCTAD data offering on the creative economy
are a range of services that make use of this data to provide effective support for member
States that is aligned with the three pillars of UNCTAD, including (a) advisory services;
(b) policy-orientated research; (c) improving market access; (d) building synergies;
(e) intergovernmental debates; (f) promoting entrepreneurship; (g) capacity-building; and
(h) sharing knowledge.
169. The UNCTAD creative economy programme generates economic information
through a trade lens, to understand past trends and project into the future and to promote
data-led understanding of trade in creative goods and services, intellectual property, ideas
and imagination. This information is translated into insight for countries wanting to expand
and support their creative economies. It also:
(a) Promotes the creative economy as a new source of growth;
(b) Supports government initiatives for the development of integrated creative
economy public policies and institution-building;
(c) Liaises with Governments, artists, creators, academia and civil society to
strengthen the creative economy in developing countries;
(d) Provides demand-driven policy advice and technical assistance to
Governments;
(e) Builds synergies within the United Nations system through the United
Nations Multi-Agency Informal Group on Creative Industries;
(f) Organizes and/or participates in international conferences, national seminars
or sectoral workshops;
(g) Promotes networking through the UNCTAD creative economy network;
(h) Contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,
especially Goals 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 16.19

18 A/RES/74/198, paragraph 6, 19 December 2019.

19 Goal 3 “Good Health and Well-Being for People”, Goal, 8 “Decent work and economic growth”,
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation»,
Goal 11: “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”,

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170. Outputs and results. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals,
UNCTAD (a) contributed to the research on the current opportunities and challenges of
“Finance for cultural and creative industries in Africa“ in cooperation with Hatch Africa
and conducted peer review of research findings; (b) engaged virtually with counterparts of
the U20 Taskforce 2 (i.e. Inclusive Prosperous Communities) to provide feedback in the
peer view of the White Paper and Policy Recommendations entitled “Inclusive Creative
Economy and the Future of Work“; (c) contributed to the Creativity, Culture & Capital
platform and publication to showcase the potential of impact investment in the creative
economy to drive social and environmental change in collaboration with Nesta,
Compromise Foundation and Upstart Co-Lab; and (d) continued on-going research on
methodologies to measure creative industries in developing countries.
171. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the creative economy
(A/RES/74/198) requests the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development in consultation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization and relevant entities of the United Nations system, to inform the General
Assembly at its seventy-seventh session of the implementation of the present resolution,
through a dedicated section of the Creative Economy Outlook (UNCTAD), elaborating in
particular on how the resolution is aligned with and advances the 2030 Agenda. UNCTAD
established an informal group of United Nations agencies with proposed issues for
contribution to the Creative Economy Outlook which will report back to the General
Assembly in 2022.
172. In 2020, UNCTAD contributed to following webinars:
(a) Panel “Alone Together: Culture and Resilience”, Abu Dhabi, 9 April 2020.
The event was organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism. The discussions
addressed how cultural organisations can endure this period of shutdown and what needs to
be done to support institutions and artists. UNCTAD is part of the Culture Summit partners
which include the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, the Royal Academy of
Arts, The Economist Events, Google, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Emirates Diplomatic Academy
and Berklee Abu Dhabi20.
(b) Webinar “COVID-19 and the creative economy: challenges and
opportunities”, Indonesia, 26 August 2020. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic affected
all sectors of life as it posts challenges to most countries in the world. Faced with this
unprecedented situation, the meeting served as a platform to exchange views and share best
practices on how to deal with this pandemic while improving the economy.
(c) Webinars “The 14th International Fair for Trade in Services and Fifth edition
of the Beijing Forum on Creative Economy: Scientific and technological innovation
promoting a sustainable future”, Beijing, 7 September 2020. The events were organized
jointly with Beijing Municipal Government and the World Trade Point Federation in the
framework of the 2020 China Trade in Services Fair (CIFTIS).
(d) Webinar “The Festival Academy: Sustainability and the arts sector in a time
of COVID-19”, Belgium, 24 September 2020. The event had 45 participants from
36 countries and 5 continents.
(e) UNCTAD Trade Policy Dialogue (online): “Elements of a policy mix for
trade-led recovery: Services, creative economy, and making the best of trade agreements”,
organized by the Division on International Trade and Commodities (DITC) for the Group
of 77 and China, 16 November 2020.

Interagency collaboration events

173. In collaboration with UNDP Malaysia, UNCTAD contributed to the webinar
“Malaysia’s adoption of the United Nations International Year on Creative Economy for
Sustainable Development 2021”, which was held in Malaysia on 26 October 2020. The

Goal 17: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for
sustainable development”.
20 See https://www.culturesummitabudhabi.com/en/about-us.aspx.

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objective of the live forum was to celebrate the United Nations resolution on creative
economy, raise awareness of its importance, promote cooperation and networking,
encourage the sharing of best practices and experiences and promote an enabling
environment at all levels and address the challenges faced by the COVID-19.
174. In collaboration with ITU and the Wallonia-Brussels General Delegation, and in the
framework of the ITU Forum AI For Good, UNCTAD contributed to the workshop “Future
Challenges for AI and the Creative Economy: Societal Impacts of Machines, Intellectual
Property, and Development towards 2030”, held on 16 December 2020.

Sustainable development
175. UNCTAD participated in the Steering Committee meeting of the United Nations
Alliance for Sustainable Fashion on 28 October 2020. The United Nations Alliance for
Sustainable Fashion is an initiative of United Nations agencies and allied organizations
designed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals through coordinated action in
the fashion sector. Specifically, the Alliance works to support coordination between United
Nations bodies working in fashion and promotes projects and policies that ensure that the
fashion value chain contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal
targets.

Expert meetings and forums

176. Senior Official Meeting of the Friends of Creative Economy on 11 and 12
November 2020. The meeting, which was held to prepare for the implementation of the
International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021, was attended
by 112 delegates from 55 countries and 8 international organizations, including UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNDP and ASEAN. The meeting also discussed the impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic on the creative economy, and how efforts to strengthen the revival and resilience
of the creative economy sector might contribute to global economic recovery. The meeting
requested UNCTAD to set up an online form where various stakeholders can upload details
of their events and to share this information with United Nations agencies, member States
and other stakeholders.

European Union-UNCTAD joint Programme for Angola: Creative economy component

177. The UNCTAD creative economy component under the European Union–UNCTAD
joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II is intended to support the Government’s
objectives to promote the cultural and creative industries of Angola and encourage
economic diversification. It will directly contribute to the implementation of Programme
1.7.2: “Promotion of Cultural and Creative Arts and Industries” under the National
Development Plan 2018–2022 of Angola.21 The objectives of the Angola creative economy
component, which are in line with the objectives of the overall Train for Trade II
Programme, are: (a) to assess the trade (export) potential of the creative economy of
Angola; (b) to identify key bottlenecks that undermine efforts to harness the socioeconomic
potential of the creative economy of Angola; and (c) to build the institutional and human
capacities of Angola to formulate and implement policies and strategies to unlock binding
constraints.
178. In 2020, under creative economy component UNCTAD carried out following
activities:
179. High-Level Virtual Meeting: Creative Economy Component: Cultural and creative
industries, 18 May 2020. The first working meeting of this project took place remotely on
18 May bringing together representatives of the Government of Angola, the European
Union and UNCTAD. The aim of the meeting was to present the creative economy
component of the Train for Trade II programme, its structure, workplan and technical team,
as well as to collect contributions from different government officials and define the next
stages of work.

21 Angola, National Development Plan 2018–2022, Programa 1.7.2: Fomento da Arte e das Indústrias
Culturais e Criativas, April 2018, p. 117.

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180. First National Conversation on Creative Economy for Government representatives

in Angola, 6 October 2020. The First National Conversation was held to enable
Government stakeholders to express their views over the first phase of the project lifecycle
and to present for discussion and feedback the following documents:
(a) A draft report showing the importance of the cultural and creative industries
(CCIs) for Angolan economic diversification; a suggestion of sectors and subsectors of
CCIs to be discussed and adopted in Angola; a diagnosis of the support infrastructures and
policies most relevant to the sector in Angola; a systematic analysis of the value chain of
the main CCIs sectors in the country, as well as a SWOT analysis of Angolan CCIs;
(b) Two draft technical notes: (I) The international dimension of the cultural and
creative industries: Image, export and investment; and (II) Cultural and creative tourism;
(c) An action plan including measures to be adopted jointly by the Government
of Angola, cultural and creative entrepreneurs, associations, foundations and private
enterprises from other areas that can support the cultural and creative industries;
(d) Suggestion on content materials and desired outcomes for training modules.
181. Valuable comments and feedback were provided by the stakeholders directed to
improving the documents presented.
182. First National Conversation on Creative Economy for private sector representatives
in Angola, 6 October 2020. The First National Conversation was held to enable private
sector stakeholders to express their views over the first phase of the project lifecycle and to
present for discussion and feedback the following documents: i) Mapping of the creative
industries in Angola; b) two technical notes: (I) The International Dimension of the Cultural
and Creative Industries: Image, Export and Investment, and (II) Cultural and Creative
Tourism; and c) An Action Plan including measures to be adopted jointly by the Angolan
Government, cultural and creative entrepreneurs, associations, foundations and private
enterprises from other areas that can support the cultural and creative industries. Valuable
comments and feedback were provided by the stakeholders directed to improving the
documents presented.

2. Voluntary sustainability standards

183. Development context. With global demand for nature-based, healthy, eco-friendly,
and socially correct products on the rise among consumers, major retailors increasingly opt
for products that claim to be sustainable. One way a product can claim to be sustainable is
by carrying eco-labels that confirm products meet voluntary sustainability standards (VSS).
Such norms and standards aim to ensure that a product in question is produced, processed
or transported in accordance with certain sustainability qualities, such as minimal or zero
environmental impacts. Around 500 voluntary sustainability standards exist today for the
key exports of many developing countries, such as coffee, tea, bananas, cocoa, palm oil,
timber, cotton and organic agri-foods. These norms and standards are developed by bodies
such as Fairtrade International, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Rainforest
Alliance.
184. Objectives and features. UNCTAD undertakes analyses, builds the capacities of
countries and provides a forum for intergovernmental discussion and consensus-building on
the impact of voluntary sustainability standards on market access and market entry
conditions facing exports from developing countries. It facilitates collaboration among
interested United Nations agencies on supporting developing countries in strengthening
national capacities to address voluntary sustainability standards and in conducting analysis
on the trade and development implications of such standards. It also supports developing
countries in making use of such standards, including through capacity-building
programmes, in promoting trade in a manner that brings about economic, social and
environmentally sustainable benefits.
185. Outputs. Under the project “Fostering Green Exports through Voluntary
Sustainability Standards”, implemented in three developing countries in the Asia and the
Pacific region, namely, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines and
Vanuatu, the voluntary sustainability standards assessment toolkit has been developed and

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made available on the website 22 together with its Notes 23 , and a supporting document
“Framework for the Voluntary Sustainability Standards Assessment Toolkit” 24. The Toolkit
was designed to collect evidence in the field on the opportunities and challenges faced by
actors with respect to voluntary sustainability standards in value chains with green export
potential. The final report “Fostering green exports through Voluntary Sustainability
Standards: The UNCTAD Approach”25 provides key findings from the implementation of
this project. However, due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions, the national
multi-stakeholder meetings in the Philippines and the regional peer-review meeting,
planned for March 2020, were unfortunately cancelled.
186. Within the framework of the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards
(UNFSS), supported by UNCTAD, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, the International Trade Centre, the United Nations Environment Programme and
the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the following activities were
implemented in 2020:
(a) UNFSS published its 4th flagship report Scaling up Voluntary Sustainability
Standards through Sustainability Public Procurement and Trade Policy, which derived from
the discussions concluded from the 2nd International Convention on Sustainable Trade and
Standards (ICSTS) which was held in Rio de Janeiro on 16-18 September 2019. VSS
National Platforms, government officials and private stakeholders, consumers and
producers raised the importance of sustainable public procurement and trade policy as
drivers of sustainability. The 4th Flagship report, supported by the Swiss Secretariat for
Economic Affairs (SECO), is a collaboration between the Leuven Centre for Global
Governance Studies (GGS) which was supported by the Flanders Research Foundation
(FWO) and UNFSS. The Report was made available on the UNCTAD website from the 8th
of September.26 The UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General had a live interview session with
the Catholic University of Leuven where she shared her insights on the achievements made
so far on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the challenges ahead, and the
role of trade, the private sector and VSS in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 27
The Flagship report was also presented at various events, namely the 8th World
Sustainability Forum virtual event on 17 September 2020,28 the Geneva Trade Week on 2
October 2020, and the GreenCo Summit 2020 on 7 October 2020.
(b) UNFSS successfully established the Academic Advisory Council which was
inaugurated on the 25th of June 2020 via a 3-hour long structured webinar. The whole
exercise of this council is to bring together economists, scientists, lawyers who do think
about the world in a different way but who have all the things to teach each other. During
this event, the academic experts presented their research areas which could overall be
classified under four main categories of interest to the UNFSS: sustainability standards and
global governance, development in the field of VSS, impact and effectiveness of VSS, and
public-private partnerships for sustainable development. In particular, the experts
considered VSS as emerging governance systems and regulation tools, discussed the
effectiveness of VSS in achieving social, economic and environmental sustainability,
suggested using 2030 Agenda as a guide for the design of VSS and enhancing the diffusion
of VSS through public-private partnerships.
(c) UNFSS established the National Platform and Initiative Cooperative Network
(NPICN). The NPICN derives from the joint “Declaration of Cooperation on Sustainability
Standards Ecosystems between the National Platforms” initiated by the Quality Council of
India (QCI) and signed among parties in New Delhi in 2018. This declaration is a call for
collaboration among the NPIC across the world to drive knowledge exchanges in the

22 See https://vssapproach.unctad.org/toolkit/.
23 See https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditctabinf2020d4_en.pdf.
24 See https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditctabinf2020d5_en.pdf.
25 See https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditctab2020d1_en.pdf.
26 See https://unctad.org/webflyer/scaling-voluntary-sustainability-standards-through-sustainability-
public-procurement-and.
27 The interview is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSqBl2yDK0Q&feature=youtu.be.
28 The recorded session is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLzHWZIkE1o&t=4s.

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governance of sustainability standards systems. Deliberated through the UNFSS NPIC,

Standards Malaysia has called upon UNFSS to assist an Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) project on the “role and impact of VSS on trade in the APEC region”.
This is a six-month project for 2021, which entails a research report, an APEC workshop on
VSS and a compendium of best practices. The goal of this project is to lead APEC to the
implementation of VSS to achieve sustainable trade.
187. Results. The UNCTAD Voluntary Sustainability Standards Assessment Toolkit,
which allows the users to visualize the different needs and challenges faced by multi-
stakeholders, have been tested in 3 pilot countries, and was made fully available online. In
the Philippines, three regional virtual group meetings of multi-stakeholders, organized
jointly with the Philippines National Coconut Authority and the Philippines Department of
External Trade, contributed to the validation of the national organic virgin coconut oil
strategy, derived from using the Toolkit.
188. The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) continues to serve
as a strong partnership platform to foster inter-agency support for national-level efforts to
support national consultations and the development of beneficial voluntary sustainability
standards, namely through the NPICN. Activities related to such standards will eventually
contribute to substantial understanding among stakeholders on the impacts of domestic and
international voluntary sustainability standards on the development of green exports and
sustainable development objectives, improving the capacity of multi-stakeholders to jointly
design, assess and implement strategic options for making the best use of such standards to
develop green and sustainable exports, and facilitating understanding by other countries
within regions and beyond on how to make effective use of such standards for sustainable
development.

3. Investment trends and issues

3.1. Technical assistance on data collection on foreign direct investment and activities of
multinational enterprises
189. Development context. Scarcity, unreliability and inconsistency in existing data
reporting systems can cause severe problems in formulating policies and strategies
regarding FDI. There is also a shortage of studies on the role of FDI and its impact on
sustainable economic development and contribution to the transfer of technology, human
resource development and export performance. In response to recommendations made by
the Expert Meeting on Capacity-Building in the Area of FDI: Data Compilation and Policy
Formulation in Developing Countries (December 2005) and endorsed by the tenth session
of the Commission on Investment, Technology and Related Financial Issues (Geneva, 6–10
March 2006), UNCTAD continues to provide technical assistance in the area of FDI
statistics.
190. Objectives and features. The overall objective of the project is to increase FDI
inflows to developing countries, in particular LDCs, by formulating FDI policies based on
quality FDI data and information on multinational enterprises operating in a region or
country. This project aims to enhance the capacity of government agencies in these
countries to compile, disseminate and analyse data on FDI and multinational enterprise
activities by implementing internationally recommended methodological standards and
enabling national authorities to maintain high-quality and up-to-date databases. It also
intends to strengthen networking among national authorities involved in FDI data
compilation and reporting and in FDI policy issues and investment promotion activities, to
facilitate the exchange of experience.
191. Outputs. Technical assistance focused on improving FDI data collection
methodologies through verification of data sent by national authorities and standardization,
by requesting countries to report FDI data based on directional basis rather than asset or
liability basis, showing a synergy between research in the World Investment Report and
Global Investment Trends Monitor and technical assistance on improving FDI data.
192. UNCTAD continued inter-agency cooperation in the area of FDI technical
assistance by participating online in the Working Group on International Investment

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Statistics of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the IMF
Balance of Payments Committee and joint European Central Bank/Eurostat Task Force on
Foreign Direct Investment. In 2020, UNCTAD also participated in drafting Guiding Notes
for the Update of the IMF Balance of Payments and International Investment Position
Manual. In addition, UNCTAD provided technical assistance to improve collection of FDI
statistics and activities on multinational enterprises to Seychelles and Indonesia.
193. Results. The FDI tables were the most visited UNCTAD web pages as measured by
UNCTADstat in 2020, accounting for almost one fifth (17.5 per cent) of all pageviews.

3.2. Technical assistance on investment reports

194. Development context. An important pillar of UNCTAD activities is to support
developments in member countries through analytical work and technical cooperation. In
this context, UNCTAD has been providing technical assistance to ASEAN for the
preparation of the annual ASEAN Investment Report since 2012. The ASEAN Investment
Report (AIR) series provides up-to-date analyses on FDI and operations of multinational
enterprises in the region. It also serves as a policy decision-making input and an analytical
instrument for improving the competitiveness of ASEAN to attract FDI.
195. Objectives and features. The objective of AIR is to present analyses of the latest
developments in FDI and the regional investment environment in an integrating ASEAN,
including implementing an ASEAN investment work programme in relation to the ASEAN
Economic Community Blueprint and the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement.
The report aims to provide analytical inputs for discussion by relevant ASEAN bodies of
key investment issues and related policy.
196. Outputs. In 2020, at the request of ASEAN and considering the usefulness of the
annual ASEAN Investment Report to stakeholders, UNCTAD further extended technical
assistance to ASEAN for the preparation of the ASEAN Investment Report 2021. Work on
the report started in late 2020. A special paper “Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) Agreement: a potential boost for investment in sustainable post-
COVID recovery” was published in the UNCTAD Global Investment Trends Monitor and
released on the occasion of the signing of the RCEP Agreement in November 2020. RCEP
comprises all the ASEAN member States plus Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and
the Republic of Korea.
197. Results. The Agreement to further extend technical assistance for the preparation of
AIR was signed in 2020. The special paper on RCEP was released immediately after the
signing of the RCEP Agreement and was well received by stakeholders. The report was
disseminated widely through online publication, the UNCTAD website, investment
networks and to the media. The report was downloaded almost 3,500 times in 2020.
Findings of the publication were also discussed in various media, including an interview
with Bloomberg and El Financiero Mexico TV on 16 November 2020.

3.3. World Investment Report series

198. Development context. As the focal point in the United Nations system for
investment and technology, UNCTAD promotes understanding of key issues, particularly
on FDI-related matters, and assists developing countries in attracting and benefiting from
FDI and building their productive capacities and international competitiveness. The World
Investment Report series provides up-to-date and comprehensive data on issues pertaining
to FDI and multinational enterprises, analyses trends and developments in FDI, examines
the implications of activities by multinational enterprises related to these trends, and
assesses both international and national policy issues of relevance to developing countries.
It serves as a policy decision-making input and an analytical instrument for improving
national capacities to attract and benefit from FDI, and as a capacity-building tool.
199. Objectives and features. The World Investment Report (WIR) series is a key
instrument in helping policymakers improve their understanding of emerging FDI-related
issues and policy implications for development and, as a result, enhance their ability to
formulate FDI policies that will contribute to development objectives. The series therefore

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serves as an essential tool for the formulation of FDI policies, which feeds into UNCTAD
technical assistance work. The preparation involves the following interrelated activities:
(a) Policy analysis and research: An extensive peer review of the World
Investment Report outline, drafts and final text. The preparation of each chapter and section
involves dialogue with relevant stakeholders to ascertain facts and determine trends,
including with experts (especially those from developing countries), on the topics analysed;
(b) Capacity-building workshops and seminars: These enable policymakers,
researchers and other experts from developing countries to directly contribute salient
experience, knowledge and information for each World Investment Report. As such, these
activities constitute a key element of the peer review process;
(c) Dissemination of the report’s findings and results: Dissemination begins with
the organization of press conferences in national venues and increasingly through webinars
on the report’s launch date, followed by seminars/workshops for policymakers in
developing countries. These workshops allow stakeholders from developing countries to
discuss the results of the research and policy analysis, including ways and means of using
them in concrete policymaking and implementation; and
(d) Dedicated expert networks: In order to maintain the report’s consistent
quality, dedicated networks of experts are maintained and supported through a range of
activities, including seminars and conferences.
200. Outputs. The substantive theme of the World Investment Report 2020 is
international production beyond the pandemic. The report takes stock of COVID-19 crisis,
including its impact on FDI and on prospects for international production to 2030. The
investment policy chapter looks at investment policy responses to the pandemic, trends in
international investment agreement (IIA) and investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) cases
and takes stock of efforts being made towards IIA reform. The report also includes a new
chapter, added at the request of the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/74/199), on
investment in the Sustainable Development Goals, which proposes a set of transformative
actions. It was released on 16 June 2020. To facilitate global media coverage, eight sets of
press releases were prepared and translated into official United Nations languages. In
addition, UNCTAD organized or co-organized seven webinars to disseminate the finding of
the World Investment Report 2020.
201. Results. The World Investment Report 2020 was presented and discussed at the
sixty-seventh session of the Trade and Development Board in September 2020. By the end
of 2020, the World Investment Report 2020, including overview, factsheets, data and
statistics and chapters were downloaded 190,000 times. Its findings were reported in over
1,600 press articles across 93 countries in 17 languages. In 2020, the United Nations
General Assembly adopted unanimously a resolution on promoting investments for
sustainable development (A/RES/75/207). The resolution acknowledges UNCTAD work in
this area and the policy actions proposed in the World Investment Report 2020 to facilitate
a ‘Big Push’ in private sector investment in the Sustainable Development Goals. The series
of webinars serves as a dissemination tool and provides policy recommendations to high-
level officials and policymakers. Combined, they gathered more than 10,000 participants
and the feedback received was positive:
(a) “…The webinar was helpful by aiding our understanding of global
investment trends and the causes which explain the recent observed behaviour in direct
investment transactions… [the] accurate representation of the evolution of direct
investment and its reasons … is of great importance for decision-makers.” Subdirector,
Balance of Payments, Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
(b) “The presentation of WIR 2020 offered Asian Development Bank
participants the most accurate information on FDI for Asia and a timely analysis on the
reconfiguration of international production and its implications for investment policy”.
Extract from the report prepared by the Asian Development Bank following the webinar.
(c) “…Several topics were raised that are crucial for sustainable development in
the region and are aligned with our FDI research agenda” Chief, Investment and Corporate
Strategies, Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean.

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3.4 Special economic zones in Africa and the AfCFTA

202. Development context. Special economic zones (SEZs) have been increasing in
Africa in recent years. However, not all of them are successful and a large number of them
remain underutilized. This can lead to unnecessary public costs in the form of unrequited
upfront investment in zone infrastructure or foregone tax and customs revenues. Moreover,
the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also set to
impact SEZs in Africa significantly depending upon the final decision for the treatment of
goods emanating from zones. Currently, a large number of countries on the continent are in
need of technical advice and capacity-building for better planning of SEZ regimes,
revitalizing underutilized zones, and helping zones adjust to the new trade regime under the
AfCFTA.
203. Objectives and features. In this context, UNCTAD, with the support of the German
Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) will develop a policy handbook to guide
governments with respect to SEZ planning and operations, with a particular focus on
helping zones adjust to the changes brought in due to the implementation of the AfCFTA.
In the second phase of the project, capacity-building events are to be organized to
disseminate the findings and policy recommendations of the handbook and train a whole
range of stakeholders working on zones in Africa.
204. Outputs. In 2020, UNCTAD started research work for the preparation of the
handbook that is expected to be completed by June 2021. A survey of approximately
40 zones, from 32 of the total 37 countries that have SEZs in Africa was prepared in 2020.
This survey is the first source of detailed information on several dimensions related to SEZs
in Africa, including zone types, employment and trade patterns, environmental, labour and
corporate social responsibility standards and expectations from the implementation of the
AfCFTA. The results of the survey were disseminated to a wide range of SEZ stakeholders
during the Annual Meeting of the African Economic Zones Organization on 2 December
2020, organized under the auspices of the African Union.
205. Results. The project contributed to the collection of data from a large number of
zones on the continent covering a wide variety of issues. In addition, the initial research
work that started in 2020 will lead to the development of a comprehensive policy guide,
and hence a knowledge resource, for governments and practitioners in Africa to allow them
to better plan SEZs and SEZ regimes with a particular emphasis on harnessing the potential
of zones for sustainable development.

3.5 The International Transmission of Gender Policies and Practices: The Role of
Multinational Enterprises
206. Development context. Women’s economic empowerment is central to the
realization of an inclusive and sustainable development as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development. The private sector plays a pivotal role in the achievement of
the Sustainable Development Goals and particularly in advancing the position of women in
the economy. In this context, multinational enterprises (MNEs) can, through their policies
and practices, foster gender equality in the workplace in host developing countries.
207. Objectives and features. This report analyses the role of MNEs in transmitting
gender equalizing policies and practices across their network of affiliates, and along their
supply chains. The main objective is to put forward concrete policies and recommendations
that leverage the unique position of foreign groups in supporting women empowerment in
the workplace in developing economies, based on solid and novel research.
208. Outputs. The report provides policy recommendations based on high-quality
academic research on the role of foreign direct investment and multinational enterprises to
spread gender equality and female empowerment around the globe. The concrete guidelines
and policy recommendations rely on the results from original research produced for the
report. The case studies provide evidence across the developing world, focusing on
different mechanisms MNEs can influence gender practices in host countries such as
Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa and Viet Nam. The report covers important
areas where policy can contribute to the positive transmission of labour market practices
toward women. Key policy implications arising from the empirical evidence in the report

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include: promoting strong local labour policies; facilitating absorptive capacity; fostering
linkages between multinational and domestic firms; enhancing transparency in gender-
related policy and practice; and encouraging gender provisions to be integrated in
international agreements. The report will generate the basis for technical assistance on
policy development promoting transmission of positive practices. For that purpose,
seminars were conducted in May and September 2020 bringing together practitioners,
leading scholars, and researchers from both developing and developed countries, as well as
experts from other international organizations such as ECLAC, ESCAP, ECE, ECA, ILO,
OECD, UN-Women, the World Bank, and WTO.
209. Results. The report was launched at the end of February 2021. It will be a key
background document for the high-level policy panel events at the World Investment
Forum 2021, including public and private sector stakeholders; and will also serve as
technical assistance material for UNCTAD work on gender, FDI and development.

4. Macroeconomic and development policies

4.1. Development policies for sustainable economic growth in Southern Africa

210. Development context. In recent years, developing countries have again been
looking at how they can use development policies more effectively, in some cases to
diversify away from commodity dependence or to make more effective use of abundant
labour resources, in order to kick-start the process of sustained economic growth from very
low levels of income, to break out of a “middle-income trap” or (in a few cases) to push on
towards the technological frontier. In Southern Africa, the country that has been using
development policies more effectively has undoubtedly been South Africa where the
automotive and the clothing- and textile sectors were strategically supported to facilitate a
progressive diversification away from mining and energy. Other economies of the region
have not been equally successful, however, and are still struggling to find the right policy
mix to unleash sustained economic growth. These experiences have added a deeper
appreciation of the complexities involved, and the challenges faced by policymakers across
the developing world. There is therefore a growing demand to take stock and share the
current experiences, and to improve the understanding of approaches that have been
successful in promoting structural transformation in different countries.
211. The 2000s also saw a strengthening of South–South economic ties, underpinned by a
transformation in the composition of southern exports from primary commodities to
manufactures. The regional dimension of these ties is of particular importance. Most of
South–South FDI, for example, has been going to Asia (62 per cent of the total in 2011).
And most of these flows originate in Asia itself, come from different Asian countries and
are invested to support the expansion of the regional production networks, mainly across
East and South-East Asia. Compared to Asia, and to other developing regions, South
African economies as yet are only weakly integrated through trade and capital flows. This
relative backwardness along with the existence of a potential production and growth pole
(South Africa) indicates the existence of interesting possibilities to strengthen regional
integration and pool resources for advancing structural transformation and increasing
competitiveness on the global markets.
212. Objectives. This project aims at facilitating the economic cooperation and
integration among the 4 developing economies in Southern Africa, Mauritius, Mozambique,
the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia, and around the potential regional economic
growth pole (South Africa). In particular it aims at identifying regional value chains and at
fostering industrial policy coordination in the region. The project also aims at strengthening
the industrial policy framework of each of the target economy in order to create the right
environment for regional value chains (RVCs) to thrive and, more in general, foster the
progressive diversification of the production and export structures in the region.
213. To achieve these objectives, the project is being deployed over three distinct phases.
The first involved the identification of key regional policy priorities and the achievement of
regional consensus around this common policy platform. This phase involved background
and field research, as well as the organization of regional workshop. The second phase
aimed at the building local capacity needed to formulate and implement policies to sustain

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industrial development and linking into the identified RVCs. A series of national
workshops has been therefore organized in all the target countries involving regional and
international experts. The third phase involved key follow-up activities in some of the
target economies aimed at the effective formulation and implementation of industrial policy
measures.
214. A fourth leg has been added to the project after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.
A series of studies has been commissioned to analyse the impact of the pandemic and the
key responses adopted by the countries of the region and to draw policy lessons. The
studies will be collected in a volume.
215. Outputs. Since the project started its implementation in June 2016, a series of
studies on promising regional value chains in the region has been commissioned, two
regional workshops and four national workshops have been organized. The project
continued its delivery in 2020 thanks to the extension of project implementation period.
During the fall 2020, the “Industrial Policy and Strategic Plan for Mauritius (2020–2025)”
was launched, and the studies on the textile sector of the United Republic of Tanzania and
on the implementation of the industrial country programme of Mozambique were handed
over to the respective Governments. Also, the studies on COVID-19 responses have been
prepared and work on the volume is currently under way. Another volume that will be
published in October 2021 collects all the background research on RVCs.
216. Results. An independent evaluation was carried out between January and April
2021, which made use of an online survey among the participants of project activities. The
survey finds that the project has successfully contributed to enhancement of skills for policy
development and the target of “75 per cent of participants indicate that they are better able
to formulate productive development policies to further economic diversification and
structural transformation by using the knowledge gained through the project” has been
fulfilled. When asking whether “policymakers in their respective countries have obtained
an enhanced understanding on the function of or need for industrial and development
policies”, 80 per cent of all survey respondents either “strongly agree” or “agree” with this
statement.
217. Furthermore, 80 per cent of the survey respondents belonging to the category of
“national authorities” find that the project has led to either a “large improvement” or “some
improvement” in their knowledge related to the subject of “economic diversification and
structural transformation”. The majority of the policymakers have also been able to apply
their new skills acquired from the project for policy development. Indeed, 75 per cent of the
survey respondents from the “national authorities” category find that they either to a “large
extent” or “some extent” have been able to apply their new skills for policy development.
218. The survey results also support that the project has effectively ensured national
ownership of the policy development process and 75 per cent of participants “agreed” or
“strongly agreed” with this statement. Finally, the extension phase of the project seems to
have responded well to national needs and requests, thereby the ownership and
sustainability has been enhanced.

4.2. Reclaiming multilateralism for global development

219. Development context. We once had a version of multilateralism that permitted
nations to regulate international markets and to pursue strategies for equitable forms of
prosperity and development. This system reflected the fact that leaders who believed in
managed capitalism and full employment were put in charge after World War II. With their
experience of the Great Depression and defeating fascism, they understood that laissez-faire
led to catastrophe.
220. The system was far from perfect, yet its core principles did provide a rough template
for a more balanced form of prosperity in a globally interdependent world. That system
began to break down in the late 1970s, when giant global banks, corporations, and their
allies in Government regained the reins of power that they had temporarily lost in the Great
Depression and the War. Once power was recaptured, these actors rewrote the rules of the
global system so that the system became an instrument for the diffusion and enforcement of
a neoliberal order that has accentuated crises of financial instability, inequality and climate

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change. The project is therefore highly relevant to development, at global, regional and
national levels. It is fully in line with the aims of several United Nations conferences and
summits and directly linked with the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals
and the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 8: Decent
Work and Economic Growth; Goal 10: Reduced Inequality; Goal 13: Climate Action; and
Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goals. The main institutional partner is the Global
Development Policy Centre of Boston University (United States of America). The project is
resourced by UNCTAD, Boston University and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
221. Objectives and features. The project on reclaiming multilateralism for global
development aims to contribute to the international debate on globalization and the
management of its consequences for developing countries. In doing so, the project aims to
generate a collaborative document that critically examines the trends and prospects in the
world economy and offers a set of principles for an alternative global cooperation for a
sustainable future.
222. Outputs and results. In addition to the activities that took place in 2018 and 2019,
during 2020, the activities have continued in collaboration with Boston University and
Rockefeller Brothers. During August 2020, UNCTAD had organized, in collaboration with
the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), a weeklong virtual Summer School titled
“From the transformation of economics to economic transformation: Pathways to a better
future”.
223. The COVID-19 crisis has, once again – and arguably even more profoundly –
highlighted the disconnect between what makes for healthy communities and what
constitutes a healthy economy. Whilst the abrupt work stoppage has forced advanced
country Governments into novel support packages for distressed families and there is a
good deal of talk about building a better recovery that leaves no one behind, even the
massive national packages adopted by Group of 20 countries have focused on bailing out
large corporations while the international agenda has failed to provide meaningful support
to countries lacking the fiscal and policy space to deal with the health pandemic let alone
the deep economic damage resulting from what the IMF has called the “great lockdown”.
224. The 2020 summer school aimed to connect the intellectual challenge of rethinking
economic analysis to the practical challenge of building a healthier, more resilient, more
equal and greener future for all. The Summer School was attended by more than
500 participants from all over the world during 15–23 August 2020.
225. Additionally, throughout 2020, there had been various seminars and webinars on the
Global Green New Deal where the experts of the Division on Globalization and
Development Strategies (GDS), and particularly the Director had presented the findings and
policy suggestions from the main publication of the project, namely “Geneva principles for
a Global Green New Deal”.

4.3. South–South Integration and the Sustainable Development Goals: Enhancing Structural
Transformation in Key Partner Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative
226. Development context. Even after achieving better growth performances since the
turn of the millennium, developing countries still face multiple challenges in economic and
social advancement, which calls for an appropriate policy response at all levels. However,
effective and development-friendly policy formulation requires local knowledge,
experience and strong capacity. In this regard, experience sharing and capacity-building has
become increasingly important as it can improve the policymaking capability of developing
countries in identifying key binding constraints, external vulnerabilities and drivers of
structural transformation in sustaining dynamic growth so as to reshape better economic
and social policies. In contrast to learning experiences from developed countries, peer
learning among developing countries could play a distinctive role given similar challenges
and opportunities faced by the South in today’s globalized world.
227. Against this backdrop, this project facilitates peer learning from the successful
structural transformation experience of China among the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
partner countries. The BRI initiated by China provides a unique opportunity to facilitate
knowledge and experience sharing among southern countries in building a community of

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shared future. On the one hand, while many developing countries are still struggling with
their development challenges, China has progressed rapidly in past four decades. Its annual
GDP growth rate has recorded as 9.5 per cent on average and has lifted over 700 million
people out of poverty since 1978. It has been widely acknowledged that the effective
development policy of China is essentially attributed to its policy experimentation and
adaptation to the local circumstance, which can provide a reference point for other
developing countries when they design their growth policies. On the other hand, BRI has
mobilized enormous development financing resources through trade, FDI, debt,
infrastructure financing, technology transfer, industrialization cooperation, and so on,
which also provides a “learning-by-doing” opportunities beyond the projects per se as
operating and managing those projects inevitably involve knowledge and experience
sharing among all BRI partner countries.
228. Objectives. This project addresses the growing realization that meeting the
2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals is inextricably linked with the
process of structural transformation. The project takes an innovative South–South approach
to capacity-building by distilling lessons from a country with first-hand experience in the
transformation process, and which is engaged in an ambitious foreign economic policy
centred on cross-regional infrastructure connectivity and productive investment known as
the Belt and Road initiative. Beyond BRI’s headline investment figures, the large number
of developing countries involved in the initiative means that it carries deeper implications
for South-South economic cooperation and integration. Of the six economic corridors that
constitute BRI, four solely involve developing countries. Despite the great development
potential from BRI, however, limitations in government capacity in many partner countries
– particularly in the policy areas of investment, trade, finance/debt, and technology – could
constrain or even block the potential transformative impacts of the BRI (and of foreign
direct investment more generally). The main objective of the project is therefore to enhance
the capacity of developing countries to strengthen their policies for structural
transformation through learning from successful experiences of other developing countries,
particularly from China. The project has identified three initial pilot developing countries:
Ethiopia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. To unlock the transformative effects of BRI
engagement, partner countries can find guidance and encouragement from a deeper
understanding of past and current policy reform experiences of China – experiences which
allowed China to not only attain the Sustainable Development Goal predecessor, the
Millennium Development Goals, but to go well beyond them.
229. Outputs. Implementation of the project started in January 2019, and a series of
papers were undertaken as outputs of the project on policies of China which helped in its
structural transformation, particularly in areas of macro and financial policies; industry and
trade policies; digital policies; and debt management policies. The project also organized a
workshop for high level officials from the pilot countries in Indonesia to discuss policy
experiences of China and existing policies in other developing countries. The report of the
meeting documents the discussions which focused on how policies of China can be tailored
to the existing policies in the pilot countries in the identified areas. The project also
organized high level panels in Second High-Level conference on South-South (BAPA+40)
to discuss the ways in which other developing countries can benefit from this project and
the need to disseminate the outputs of this project more widely through a platform was also
identified. The project subsequently launched UNCTAD BRI Platform to share successful
structural transformation policies more widely with developing countries. Through the
project, an online national consultative meeting, on 18–19 November 2020, was
successfully organized to discuss Indonesian policy papers. Four policy papers of Indonesia
in the areas of macro and finance, trade, industry and the digital economy were uploaded on
the BRI Platform. The papers highlight the key learning from the experience of China and
how these can be tailored to fit into the existing policies of Indonesia.
230. The UNCTAD BRI Platform hosts four policy papers for Indonesia in the areas of
macroeconomics and finance, trade, industry and digital economy. These papers identify
policy lessons from China which can be adapted by Indonesia in its policies with respect to
these four areas. The project is in the process of completing the papers for Sri Lanka as well
as for Ethiopia which will then be hosted on the BRI Platform.

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231. The project is also preparing a book on lessons from China for structural
transformation, which will support the wider dissemination of the results of the project.
232. Results. It is too early to measure the results of the project. But the launch of
UNCTAD BRI Platform for sharing successful structural transformation policies of the
project is a sustainable output of the project. This will continue even after the project is
over and will be a platform which will bring BRI and other developing countries together
and develop soft linkages among them so as to facilitate policy sharing for sustainable
development.

5. International cooperation on science, technology and innovation under the auspices of

the Commission on Science and Technology for Development

Activities related to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development with
regard to follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society
233. Development context. The World Summit on the Information Society (Geneva,
2003, and Tunis, 2005) was the first major United Nations event that discussed the potential
opportunities and developmental impacts posed by information and communications
technology. The Summit established a vision of a people-centred, inclusive and
development-oriented information society. In 2015, this vision was reaffirmed by the
General Assembly in the outcome document of its overall review of implementation of
Summit outcomes. The years since the Summit have seen significant changes in the nature
of the information society. Technologies which were in their infancy at the beginning of
this century have become mainstream, and in some cases already been displaced by later
innovations. Digital innovations are transforming lives and offering new opportunities to
reinforce and invigorate efforts to achieve the Goals. However, effective policy
development and programmes are required to realize the potential of information
technology to enhance development, inclusion and empowerment, and to address the
potential harms.
234. Objectives and features. A trust fund was established in December 2007 aimed at
supporting the work of the Commission in assisting the Economic and Social Council in the
system-wide follow-up to World Summit on the Information Society outcomes. The
objective of the work of UNCTAD, as the secretariat of the Commission, is to support the
work of the Commission as mandated by the Council in its resolution 2006/46. The Council
guides the work of the Commission in this area through its annual resolution on the
assessment of progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to Summit outcomes.
The resources of the trust fund support the elaboration of the annual reports on the
implementation of such outcomes and the participation of experts and non-State
stakeholders in the work of the Commission, and other related activities.
235. Outputs. The secretariat concentrated its efforts in two main areas: supporting the
Commission in its mandate related to the follow-up of the implementation of Summit
outcomes; and supporting the Commission on the implementation of the request made by
the General Assembly in the outcome document of its overall review of the implementation
of the outcomes of the Summit (General Assembly resolution 70/125).
236. As part of its activities to support the follow-up of the implementation of Summit
outcomes, in 2020, UNCTAD invited inputs from United Nations entities and other
stakeholders that act as facilitators of the implementation of Summit action lines, as well as
from other relevant stakeholders. UNCTAD received inputs from 29 United Nations
entities, other international organizations and stakeholders. Based on this information and
other relevant sources, UNCTAD prepared the report of the Secretary-General on progress
made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the
Information Society at the regional and international levels. The report highlights major
activities to implement Summit outcomes undertaken by stakeholders in 2020.
237. Results. The Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 2020/12, noted the role
of the Commission in assisting the Council as the focal point in the system-wide follow-up,
in particular the review and assessment of progress made in implementing Summit
outcomes. The extension and reaffirmation of the mandate given to the Commission by the

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Council in its resolution 2006/46 demonstrates the recognition of the valuable work carried
out by the Commission. This work has been strengthened due to the support of the Trust
Fund.

II. Theme B:
Tackling vulnerabilities, building resilience
238. Poor people or nations are more vulnerable to external shocks. Eradicating poverty
and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals would require joint and persistent efforts
to tackle the specific challenges faced by weak and vulnerable economies. To build their
economic resilience, structurally weak economies need to develop sound strategies to
diversify economies and build productive capacity. To combat climate change, it is
important to develop climate-resilient transport infrastructure and identify best approaches
to mitigate climate change while enhancing economic development prospects.
239. UNCTAD technical assistance addresses the specific demand from LDCs,
landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and post-conflict States to
help them better tackle vulnerabilities and build resilience. In particular, UNCTAD
improves the capacities of developing countries to effectively manage debt; supports
commodity-dependent developing countries in their diversification efforts; promotes
sustainable and resilient transport; and assists LDCs in trade policymaking, market access
and achieving structural progress towards and beyond graduation.
240. In this section, six products under the theme “Tackling vulnerabilities, building
resilience” are reported on. The reports highlight the main technical cooperation activities
carried out in 2020 and key results to date. Technical cooperation projects that are pertinent
to the aforementioned theme but not linked with any of the existing products under this
thematic area are reported on under “B99 Other”.

B1 Support to graduation from least developed country status

Table B1
Support to graduation from least developed country status

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ROA-1819 Helping LDCs achieve structural economic 2018– Development

(F11) progress toward and beyond graduation Account

ROA-1819 (I11) Strengthening services trade policymaking 2018– Development

for Africa’s integration into regional value Account
chains in support of the 2030 Agenda

241. Development context. Helping least developed countries (LDCs) achieve structural
economic progress toward and beyond graduation from LDC status is an important goal of
UNCTAD. After 50 years of LDC history, six countries have graduated from LDC status:
Botswana in 1994, Cabo Verde in 2007, Maldives in 2011, Samoa in 2014, Equatorial
Guinea in 2017 and Vanuatu in 2020.
242. Four LDCs are currently earmarked by the United Nations for graduation, each one
with an established exit date: Bhutan in December 2023; Angola in February 2024;
Sao Tome and Principe in December 2024; and Solomon Islands in December 2024.
243. During the triennial review of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) held in
February 2021, the CDP recommended the following LDCs for graduation: Bangladesh,
Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Nepal. At the same time, the CDP deferred its
recommendation on the following countries: Myanmar and Timor-Leste. After a first
observation of their progress under graduation criteria, another five States were, in the 2021

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review of the list of LDCs, considered pre-eligible for graduation: Cambodia, Comoros,
Djibouti, Senegal and Zambia.
244. Tuvalu and Kiribati were recommended for graduation by the CDP in 2012 and
2018, respectively. Yet neither of these two recommendations was endorsed by the
Economic and Social Council (a question deferred to July 2021). During the 2021 triennial
review of the list of LDCs, these recommendations were reiterated by the CDP.
245. This brings to 20 the number of cases or potential cases of graduation making up the
United Nations history of periodic reviews of the list of LDCs.
246. The increasing servicification of economies worldwide implies that services are now
an important piece of the development puzzle, and most certainly, part of COVID-19
recovery efforts. There is a need to unlock the full potential of Africa’s services sector,
assess its contribution to economic performance and understand the linkages to the
productive sectors to support timely policy-making processes at a time when the continent
has embarked on services trade liberalization under the African Continental Free Trade
Area.
247. Unlocking the potential of services trade requires that the potential is understood and
supported in African policy-making processes. A major challenge in this regard is assessing
the contribution of the services sector in the economy and understanding the complexity of
global and regional services value chains which are essential for services to thrive. The
UNCTAD and Economic Commission for Africa project endeavours to address this
disparity. In particular, it proposes to strengthen capacities to measure the value added that
is generated by the services sector and the degree to which developing this sector may
improve the tradability of goods and services, and to support developing the necessary
policy frameworks to enable the sectors growth. With the onset of covid-19, the project has
also assessed the impact of the pandemic on specific services trade sectors (transport,
tourism and financial services), and the prospects for a sustainable recovery.
248. Objective. Supporting the quest of graduating LDCs for a “smooth transition” to
post-LDC status has been a key objective of UNCTAD over the past two decades. Helping
LDCs “graduate smartly” (the objective of UNCTAD Toolbox, product B1) is a two-
pronged technical assistance programme. It is designed to: (a) cast light, for the benefit of
every graduating State, on the factors that justify graduation, or conversely on the factors
that would make graduation a premature decision; and (b) help the same country, once it
has become a graduation case officially, organize its quest for a smooth transition to
post-LDC life.
249. In this vein, UNCTAD advisory services involve helping the Governments of
graduating LDCs make the anticipated change of country status an opportunity to examine
the extent to which continuation or a smooth phasing-out of important LDC benefits is
desirable. A key facet of this technical assistance often involves helping policymakers
prepare for negotiations with relevant development or trading partners.
250. Outputs. In 2020, UNCTAD provided technical assistance to five LDCs facing the
challenge of graduation from LDC status: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lao People’s Democratic
Republic, Myanmar and Solomon Islands.

Three revised country-specific vulnerability profiles

251. In accordance with a mandate from the General Assembly, UNCTAD prepares a
“Vulnerability Profile” for every LDC which has been found pre-eligible for graduation, to
provide the Government with insights into the particular vulnerabilities or fragilities of the
country, and into the implications of these disadvantages. The profile helps national
authorities understand the critical relationship between the need for resilience-building
action, and “country status” as a basis for eligibility for special support to this action.
252. In order to bolster the usefulness and comprehensiveness of the vulnerability profiles
(VPs), in 2020 UNCTAD decided to launch a new generation of vulnerability profiles,
geared towards widening and deepening the analysis contained in the VPs. While the
traditional VPs were focused on the performance of countries against the LDC criteria, the
revised framework is organized around four pillars: (a) a situation analysis;

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(b) identification of key areas of vulnerability; (c) evaluation of the consequences of

identified vulnerabilities; (d) identification of structures and features of the economy that
are critical for a sustainable graduation and for reducing existing vulnerabilities. They
include topics such as the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19, pervasive informality,
inequalities and gender issues. These elements are aligned with the five Ps (people, planet,
prosperity, peace and partnership) of the Sustainable Development Goals. The new-
generation VPs conclude with suggestions for the main elements of a national strategy of
graduation with momentum, as first suggested in The LDC Report 2016.
253. The new generation of VPs uses tools such as the UNCTAD Productive Capacities
Index (PCI) and the product space developed by the University of Harvard. The new
generation of vulnerability profiles is forward-looking. The identified vulnerabilities
provide the key bases for the formulation of a strategy of graduation with momentum.
254. According to this revised approach UNCTAD prepared in 2020 the first three of the
new generation of VPs, namely for the following countries: Bangladesh, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic and Myanmar.
255. Having prepared a draft version of the revised VPs, the LDC Section shared it with
national governments and organized a technical working meeting with national officials to
discuss the said drafts and received comments, suggestions and corrections, as follows:
(a) UNCTAD actively participated in the first interactive briefing on graduation
with the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 8 September 2020.
UNCTAD made a presentation on vulnerabilities that the country needs to tackle at present
and along the graduation process. This includes, economic, social, environmental and
health vulnerabilities, which will not be abolished once the country graduates from the
LDC category. Much of the discussion concerned the process of graduation itself and its
modalities. The virtual meeting was organized by the national government with the backing
of the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO). It has also the participation of
the other following agencies: RCO, UN-OHRLLS, CDP Secretariat, UNESCAP;
(b) On 19 November 2020 UNCTAD held a meeting with 15 officials from the
Lao People’s Democratic Republic, including the Ministries of Planning, Finance, Foreign
Affairs, Commerce, Industry, Health and the national statistics office. They provided a
series of comments and suggestions, which were supplemented by subsequent written
comments. All of these elements were later incorporated into the final version of the VP;
(c) On 20 November 2020 UNCTAD held a meeting with 20 officials from
Myanmar, including the Ministries of Planning, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Trade and the
Permanent Representative in Geneva. They provided comments and suggestions, which
were supplemented by subsequent written comments sent to the Section. All of these
elements were later incorporated into the final version of the VP;
(d) On 27 November 2020 UNCTAD held a meeting with seven officials from
the Ministries of Finance and Trade of Bangladesh, and the Task Force on Implementation
of LDC Graduation Road Map. The national officials expressed their appreciation of the
draft VP and made remarks on national concerns and priorities concerning the graduation
process.

National workshop in Bangladesh

256. On 10 December 2020 the LDC Section co-organized with the Ministry of Finance
of Bangladesh the national workshop on the vulnerability profile of the country, which
UNCTAD had prepared according to the framework of the new generation of VPs. Titled
“Helping Bangladesh make graduation a milestone of continued economic progress”, it
provided a forum for awareness raising, information sharing, policy dialogue, and debates
on the best strategies for smooth transition and structural transformation. It had the
participation of more than 80 people, including all the main stakeholders of the country’s
graduation process: government agencies (Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs,
Commerce, Industries, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, Health and Family Welfare,
Education, Shipping, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Cultural Affairs, Disaster
Management and Relief; Planning Commission; Central Bank; National Board of Revenue;
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority; Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics,
Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks), private sector (federation of industries,

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textiles and garments, pharma, leather goods, agro-processing), research organizations

(Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Policy Research Institute, Bangladesh
Foreign Trade institute, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies),
development partners (United Nations Resident Coordinator, UNDP, European Union,
World Bank, USAID, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development
Office (FCDO), Asian Development Bank) and civil society. Participants praised the
UNCTAD VP as a source of sound analysis that is useful for policymakers and for planning
processes. They were very engaged and actively participated in discussions with UNCTAD
staff. The main issues discussed were: the impact of the phasing out of international support
measures (ISMs), outlook for the country’s manufacturing sector (especially textiles and
clothing, and pharma), policy priorities to reduce vulnerabilities, development of the private
sector, the negotiation agenda between Bangladesh and its development partners, the
importance of formulating a smooth transition strategy. The meeting concluded with
Bangladeshi officials expressing the Government’s hope for continued collaboration
between the country and UNCTAD in the graduation process.

Assisting Bhutan and Solomon Islands in their smooth transition strategy

257. The LDC Section assisted the government of Bhutan in the preparation of a Smooth
Transition Strategy (STS) for the country’s graduation out of the LDC category. UNCTAD
prepared a revised and upgraded version of a white paper. It provides analytical elements
which serve as background for the preparation of the country’s STS. It then submitted the
revised white paper to the national government, the United Nations country office and the
UNDP country office. Additionally, UNCTAD assisted the Government of Bhutan in the
preparation of its submission to the CDP concerning the process of preparation of an STS.
258. UNCTAD extended its assistance to graduating countries also to the Solomon
Islands. It participated in a meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on LDCs on the
Solomon Islands held on 11 November 2020. It was convened to discuss which activities
different agencies (from the United Nations or otherwise) will undertake to accompany the
country in its post-graduation path, and to craft a common programme of work in response
to the request of the Government of Solomon Islands for coordinated support from all its
development partners at the United Nations and other organizations. UNCTAD recalled its
involvement with the country through the Vulnerability Profile, graduation with
momentum, productive capacities, the PCI, structural transformation, and how these
elements could provide useful inputs and recommendations in designing the Solomon
Islands STS.

Achievements from recent activities in services trade and complementary, ongoing

activities
259. The UNCTAD-UNECA “Strengthening services trade policymaking for Africa’s
integration into regional value chains in support of the 2030 Agenda” project aims to
support six African countries (including four LDCs: Ethiopia, the Gambia, Mali and Togo)
and regional economic communities with tools and methodologies to gain a better
understanding of services value chains in three selected key services sectors (financial,
tourism and transport services) which are critical to enable trade and, at the same time, can
generate important sources of income and sustainable livelihoods for Africans.

Studies on COVID-19 impacts and recovery responses

260. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the extreme vulnerability of African
economies, and especially the services sector to global markets. The sector, from tourism
and transportation to financial services, has severely contracted due to compressed demand
for goods, as well as services, and disrupted supply chains. The imperative today is that
African countries need to address the challenges induced by the pandemic to build stronger
and more resilient economic sectors. This entails undertaking targeted studies on the
sectoral impacts of COVID-19 that will, in turn, help countries design appropriate policies
and take corrective action to build back better in the short run, and advance more
sustainably in the medium to long run. In this context, and within the scope of this project,
UNCTAD and UNECA have assisted the beneficiary countries to assess the impacts of the

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pandemic on their services sector and devise appropriate response strategies. From late
2020, data collection, mainly through online surveys has been carried out in Ethiopia,
Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Togo.29

National seminar to review the study on “Examining Road Transport Services in Kenya: A
Case Study for the Tea Value Chain”, Nairobi, 19 December 2020
261. Under the scope of the project, a case study was commissioned in collaboration with
the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development of Kenya. The study
analysed the contribution of the road transport sector in tea value chains of Kenya and
recommended a set of policy options needed to strengthen the linkages. To rigorously
review the key findings of the study and discuss its policy recommendations, the Ministry,
in collaboration with UNCTAD and UNECA, organized a validation workshop on 19
November 2020. The workshop was attended by key stakeholders, mainly policy makers
and private sector representatives, in the transport and tea sectors of Kenya, among others.
The workshop took place in Nairobi under hybrid modalities. Participants located in
Nairobi attended the meeting in person. Those located outside Kenya participated through a
dedicated virtual platform.
262. Results. The three revised vulnerability profiles have helped relevant national
authorities better grasp the key elements of success which have led them to closer to
graduation thresholds, but also the mains shortcomings of the strategies pursued so far.
They have also been instrumental in planning for the next steps in the path towards smooth
transition.
263. The studies on COVID-19 impacts and recovery responses will support countries to
thoroughly analyse the COVID-19 impacts at national and regional levels by focusing on
the target services sectors. It is anticipated that this will shed light on the policy responses
required to ensure the sectors remain part of inclusive and sustainable recovery strategies 30.
264. At present, the studies on the Ethiopian transport sector and Malian tourism have
been completed, and are currently being edited. Validation workshops of these studies have
taken place in Ethiopia (June 2021) and are being rolled-out throughout July and August in
the Gambia and Mali. They have been welcomed by the ministries that requested this
additional support from the project.
265. The seminar on road transport services in Kenya provided opportunities to review
some of the challenges the transport services of Kenya face, as well as potential solutions to
maximize its contributions to other sectors, especially tea value chains. During the seminar,
the Secretary of Trade of Kenya reiterated the need to better understand services value
chains to maximize their full potential. He noted that “a major challenge to address relates
to the extent to which we fully understand how such value chains operate, to measure them
and design policies to support a higher degree of integration’’. He acknowledged UNCTAD
and UNECA support in addressing some of those issues through the current project.

29 Although the Gambia is one of the project’s beneficiaries, the country is not participating in the
COVID-19 impacts and recovery responses component of the project, due to previous commitments.
30 See http://knowledge.uneca.org/stp/covid-19_Impacts_and_Responses.

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B2 DMFAS – Debt Management and Financial Analysis System

Table B2
DMFAS – Debt Management and Financial Analysis System

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/2AO Strengthening the debt management 2002– Multi-donors

capacity of developing countries

INT/0T/HCB Strengthening Public Debt Management in 2018– Switzerland

Selected Low and Middle-Income countries

INT/0T/IAB The Debt Management and Financial 2019– European

Analysis System (DMFAS) Programme Union

ANG/0T/EBG Fortalecimiento de la capacidad de gestión 2015– Angola

de la deuda pública (Angola)

BOL/0T/HCA Implementación del SIGADE y 2018– Bolivia

fortalecimiento de las capacidades en (Plurinational
gestión de la deuda en el Banco Central de State of)
Bolivia

ECU/0T/IAG Utilización del SIGADE 6 para la gestión de 2019– Ecuador

la deuda pública (Ecuador)

ETH/0T/HBA Public Finance Management (PFM): 2018– Ethiopia

DMFAS Ethiopia

GBS/0T/FBH Fortalecimiento de la capacidad de gestión 2017– World Bank

de la deuda pública (Guinea-Bissau)

HON/0T/BAU Strengthening public debt management 2015– United

(Honduras) Nations
Development
Programme

IVC/0T/BCF Projet de modernisation des outils 2013– Côte d’Ivoire

informatiques et de renforcement des
capacités de gestion de la dette SYGADE 6
(Côte d’Ivoire)

LAO/0T/IBR DMFAS 6 upgrade for Lao PDR 2020– World Bank

PAR/0T/IBQ Asistencia en la implementación de la 2020-– Paraguay

interfaz SIGADE SIARE Paraguay

PHI/0T/ABK Strengthening debt management in the 2011– Philippines

Bureau of the Treasury (Philippines)

PHI/0T/HAO DMFAS 6 implementation 2019– Philippines

SUD/0T/IAC Strengthening Public Debt Management in 2019– Sudan

Sudan

UGA/0T/GBC Strengthening Integrated Debt Management 2020– Uganda

Uganda

ZAM/0T/BDA Strengthening integrated public debt 2012– Zambia

management (Zambia)

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266. Development context. Effective debt management is an intrinsic part of sound

public financial management and overall good governance. It is crucial for ensuring
sustainable debt levels, identifying risks of debt crises and limiting their impact.
267. The critical role of debt and good debt management has been underlined in
Goal 17.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which recognizes the importance of
assisting developing countries to attain long-term debt sustainability and reducing the risk
of debt distress. Furthermore, the United Nations General Assembly31 has emphasized “that
debt sustainability is essential for underpinning growth, underlining the importance of debt
sustainability, debt transparency and effective debt management to the efforts to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals”. It also reiterated “that timely and comprehensive data on
the level and composition of debt are necessary for, inter alia, building early warning
systems aimed at limiting the impact of debt crises”.
268. The effective management of public resources and liabilities has become even more
necessary in the face of increasing pressures on public finances and increased borrowing to
meet COVID-19 public spending-related demands. The economic fallout from the
pandemic has accentuated growing concerns about the overall outlook for external debt
sustainability in developing countries.
269. The new financial vulnerabilities and increased risks of debt distress faced by
developing countries, particularly the poorest, as a result of the COVID-19 health and
economic crises, reinforce the need for effective debt management as an intrinsically
important component of Public Financial Management. The effective management of
public resources and liabilities has become even more necessary in the face of increasing
pressures on public finances and increased borrowings to meet COVID-19 public spending-
related demands.
270. In the face of this growing concern about the overall outlook for external debt
sustainability, debt data transparency is more essential than ever. Effective debt
management is also critical for the effective implementation of the emergency financing
and debt moratorium measures adopted by the international community as a response to the
COVID-19 crisis.
271. In 2020, the DMFAS Programme quickly adapted its support to respond to
countries’ changing requirements as they faced the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis.
272. Programme objectives. The DMFAS Programme is a leading provider of technical
cooperation and advisory services in the area of debt management. It offers a set of proven
solutions to improve the capacity of beneficiary countries to manage public debt, handle the
day-to-day management of public liabilities, produce reliable debt data and perform basic
debt analysis for policymaking purposes. The Programme works directly with 58 countries
(see figure 1).

31 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 75/205 on external debt sustainability and
development, adopted on 29 December 2020.

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Figure 1
Geographical distribution of active DMFAS users, 2020

273. Outputs. In 2020, the DMFAS Programme continued to provide effective support to
the 58 countries actively using its software. Most of debt management offices moved to
teleworking hence the Programme provided increased online support for remote access to
the DMFAS system and supported its 58 user countries for the effective recording,
monitoring and reporting of public debt, and for performing debt operations. Remote
delivery of technical support and capacity-building activities also replaced traditional face-
to-face training when it became impossible due to travel restrictions.
274. The Programme delivered country-specific technical assistance and trained 361 debt
officers, of which 45 per cent were women, from 26 countries through 26 capacity-building
activities in the field or remotely. Increased remote support included support to set up
remote access to DMFAS databases and through its help desk, which responded to 223
requests during the reporting period. During the year, the Programme actively managed 30
active technical assistance projects and signed three new projects and two addenda to
existing projects.
275. The Programme worked in close cooperation with other international bodies, such as
the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional institutions, to enhance
coordination and avoid duplication. For example, in 2020, the Programme co-delivered
activities with the IMF technical assistance centres in South Asia and Central America.
276. Results. For the DMFAS client countries, concrete and sustainable results included
improved external and domestic debt data recording, enhanced reporting and improved debt
analysis capacities in line with the recording and reporting components of the public
financial management value chain as defined under the Public Expenditure and Financial
Accountability Programme. The Programme’s main results are highlighted below:
(a) Complete, reliable and up-to date databases: Ninety-five per cent of countries
have developed comprehensive and reliable debt databases in respect of government and
government-guaranteed external debt. Seventy-five per cent of DMFAS 6 user-countries
whose debt management office is responsible for monitoring domestic debt were using
DMFAS to manage their entire domestic debt portfolio.
(b) Improved production of debt statistics: Forty countries regularly produce
statistical bulletins on debt.
(c) Strengthened analytical skills: Twenty-five countries regularly produce a debt
portfolio analysis.
(d) Improved capacity for effective debt reporting: the pandemic has impacted
the capacity of countries to fulfil their reporting requirements, and 84 per cent of DMFAS
client countries with low or middle-income levels effectively reported to the World Bank
through the Debtor Reporting System. In 2020, 73 per cent of DMFAS clients participating
in the World Bank Quarterly External Debt Statistics database reported on a timely basis.

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(e) Financing: The Programme worked actively with current donors to agree on
new multi-year commitments and reached out to potential new donors.
(f) Results-based management (RBM): The DMFAS Programme applies
comprehensive RBM to its strategic planning and project implementation. This includes
clearly defining the objectives, results, measurable indicators and means of verification
that will be used to monitor and evaluate progress. It also defines the assumptions that
represent the pre-requisites for the achievement of the expected results, and the
associated risks. Where applicable, baselines are used to benchmark progress over time.
2020 is the first year of implementation of the new 4-year strategic plan for the period
2020–2023. In 2020, report of the Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment
Network (MOPAN) on technical cooperation in UNCTAD noted that “good practices of
results-based planning were evident such as the use of effectiveness indicators to develop
the DMFAS Strategic Plan 2016–2019”. The report also stated that “good practices of
results-based management were evident such as for the DMFAS Monitoring and
Evaluation Framework”. The MOPAN report pointed out that “on the DMFAS
programme, there is evidence that strategic planning is based on both constituent
priorities and informed by the latest innovation, good practice, needs to support
programme evolution and feedback from key stakeholders at other agencies”. 32

B4 UNCTAD contribution to the Enhanced Integrated Framework

Table B4
UNCTAD contribution to the Enhanced Integrated Framework

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

RAF/0T/JAU Facilitation du transit, du transport et des 2020– Enhanced

échanges en Afrique de l’Ouest pour une Integrated
meilleure participation aux chaines de Framework
valeurs

RAS/0T/JBL EIF – Regional Project “A New Trade 2020– Enhanced

Policy and Strategy for ASEAN LDCs on Integrated
market access and related issues” Framework

277. Development context. The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is a multi-agency

and multi-donor program for the coordinated delivery of trade related technical assistance
and institutional capacity-building for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It aims at
enabling LDCs to mainstream trade into their national development plans, so that countries
can mobilize the potential of trade to promote economic growth, sustainable development
and poverty reduction at the domestic level and to become more active players in the
multilateral trading system. In this context, UNCTAD continues to actively participate in
the EIF Board by contributing to the LDC friendly operationalization of the EIF. In
addition, UNCTAD assists the LDCs both in terms of capacity-building for the ownership
of the EIF through its Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS) updating process and by
providing the trade policy, the market access and the strategy advisory services.
278. Objectives/Features. UNCTAD provides tailored assistance in response to specific
requests from EIF participating countries. The main objectives of the technical assistance
are the capacity-building of LDCs for a better integration into multilateral trade and for
their development through the DTIS studies, trade policy, market access, etc. In providing
such assistance, UNCTAD uses a mix of national and international expertise to facilitate
the exchange of knowledge and maximize results – the approach also contributes to
national capacity-building.

32 MOPAN 2019 Assessments: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),
Published June 2020. Available at http://www.mopanonline.org/assessments/unctad2019/.

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279. Outputs. In 2020, UNCTAD provided the technical assistance in several LDCs,
notably Benin, Burkina Faso and the Niger, through a regional project on transit, transport
and trade facilitation; in Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic by
developing and implementing a regional project on “A New trade policy and strategy for
ASEAN LDCs on market access and related issues”.

West African Countries: Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger

280. The project on “Facilitation of transit, transport and trade in West Africa for better
value chain participation” will facilitate adopting a transit modernization plan building on
existing regional conventions such as the Interstate Road Transport Convention (ISRT),
including specific transport issues and the implementation of specific transit-related articles
of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The project will put in place catalytic activities
on transit while being part of the general framework of implementing the Trade Facilitation
West Africa (TFWA) Programme. These activities will activate measures to be put in place
by governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders and deploy their effects over a
long-term time horizon beyond the 36-month project duration. Following the Trade
Facilitation Agreement that entered into force on 22 February 2017, this project will enable
the three beneficiary countries to facilitate transit, alleviate bottlenecks arising from
transport-related problems, and improve cooperation between countries at the transit and
transport levels. One of the project’s innovative elements is a holistic and coordinated
approach using the transit provisions of the TFA as a leverage to achieve the transit
facilitation objectives. The budget for this project is $1.5 million.
281. The last version of the project has been approved by the EIF secretariat in 2021. In
2020, the project successfully created synergies with partners such as the World Bank, GIZ,
ECOWAS, and WAEMU to revamp its overall strategies in addressing trade facilitation
related issues in the three beneficiary countries. Indeed, in 2020, with the guidance from the
EIF secretariat’s recommendations, UNCTAD enhanced the project work plan, logical
framework, monitoring and evaluation plan, and budget to reflect not just the on-going
related projects in the region but also to alleviate risk from COVID-19, like travel
restrictions that could result in low participation of beneficiary countries in project
activities.

ASEAN LDCs Countries: Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
282. ASEAN LDCs need to design a coordinated trade policy response to address the
challenges that they are faced. These challenges are due to changes in the trade policies of
their major trading partners and ASEAN neighbours that affect ASEAN LDC trade
opportunities. Thus, there is a need for ASEAN LDCs to redesign a coordinated trade and
investment policy response to address these challenges and meet the Sustainable
Development Goals. Specifically, the regional project called “A new trade policy and
strategy for ASEAN least developed countries on market access and related issues” will
provide targeted research and capacity-building initiatives to support the Ministries of
Commerce of Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and WTO delegates of
ASEAN LDCs to achieve several outcomes, especially: (a) extended cumulation with the
European Union for ASEAN LDCs and improved trade relations on market access; (b)
improved Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) of Japan and Japan-ASEAN LDC
bilateral trade relations; (c) improved sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in
accessing China and neighbouring markets by leveraging on the WTO SPS committee; and
(d) a better understanding of WTO e-commerce negotiations. The budget for this project is
$200,000.
283. The ASEAN LDC Project is at its infancy stage where the start of implementation
was at the end of October 2020. Nevertheless, the ASEAN LDC Project has accomplished
worthwhile milestones towards its goals. Specifically, the project has successfully
completed the following actions and activities: (a) ASEAN Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
Handbook, (b) road map of sequenced activities on market access, rules of origin, SPS and
e-commerce for Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; (c) participation in
WTO Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) meetings, (d) Analysis on rules of origin in
Japan’s duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) scheme for the LDCs; and (e) coordination with

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the ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the European Union (ARISE) Project to
seek complementarities and synergies.

EIF Board Meeting

284. In 2020, UNCTAD participated in a virtual meeting with EIF agencies (WTO and
UNDP) to coordinate positions and responses on various agenda items for consideration at
the next Board Meeting. On 25 June 2020, UNCTAD participated in the Enhanced
Integrated Framework Board meeting organized by the World Trade Organization. The
main points of this EIF board meeting were the EIF strategic responses to the COVID-19
crisis, the EIF Programme evaluation, the EIF financial update and the EIF guidelines for
Selection of Main Implementing Entities/Sub-Implementing Entities. On 26 November
2020, UNCTAD participated in the Enhanced Integrated Framework Board meeting
organized by the World Trade Organization. The main points of this EIF board meeting
were (a) overall update of the programme, (b) update on the EIF programme decision,
(c) the EIF monitoring and evaluation system and (d) 2021 budgets and work plans.

EIF Working Group

285. In July 2020, UNCTAD participated in discussions with the EIF Board and
Secretariat on the EIF’s “Guidelines for the Selection of Main Implementing Entities
(MIEs) and Sub-implementing Entities (SIEs)”. In September 2020, UNCTAD participated
in the meeting of the EIF secretariat, which focused on the theme of “EIF agility and
resilience in COVID-19 – Sharing experiences and lessons learned”. In October, UNCTAD
participated in the EIF Working Group meetings to review the documents that were
subsequently approved at the EIF Board meeting on 26 November 2020.
286. On November 18, UNCTAD also participated in a consultative meeting with EIF
agencies to discuss the documents that were submitted to the EIF Board Meeting.
287. Results. In 2020, all of these listed activities were carried out by UNCTAD in the
context of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF). Although efforts are still needed to
assist LDCs in their integration into the world trade, an increasing number of least
developed countries have made progress in mainstreaming trade policies into their national
development plans as well as identified trade-related priorities and implemented their
Action Matrices. In addition, LDCs have been increasingly able to identify the main
constrains in their participation in the international trade and develop initiatives to foster
productive capacities at sub-regional and regional levels.

B5 Market access, rules of origin and geographical indications for the least
developed countries

Table B5
Market access, rules of origin and geographical indications for the least developed
countries

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ROA-1617 Programme on statistics and data 2016– Development

(A10) Account

288. Development context. Least developed countries (LDCs) are granted preferential
tariff treatment in the markets of developed and developing countries under several
schemes and arrangements. Among them are initiatives such as the Generalized System of
Preferences, the European Union’s “Everything but Arms” initiative, the African Growth
and Opportunity Act of the United States of America, trade preferences under African,
Caribbean and Pacific States–European Union Partnership Agreements and other
preferential trading arrangements that have rules of origin as key components. LDCs
nonetheless face significant obstacles to market access.

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289. UNCTAD provides policy advice and technical assistance to help developing
countries comply with requirements on rules of origin under preferential trading
arrangements – focusing on product origin – with a view to improving the utilization rates
of trade preferences granted to them. Since 2006, for instance, UNCTAD has assisted
LDCs that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the implementation of
the 2005 Ministerial Declaration adopted at the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference (Hong
Kong, China) on duty-free and quota-free market access. The declaration called on ensuring
that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from LDCs are simple and transparent
and contribute to facilitating market access. UNCTAD also provides support in relation to
the WTO Ministerial Decision (Bali, Indonesia) on preferential rules of origin for LDCs.
290. In addition to assisting the least developed countries on market access regulations,
UNCTAD provides support on geographical indications (GIs) to enhance export
diversification and specialization. Overcoming the limited diversification of LDC exports,
the low value added of those exports and the continued challenge of bringing small local
producers up front in the global commodity value chain remain concerns. At the same time,
the rich biodiversity of several LDCs allows them to draw on their natural resources to
create an array of traditional products and preparations with the potential to compete
globally and secure higher returns from sales. Benefiting from that natural wealth can
require taking steps to gain recognition of quality and generate a solid reputation for
specific products in the eyes of consumers and buyers. One important approach can be
using geographical indications in combination with a branding strategy for those products.
291. Unilateral trade preferences, if properly utilized, provides LDCs with a comparative
advantage by lowering import tariffs. They are nevertheless not a panacea and competition
from alike products is fierce. Adopting a regional branding strategy based on geographical
indications could be a viable complementary poverty reduction and environmentally sound
policy to commercial and subsistence farming in LDCs. Associated origin conveys a certain
reputation of a good and spurs trust resulting from a certain type of collective action. This
holds especially true in today’s globalized world in which consumers would like to know
where the products come from and local producers need therefore to differentiate their
products from generic competition. LDCs face considerable challenges at the time when
they consider GIs as institutionalization schemes are still precarious: LDC Governments
have limited knowledge on GIs, the GI frameworks might not exist or if available, they are
incomplete. Moreover, sustainable models of regional branding of agriculture relying on
“terroir” might simply be absent or mixed with other models of development farming like
organic farming or “fair trade” initiatives. These latter initiatives are not directed at
promoting the uniqueness nature of products and its cultural aspects.
292. Objectives/features. The main objectives of UNCTAD technical assistance under
this programme are to help LDCs better understand the rules and mechanisms of the
multilateral trading system in order to access different markets; and to assist rural
communities and LDC Governments in enhancing the value of traditional products by
exploiting trading opportunities such as geographical indications and facilitating
compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary requirement. The principle of country
ownership drives UNCTAD technical assistance on rules of origin, market access and
geographical indications. For all schemes under the Generalized System of Preferences
(GSP), products exported from a country receiving such preferences must fulfil the rules of
origin of the countries granting those preferences.
293. Documenting evidence of compliance with those rules is necessary for products to
qualify for preferential tariff treatment. UNCTAD services in support of developing
countries and LDCs in this area include (a) providing advice to Governments and the
private sector to comply with origin requirements under unilateral (duty free and quota free
(DFQF) arrangement) and contractual trade preferences (free trade areas and regional trade
agreements); and (b) delivering tailor-made technical assistance, such as advisory
memorandums on policy options in drafting and negotiating preferential rules of origin
under different trading arrangements. UNCTAD also carries out tailored services in
providing LDCs with specific training material on market access trade preference made
available under DFQF arrangement and regional trade agreements.

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294. Identifying and registering traditional products under a geographical indication

requires different steps, such as drafting a “disciplinary of production”, the main text that
defines a product’s unique identity. Being able to convey what makes products unique
geographically adds value to those products. Such information is also useful for customers
who can be attracted to those products when they learn more about them.
295. UNCTAD provides countries with support in identifying products that could be
eligible to use geographical indications – signs used on products with a specific
geographical origin and possessing qualities or a reputation based on that origin – and in
drafting the legal specifications for those products and introducing a branding policy.
296. Outputs

WTO LDC Group

297. UNCTAD held a number of informal consultations with the LDC Group at the WTO
and other delegations to prepare a draft Ministerial text for the 12th Ministerial Conference
(MC-12). After various revisions and inputs from different stakeholders and delegations, a
draft text has been delivered by UNCTAD to the WTO LDC Group.

Committee on Rules of Origin

298. On March, UNCTAD provided the LDC Group at the World Trade Organization
with background papers and presentations. The inputs were used by the LDC delegates
during the WTO Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) meeting held from 4 to 5 March
2020 in Geneva.
299. Then, in October, UNCTAD provided assistance to the LDC Group at the WTO in
preparing the documents for the Next CRO. In particular, a draft ministerial decision on
rules of origin has been prepared together with a note on ad valorem percentage criterion.
Consultations on the preparation for the forthcoming meeting have been carried out with
the WTO LDC Group and the WTO secretariat.

Review of the Revised Kyoto Convention

300. UNCTAD contributed inputs to the revised proposal on the updating of Annex K on
rules of origin of the revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). The proposal for the revision of
Annex K was developed together with the European Union, China, Japan, New Zealand,
Norway, Switzerland and Nissan Renault. As part of the revision of the Kyoto Convention,
UNCTAD organized a Consultative Meeting on the Proposal of Annex K on Rules of
Origin of Revised Kyoto Convention on 27 November 2020. The consultative meeting has
been organized in cooperation with the European University Institute, as part of the Global
Governance Programme. Thanks to wide participation and engaging cooperation, the
meeting brought together 31 participants from both the private and public sectors. Many
private sector stakeholders had previously provided their comments and suggestions on the
joint proposal. The consultative meeting allowed for the review of the components of the
joint proposal. The meeting provided information on the RKC Revision and the RKC
Annex K. Information on the rationale behind the proposal was provided by the European
Union. Stakeholders further spoke about the components of the proposal and the relevant
private sector inputs/comments, as well as the next steps for this proposal.

Programme on Statistics and Data: Statistics on Merchandise Trade, Trade Preferences

and Non-Tariff Measures
301. Under the programme on statistics and data, the 10 United Nations implementing
entities worked closely to enhance capacity of developing countries to strengthen statistical
institutional environments and production processes across multiple statistical domains to
measure, monitor and report on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
302. The implementing entities are long-standing and trusted partners of national
statistical offices and national statistical systems, and possess considerable technical
expertise and experience, which places them in a unique position to provide assistance to
countries in the area of statistics and data. The programme provides guidance on

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improvements required to strengthen the institutional settings and arrangements within the
national statistical offices, including the related statistical business processes. Such
guidance will then need to be adapted to the specificities of each country’s current official
statistical arrangements. The programme also addresses data gaps in specific thematic
areas, combining a cross-cutting approach with sector-specific demands, as identified by
member States.
303. In 2020, several activities have been implemented by several United Nations
entities. UNCTAD for its part has allowed the organization of several activities contributing
to the objectives of this program. For example, UNCTAD organized regional training in
collaboration with the European University Institute, Florence, to build capacities of
Geneva-based and capital-based officials on how to use utilization rates of trade
preferences in multilateral/bilateral negotiations. Also, UNCTAD provided advisory
services on utilization rate to the LDCs. In 2020, UNCTAD also participated in the World
Customs Organization (WCO) workshop of LDCs.

UNCTAD Database on GSP Utilization

304. The GSP Utilization Rate is a website interfacing with a database on utilization rates
of trade preferences granted to LDCs. The aim is to provide the private sector and
Government in LDCs with detailed information on the utilization rate of trade preferences.
This new tool will allow government officials, firms, and researchers to retrieve in a
user-friendly manner data on GSP utilization rates as well as imports by tariff treatment.
For the time being, the coverage is limited to the QUAD countries (Canada, Japan, the
United States and the European Union,) for the period 2004–2018 with 2019 soon to be
added. Three functions are fully operational, namely: (1) Utilization by Product which
allows to see the evolution of a product – defined as a 2-, 4- or 6-digit Harmonized System
(HS) code – imported by a beneficiary country from a preference-giving country (PGC) in
terms of GSP Utilization Rate and imports; (2) Top Products Imported from a Beneficiary,
allowing government officials and researchers to see which products were the most traded
between a beneficiary and a PGC; (3) Utilization by Country, showing utilization rates and
imports in terms of HS sections. Since October 2020, UNCTAD has been working in close
cooperation with the Information Technology Support Services Section at UNCTAD, in the
development of a new front-end for the UNCTAD Database on GSP Utilization. This
collaboration is on weekly basis (12 meetings so far) between the two teams to review
progress achieved in the previous week and define new milestones for the following week.
The UNCTAD Database on GSP Utilization was successfully launched at the end of 2020.
This implies that we are still in the process of collecting feedbacks from various users to
ascertain its usefulness. Further, we are also gathering feedbacks on how to improve the
graphical user interface to better enhance user experience.

Handbooks on DFQF: Distribution and Training

305. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic and related economic shocks, UNCTAD
and the EIF Executive Secretariat aim to assist the LDCs with their economic recovery
efforts by taking advantage of the multilateral trade opportunities arising from the initiative
of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of WTO, held in Hong Kong, China, on duty-free and
quota-free market access. Some LDCs, particularly African countries, have not yet fully
exploited the opportunities offered by these unilateral preferences.
306. Hence, in 2020, UNCTAD distributed the handbooks on DFQF: “Handbooks on
Duty and Quota Free Market Access and Rules of Origin for Least Developed Countries” to
the LDCs. This UNCTAD handbook is intended to help LDCs take advantage of the
multilateral trade opportunities arising from the Sixth Ministerial Conference of WTO
initiative on duty-free and quota-free market access. This initiative’s philosophy is that
WTO member States grant duty-free and quota-free access to their markets for products
originating from the LDCs to increase their exports, promote their industrialization and
their socio-economic development.
307. This document consists of two volumes. The first volume presents the process of
duty-free and quota-free market access from the WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore
in 1996 to that of Buenos Aires in 2017. It also highlights Bali (2013) and Nairobi (2015)

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decisions on preferential rules of origin; those of Canada, Japan, the United States and the
European Union. The second volume, linked to the first, presents a lucid assessment of the
decisions taken in Hong Kong (China) on the implementation of these trade preferences by
developing countries. It analyses the DFQF access regimes granted by non-quadrilateral
countries, especially the trade preferences granted by developing countries in the context of
strengthening South-South cooperation.
308. In addition to the distribution of the handbooks on DFQF, a series of webinars will
be organized in 2021 on how to make use of DFQF based on UNCTAD Handbook on
Duty-Free and Quota-Free Market Access and Rules of Origin for Least Developed
Countries. Each webinar consists of 2 sessions of around 1 hour and 30 minutes each.
During the first session, the requirements that exporters need to fulfil in order to benefit
from the duty-free and quota-free initiative as well as the use of the UNCTAD Database on
GSP Utilization are covered. The second session reviews the exercises conducted by
participants and presents other relevant online resources with hands-on examples. The
target audience consists of representatives of private sector association, exporter
associations, trade promotion agencies, major exporters and government officials dealing
with trade policy formulation and implementation of trade agreement. The first webinars
have started in March 2021.
309. The other contribution of UNCTAD was the publications below:
(a) Getting to better rules of origin for LDCs;
(b) Cambodia Diagnostic Trade Integration Study 2019–2023: UNCTAD
Contribution to chapter 1: Trade Policy and Regional Integration (RCEP, BRI, CP-TPP,
FTAs).
310. Results. UNCTAD technical assistance for market access and rules of origin
contributed to help LDCs to better understand market access rules and mechanisms. The
research and capacity-building activities carried out under this programme enhanced the
skills and knowledge of officials from LDCs on specific operationally important areas of
international economic law and policy. The analytical and training activities provided the
participants with a deeper understanding of alternative approaches and the implications of
different trade policy rules and regulations and enhanced their capacity to apply this
knowledge in the course of international negotiations and the implementation of the WTO
LDC Package resulting from the Bali and Nairobi Ministerial Declaration.

B6 Breaking the chains of commodity dependence

Table B6
Breaking the chains of commodity dependence

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/9AX Global Commodities Forum 2009– Multi-donors

INT/0T/HAN Integrating landlocked commodity- 2018– Department of

dependent developing countries into Economic and
regional and global value chains Social Affairs

INT/0T/IBE Addressing vulnerabilities of commodity 2020– Common Fund

dependent developing countries (CDDCS) for
Commodities

ROA-1617 Promoting cotton by-products in Eastern 2016– Development

(K10) and Southern Africa Account

311. Development context. The economic consequences of commodity dependence are

severe. The volatility of commodity prices hits countries’ macroeconomic stability. The
lack of value-added activities hampers economic diversification and industrial

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development. To ensure that commodities positively contribute to the achievement of the

Sustainable Development Goals, it is therefore critical to break the chains of commodity
dependence. In this regard, diversification and value addition are essential for commodity-
dependent developing countries to reduce their economic vulnerability to commodity price
fluctuation, while contributing to better jobs and livelihoods for their citizens. UNCTAD
assists countries in this direction through its various projects on breaking the chains of
commodity dependence.
312. Objectives. In response to a request for assistance, UNCTAD works with a country
to evaluate its needs towards realizing the following four main thematic outcomes:
(a) Developing value added activities in its commodity sector;
(b) Establishing development linkages between the commodity sector and the
wider economy;
(c) Diversifying to non-commodity activities;
(d) Integrating into global and regional value chains.
313. Breaking the chains of commodity dependence develops the capacity of
policymakers and stakeholders in project countries to assess the economic viability of
investments and commercial initiatives that contribute to the programme’s four thematic
outcomes, as well as to formulate evidence-based policies in support of their development.
For instance, the project on “Integrating landlocked commodity-dependent developing
countries into regional and global value chains” focuses on promoting the agri-food
industry by supporting the efforts of local stakeholders in accessing new international
markets in the four project countries (Ethiopia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic,
Mongolia and Uzbekistan).
314. Outputs. In 2020, under the project on “Integrating landlocked commodity-
dependent developing countries into regional and global value chains”, and in consultation
with stakeholders, notably the national authorities through the designated focal points both
in the capital and in Geneva, UNCTAD continued rolling out the implementation of project
activities in the four countries. During the period, the technical report Analysing the Maize
Value Chain for Export in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was published in
September 2020. The policy findings of the study were discussed in a national workshop
that took place in hybrid form in October 2020 in Vientiane, with a group of senior
government officials from both national and subnational relevant institutions (e.g., Ministry
of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry and Commerce) and development partners including
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Bank and others.
Additionally, field surveys in both Mongolia and Uzbekistan were implemented by teams
of national consultants working with UNCTAD experts. In Uzbekistan, the field survey
included 103 farmers across five fruit-producing regions, as well as a number of buyers of
fruit including consolidators and processors/exporters, while in Mongolia the field survey
included 168 herders from eight aimags, as well as a number of other relevant stakeholders
(such as meat exporters). During the period, UNCTAD conducted research work using data
gathered from field surveys, as well as other relevant qualitative and quantitative
information, to produce studies that were presented and discussed with the different
national authorities during national workshops that took place in Ethiopia, Mongolia and
Uzbekistan during the first quarter of 2021.
315. Under the project “Addressing vulnerabilities of commodity dependent developing
countries”, funded by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), a paper reviewing the
global debate and experience on commodities and development over the past decades was
commissioned. The paper analyses the current global development context and identifies
new and emerging challenges and opportunities faced by Commodity Dependent
Developing Countries (CDDCs). It further explores how such countries can engage in both
public and private sectors and civil society to rebalance global value chains in commodity
markets. The role of international organizations, such as the CFC itself and International
Commodity Bodies, can play in assisting CDDCs to reduce vulnerabilities, and shake off
their dependence on commodities is also investigated. Policy interventions and country
experiences that have successfully promoted south-south collaboration for sustainable

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development in CDDCs are reviewed. The paper is expected to be finalized in the second
half of 2021.
316. The project “Improving the value added of cotton by-products in Eastern and
Southern Africa” received an extension to the end of December 2020. However, due to
travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNCTAD had to cancel the two
additional study visits planned under the extension. During the period the project hired a set
of external evaluators to evaluate project implementation.
317. From the expertise built during the Development Account project on cotton
by-products, UNCTAD formed a joint initiative with the WTO and ITC on the same
subject, to carry forward the work and respond to requests from member States for
additional technical assistance in this area. The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF)
funded the initiative’s first phase of work, to conduct feasibility studies with the overall
goal of identifying opportunities to increase revenues from cotton, in particular for
smallholder and women farmers, by developing and adding value to cotton by-products.
WTO implemented the projects to prepare feasibility studies in eight least-developed
countries (LDCs) in Africa, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mozambique,
Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia. Implementation of the studies was
completed at the end of 2020. In 2021, EIF funded the preparation of feasibility studies for
two additional LDCs, namely Malawi and Togo. UNCTAD became the main implementing
entity to conduct these feasibility studies. As of February 2021, the projects were in the
start-up phase, with UNCTAD in the process of identifying and hiring consultants for each
country.
318. Results. By its original end date of 31 December 2019, the project on cotton by-
products realized all of its indicators of achievement. For example: three countries
(Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) validated national action plans to develop cotton by-
products, with accompanying evidence-based policies; investment profiles for priority by-
products were prepared and delivered to the investment promotion agencies in the same
three countries. Most importantly for the sustainability of the project activities, the project
countries formulated a total of six project and investment plans for onward research and
commercial projects. Of these, an entrepreneur in Zambia used the lessons and contacts
acquired through the project to modernize the machinery at his absorbent cotton plan,
leading to increased production, revenues and employment.33 Beyond the project activities
and end date, UNCTAD supported this entrepreneur in drafting his investment plans and
fundraising requests.
319. For the project “Integrating landlocked commodity-dependent developing countries
into regional and global value chains”, the country-level activities in the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic had been completed by the end of 2020. The publication of the
data-based technical report on the maize value chain and the implementation of the national
workshop in Vientiane in 2020, together with the targeted capacity-building conducted in
2019, have improved statistical and analytical capacity of the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic in effective policy formulation to promote its integration into regional and global
value chains and enhance development linkages. UNCTAD co-organized the national
workshop in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic with the Department of Trade
Promotion of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and had the close support of and
coordination with the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in the country.
The latter is working closely with the authorities and providing support to the ongoing
revision of the different national development and sectorial plans (e.g., Agricultural and
5-Year Plans in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic). The findings of UNCTAD
research and policy discussions are to be incorporated in the discussion of the policy action
plans of the authorities through the work carried out by the United Nations RCO, which is
coordinating development work of the whole United Nations system in the country.

33 Success story available at https://unctad.org/news/zambian-cotton-entrepreneur-goes-beyond-fibre.

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B9 Sustainable and resilient transport and logistics services

Table B9
Sustainable and resilient transport and logistics services

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

INT/9X/31Y Introduction of multimodal transport and 1993– Multi-donors

microcomputer software programmes

INT/0T/IAP Climate resilient transport infrastructure for 2019– Germany

sustainable trade, tourism and development
in SDS

RAF/0T/HAC Regional Study for “Commercialization of 2020– Islamic

the Trans-Saharan Road Corridor” development
bank

ROA-2023 Transport and trade connectivity in the age 2020– Development

(X12) of pandemics Account

320. Development context. UNCTAD continued to implement various technical

assistance activities in the field of transport and logistics. Areas of focus included maritime
transport; transport and transit corridors; as well as cross cutting issues such as
sustainability, finance, and public–private partnerships (PPPs).
321. This work was closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and built
heavily on the synergies and gains derived from enhanced collaboration and partnerships
with varied partners. This includes United Nations entities, such as UNDESA, UNECA,
UNESCAP, UNESCWA, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). UNCTAD
work also supported the energy transition in maritime transport, where the decarbonization
of shipping poses historical challenges but also opportunities for developing countries.
322. Transport and trade logistics are important transmission channels that contribute to
the challenges as well as the recovery of interdependent economies. Disruptions to transport
networks send shock waves through the extended supply chains as evidenced by the many
disruptions recorded over time and resulting from external shocks ranging from security
breaches to climate and natural disasters as well as pandemics as recently shown by
COVID-19. The crisis has highlighted the importance of transport, including maritime
transport, for the continuity, reliability and the well-functioning of global supply chains.
323. The nexus between the 2030 Agenda, the Goals, the Paris Agreement and
sustainable freight transport is strong. Freight transport is linked to wide-ranging aspects of
modern societies and economic structures. It adds value to the economy and generates
social gains, including by supporting trade, linking supply chains, enhancing connectivity,
allowing for market access, generating employment and enabling business opportunities.
324. Objectives and features. In 2020, UNCTAD collaborated with the five United
Nations regional commissions to help developing countries tackle the trade and transport
challenges that resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. Such collaboration took the form
of a joint rapid response United Nations Development Account (UNDA) project on
“Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics: Contactless, seamless and
collaborative United Nations solutions”.
325. UNCTAD also collaborated with IMO in a project to review the assessment of
impacts on states of concrete decarbonization measures that are being negotiated at the
IMO. Often, the same developing countries, including SIDS and LDCs, that are most
negatively impacted by climate change are also potentially most negatively affected by

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higher transport costs and lower connectivity that may result from some decarbonization
measures.
326. As part of its work on transport and transit corridors, UNCTAD in collaboration
with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), has been supporting the promotion and the
commercialization of the Trans-Saharan Road Corridor (TSR), which comprises six
countries, namely Algeria, Chad, Mali, the Niger, Nigeria and Tunisia. UNCTAD’s
technical assistance intervention considers ways in which the TSR road network could
transform and evolve to become a successful regional economic corridor and its functions
extend beyond ensuring transport and transit.
327. As part of the transport and logistics related activities under European Union-funded
project in Angola, UNCTAD is assisting the Government in their efforts to improve the
transport infrastructure and services through public-private partnerships (PPPs), which are
being encouraged by the Angolan Government in line with the country’s strategic plan and
objectives. PPPs are expected to play an important role in attracting investments to achieve
a new level of economic and social development and improve access to quality
infrastructure and services, with the efficient use of public and private funds.
328. Outputs. Under the maritime supply chain component of the UNDA project on
Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics, UNCTAD carried out an
assessment of the pandemic’s impact on the maritime transport sector and trade with the
main findings of this work being published in dedicated report entitled “COVID-19 and
maritime transport: Impact and responses”. This assessment identified the immediate
impacts of the pandemic on maritime trade flows, ship calls, and liner shipping connectivity
in the first half of 2020, for all regions, and provided some of the key responses and
adjustments made at the port level as well as by other stakeholders across the maritime
supply chain to cope with the disruption and maintain business continuity. 34 The main
findings and insights gained from this assessment (which have been also updated to cover
full year 2020) are disseminated by delivering tailored regional webinars (for Latin
American and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa) in collaboration with United Nations
regional commissions.
329. Under the collaboration with the IMO, UNCTAD produced a comprehensive review
report of the initial impact assessments of decarbonization measures. The report was
submitted to the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee and helped inform
decisions about future decarbonization measures in shipping.
330. Under the Trans-Saharan Road Corridor (TSR) project, UNCTAD carried a
substantive analytical assessment of the corridor, highlighting its performances, challenges
and obstacles undermining its operations, as well as potential solutions. In its study,
UNCTAD has put forward recommendations with a view to establishing a suitable TSR
corridor management mechanism as key instrument to promote and commercialize the TSR
corridor. The study recommends that (a) a framework for cooperation between the TSR
corridor member countries be established; and that (a) an appropriate regional management
mechanism or structure for the TSR corridor to support effective coordination, operation,
management, promotion and commercialization of the corridor be put in place. In addition,
in its recommendations, the study identified the key elements necessary for an
intergovernmental agreement (memorandum of understanding) and proposed that a regional
TSR economic corridor programme or project be developed to help operationalize the
various recommendations.35 In December 2020, UNCTAD in close collaboration with the
IsDB and the Trans-Saharan Road Liaison Committee (TRLC) organized a webinar which
brought together over 40 participants from TRLC member countries, in addition to experts
from other international and regional institutions, to discuss findings of the study. The
discussions confirmed the relevance and importance of a TSR economic corridor.
331. Continuing its work under Angola project, UNCTAD made significant progress and
provided capacity-building and training activities to support the development and

34 For further information about the UNDA project, see https://unttc.org/.

35 For further information, see https://unctad.org/project/commercialization-trans-saharan-road-corridor-
through-development-regional-corridor.

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implementation of PPPs programme including in transport and logistics, despite the

COVID-19 context. Several capacity-building, training and advisory activities (online
activities) have been conducted to (a) build the knowledge and understanding of
government officials on the PPPs with an emphasis on infrastructure and transportation
services; and (b) improve knowledge on the preparation of PPP projects. As an innovative
approach to achieve project objectives and better address the requests from the Government
of Angola in the context of COVID-19, UNCTAD maintained regular online meetings with
key stakeholders and conducted all training through a series of webinars.
332. In addition, UNCTAD continued to provide advice and policy guidance in response
to internal and external requests received from various entities, including on the legal
framework on international shipping and maritime law, particularly competition law issues
and the UNCTAD Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences; issues related to ship-source
pollution and related environmental challenges; sustainable transport and the implications
of climate change for maritime transport, including in particular the potential impacts of
climate variability and change on seaports and associated adaptation requirements.
333. Results and impacts. UNCTAD collaboration with the IMO has helped its
members take decisions on future measures that aim at the decarbonization of maritime
transport. International shipping and ports will in coming years and decades undergo a
comprehensive energy transition. UNCTAD assessment of impacts on States as well as
related technical assistance to developing countries has been an important step towards
achieving climate change mitigation while at the same time also mitigating the potential
impacts of decarbonization measures on States.
334. Under the Trans-Saharan Road Corridor (TSR) project, there was a consensus at the
meeting that the time was ripe for the TSR network to step into its full potential and act as a
catalyst for regional integration, trade expansion, economic growth, and social progress.
UNCTAD as well as other development and institutional partners (as deemed appropriate)
will continue to support the TSR Corridor Economic Development initiative. In this regard,
the TRLC will organize a high-level meeting to discuss future activities to advance
UNCTAD recommendations towards the main objective of promoting and commercializing
the TSR corridor.
335. In Angola, since the implementation of the project activities on PPPs in 2018,
UNCTAD has become a key knowledge and advisor partner to the Government of Angola
and has been playing an active role in providing constant technical support to the
Government in their effort to develop and implement PPPs programme. UNCTAD has also
been collaborating with other organizations such as Sustainable Infrastructure Foundation
(SIF) that coordinates the provision of a multilateral platform for sustainable infrastructure
(known as SOURCE) to support Angola in developing and implementing PPPs projects.

B99 Other

Table B99
Other

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Division on Globalization and Development Strategies

PAL/0T/GAA Assessment of the economic costs of the 2020– Saudi Arabia

Israeli occupation for the Palestinian
people

ROA-2023 Response and Recovery: Mobilising 2020– Development

(Z12) financial resources for development in the Account
time of Covid-19

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD joint 2017– European

programme, Train for Trade II Union

INT/9X/77J Trust Fund for Least Developed 1997– Multi-donor

Countries: Core project

ROA-1617 Indices for benchmarking productive 2016– Development

(M10) capacities for evidence-based Account
policymaking in landlocked developing
countries

ROA-2023 Coherent strategies for productive 2020– Development

(E12) capacity development in African Least Account
Developed Countries

1. Assistance to the Palestinian people

336. Development context. In 2020, socioeconomic conditions in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory have moved from bad to worse. High rates of poverty and
unemployment persisted and GDP per capita declined for the third consecutive year. Even
before the COVID-19 economic shock the economy was expected to slip into recession in
2020 and 2021.
337. The Palestinian economy failed to regain momentum in 2019, registering just
0.9 per cent of real GDP growth, not much better than the two preceding years. The
slowdown was driven by decline in private and public consumption and investment. Down
from 2.3 per cent in 2018, growth in the West Bank was 1.15 per cent, its lowest since
2012. Meanwhile in Gaza GDP growth was virtually zero and the Strip has thus failed to
rebound from two consecutive contractions: -7.7 per cent in 2017 and -3.5 per cent in 2018.
Therefore, real GDP per capita declined by 1.6 per cent in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory for the third year in a row where it fell by 1.1 per cent in the West Bank and
2.8 per cent in Gaza.
338. In 2020, before the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, performance of the Palestinian
economy was dismal, and the overall environment has been unfavourable. The productive
base was hollowed out by recurrent hostilities, geographical and economic fragmentation,
technological regression, restrictions on imported inputs and technology, loss of land and
natural resources, settlement expansion and leakage of fiscal resources and the collapse of
the economy of Gaza. The COVID-19 pandemic made a difficult situation worse.
339. The fiscal situation of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) took a sharp
negative turn in 2019 and 2020 as a result of a dispute with the occupying power over the
transfer of Palestinian clearance revenue to the PNA, which accounts for two-third of its
total revenues. The fiscal crisis weighed heavily on economic growth and worsened the
revenue loss.
340. The prolonged closure of Gaza and severe restrictions virtually eliminated its export
sector. Gaza’s exports have plunged below a quarter of their 2007 levels, before the
imposition of the blockade. The sector is additionally constrained by lack of access to
inputs, technology, power shortages and by pervasive uncertainty. The World Bank
estimates that without the Israeli restrictions, Palestinian exports could be twice their
current levels, given the proximity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory to large regional
markets.
341. The barriers to movement of Palestinian workers have had significant economic and
human implications. These barriers divide the West Bank into disconnected islands
controlled by over 600 military checkpoints, gates, and roads for Israeli settlers. The only
contiguous part of the West Bank is Area C, but it remains under Israeli control and is

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inaccessible to Palestinian producers even though it has the most valuable natural resources
such as fertile land, stone, minerals, cosmetics, and tourist attractions. Meanwhile, the
Separation Barrier, along with settlements, deepen the physical, administrative, and legal
fragmentation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory into 227 disconnected islands lacking
integrative infrastructure.
342. The prolonged occupation and conflict left the Palestinian economy vulnerable to
shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic struck at a time of rapidly deteriorating conditions in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, with the first case reported in early March 2020. The PNA
responded by closing institutions and limiting the movement of people within the Occupied
Palestinian Territory and completely locking down some localities.
343. The historical record suggests that the cost of the pandemic will be significant.
Following the outbreak of the Second Intifada in September 2000, the occupying power
imposed a policy of border and internal closures that resulted in widespread disruption of
economic activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The restriction reversed a cycle of
double-digit growth in previous years as real GDP contracted by 9, 9 and 13 per cent in
2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. The consecutive three-year contraction translated into
the decline of real GDP per capita by 11 per cent in 2000, 12 per cent in 2001 and
15 per cent in 2002.
344. Latest data on the performance of the Palestinian Economy during 2020 indicate
dismal conditions. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the COVID-19
pandemic and the clearance revenue crisis combined to push the economy into a sharp
12 per cent contraction in 2020. As a result, GDP per capita declined, unemployment
skyrocketed, and additional households joined the poverty-stricken segments of the
population. Prospects for 2021 are grim.
345. Objectives and features. UNCTAD programme on assistance to the Palestinian
people continues to directly respond to paragraph 55 (dd) of the Nairobi Maafikiano,
which requests UNCTAD to “continue to assess the economic development prospects of
the Occupied Palestinian Territory and examine obstacles to trade and development, as
part of the international community’s commitment to building an independent
Palestinian State, and with a view to alleviating the adverse economic and social
conditions imposed on the Palestinian people”.
346. This programme is also guided by paragraph 31 (m) of the Doha Mandate,
paragraph 44 of the Accra Accord and paragraph 35 of the Sao Paulo Consensus. The
programme aims to build and strengthen the institutional capacities of the Palestinian public
and the private sectors required for building a robust economy to underpin a future
independent Palestinian State.
347. The United Nations General Assembly, through seven resolutions – resolutions
69/20, 70/12, 71/20, 72/13, 73/18, 74/10 and 75/20 – requests that UNCTAD should report
to the General Assembly on the economic cost of the Israeli occupation for the Palestinian
people.
348. In 2020, UNCTAD has been supporting the Palestinian people to build and
strengthen the institutional capacities of the public and private sectors. UNCTAD support
addresses the constraints and emerging needs of the economy through four clusters:
(a) Trade and macroeconomic policies and development strategies;
(b) Trade facilitation and logistics;
(c) Finance and development;
(d) Enterprise, investment, and competition policy.
349. Outputs and results. In 2020, UNCTAD continued its support to the Palestinian
people in coordination with Palestinian National Authority, Palestinian civil society,
international organizations, donors and the United Nations country team; with the goal of
rehabilitating its economy and pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals. The
programme continued to strengthen its ongoing support for the Palestinian people despite
difficult field conditions.

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350. To this end, in 2020, UNCTAD continued to provide advisory services to the
Forecasting Unit of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), which uses
UNCTAD macro-econometric model of the Palestinian economy and is run by professional
staff trained by UNCTAD. PCBS forecasts are used by the Ministry of Finance for budget
preparations and by other Palestinian agencies for forecasting and scenario analysis. Most
recently, the model was used by the PCBS to estimate the economic and fiscal impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
351. Furthermore, in April and May 2020, UNCTAD provided Palestine Economic
Policy Research Institute-MAS with a series of advisory services on modelling and
assessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
352. In response to the seven above-mentioned General Assembly resolutions (see
para. 347), in 2020, UNCTAD submitted a report (A/75/310) to the General Assembly on
the economic cost of occupation, focusing on the economic impact of the closure and
restrictions on the Gaza Strip. The report estimates the additional poverty caused by these
measures in terms of: (a) the rate and gap of poverty at the household level, (b) the
minimum cost of eliminating poverty and (c) the potential economic growth that could have
been realized if the closure and the military operations had not occurred.
353. In 2020, UNCTAD released a study (UNCTAD/GDS/APP/2020/1) titled “The
Economic Costs of the Israeli Occupation for the Palestinian People: The Impoverishment
of Gaza under Blockade”. The main objective of this study is to shed light on the critical
situation in Gaza and estimate the costs of the closure and restrictions and military
operations for the Palestinian people in Gaza, with a particular focus on the socioeconomic
conditions at the household level, in addition to giving indicators for the range of the
economic growth that could have been realized had the closure and restrictions and
recurrent hostilities not occurred - that is, their economic costs in terms of lost GDP.
354. In late 2020, UNCTAD received a grant from the Government of Saudi Arabia to
sustain UNCTAD professional capacity required for supporting the Palestinian people’s
efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The grant funds a project that will provide systematic, evidence-based assessments of the
economic cost of the occupation for the Palestinian people. The goal of the project is to
facilitate future negotiations towards achieving a just and lasting peace in the occupied
Palestinian territory and the Middle East.
355. In 2020, UNCTAD continued to enhance and update its macro-econometric model
of the Palestinian economy. The updated framework factors in recent structural changes in
the economy and explores alternative methodologies and techniques. Upon completion of
the updates, the model will be shared fully with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
(PCBS) and the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute-MAS as was the case with
the first model developed by UNCTAD. This will enable the PCBS and MAS to forecast
the prospects of the economy of the occupied Palestinian territory, and to provide
Palestinian policy makers and the private sector with practical tools to evaluate key aspects
of the Palestinian economy, assess alternative policy options/scenarios, and assist in
formulating economic development strategies to pursue the Sustainable Development
Goals.

2. Productive capacity-building in vulnerable economies

2.1. Finding opportunities for niche commodities from developing countries in health food
markets
356. Development context. For several decades structurally weak and vulnerable
economies such as landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) have not been able to take
full advantage of global trade opportunities and improved market access conditions. This is
partly due to their weak productive and supply capacities, and partly due to their weak trade
policy formulation and implementation capacities. Beyond domestic constraints, market
entry barriers such as non-tariff measures remain hindrances to enhancing their export
opportunities. This is despite the fact that they enjoy preferential market access for their
exports to major developed country markets particularly in the European Union.

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Furthermore, geographical challenges such as remoteness from regional and international

markets, high cost of transportation and lack of transit-transport systems are detrimental to
export competitiveness and development of LLDCs. In some cases, beyond the domestic
challenges, regional integration processes have also created complex rules of origin
especially in Africa, resulting in trade loss and high transactions costs. Furthermore, many
LLDCs remain dependent on primary commodities for most of their export revenue,
rendering them highly vulnerable to external shocks. Their persistent underdevelopment
and in many cases, long term decline, illustrates how trade could not uplift these countries’
socioeconomic conditions. This also indicates the complexity and interrelated nature of the
challenges, which undermine the potential and national policy efforts to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals.
357. The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has further exacerbated these development
obstacles. The lack of productive capacities in LLDCs undermined their ability to respond
to the coronavirus disease both in terms of the health response and in terms of building
socio-economic resilience. Furthermore, their vulnerability to external shocks amplified the
impact of the fall in commodity prices. In this way, the coronavirus pandemic has
demonstrated the need to diversify the economy and build productive capacities. This
project aims to support these goals by exploring the potential of new products.
358. There is significant potential for horizontal diversification in many of these countries
in producing and exporting new and dynamic products, such as health-enhancing foods. In
2020, it was further decided to enlarge the scope of this project to include bioprospecting,
i.e. the exploration of biodiversity for commercially valuable genetic and biochemical
resources. If fully exploited, such a potential could help LLDCs to maximize the benefits
from international trade, build export competitiveness and join the group of successful
exporters.
359. Against this background, this project will help: (a) to identify export potential and
competitiveness of a number of structurally weak and vulnerable economies in health-
enhancing specialty foods; (b) to map the new and dynamic products as well as export
potential with market opportunities, primarily in the European Union; and (c) to build
regulatory and institutional capacities of the selected countries to monitor and certify
conformity with specialty food standards.
360. Objectives. The project aims to build the capacities of selected landlocked
developing countries to foster productive capacities and diversify their exports by
identifying and harnessing the export potential of health food commodities and
nutraceuticals, as well as of bioprospecting. The project will draw on global and national
studies of the potential of selected LLDCs in developing the health food or nutraceutical
sector, as well as bioprospecting, and potential export markets. In addition, the project aims
to identify the principal obstacles to the development and expansion of exports in these
sectors and propose policies and measures to address them. In this way, the project will
assist policymakers from selected LLDCs in designing and implementing policies to build
productive capacities, expand and diversify their exports, and achieve structural
transformation.
361. Outputs and results. In 2020, UNCTAD worked to complement a first global study
on “Potential and Constraints for Developing Countries’ Exports of Health Foods and
Nutraceuticals: Azerbaijan, Bhutan, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Burkina Faso,
Ethiopia and Nepal” by commissioning additional studies in the field of nutraceuticals and
the newly added area of bioprospecting, including mapping export markets and
requirements. UNCTAD launched five new studies to explore the potential of
nutraceuticals, bioprospecting, and the blue economy to support export diversification and
inclusive development in vulnerable economies. A first study will assess potential export
markets, market access and market entry conditions or requirements for nutraceuticals and
biogenetic products from countries such as Bhutan, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Nepal as
suppliers of health-enhancing foods or individual ingredients. A second study will assess
the experience of several developing countries in sustainably harnessing their biodiversity
resources for socioeconomic development, including “benefit sharing” with communities,
owners and holders of the resources, and examine the policy and institutional frameworks
that have assisted the successful countries in the preservation and sustainable use of

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biodiversity and biogenetic materials, as well as how binding constraints are unlocked and
what incentives have been provided by the Governments of in support of the development
of biogenetic and biodiversity products. UNCTAD furthermore launched a study
specifically examining the challenges and opportunities for bioprospecting in Paraguay and
the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
362. UNCTAD also broadened the scope of its research to enable LLDCs to draw on the
experiences of other countries in harnessing their biodiversity resources for development.
In particular, UNCTAD launched a study on bioprospecting in Vietnam, and a study
examining the state of the Blue Economy in African SIDS, as well as the binding (supply
and demand side) constraints facing its development. It will analyse key components and
aspects of the Blue Economy, including some of the relevant economic sectors, such as
fisheries, tourism, bio-prospecting, renewable energy, as well as the environmental
management requirements to ensure the sustainability of the blue economy.
363. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans to hold a regional workshop in 2020 to
disseminate the initial findings and provide for an exchange of views among LLDCs on the
potential of the health food sector and the measures needed to harness, were postponed.
UNCTAD aims to publish a study on the development potential of nutraceuticals in 2021,
and to organize related technical cooperation and capacity-building workshops as soon as
the health-situation permits.

2.2. Indices for benchmarking productive capacities for evidence-based policymaking in

landlocked developing countries
364. Development context. The key lesson from the research and policy analysis work of
UNCTAD is that placing the development of productive capacities at the heart of trade and
development policies is essential for LLDCs to address their underdevelopment and to put
them on the path of sustainable development. This calls for measuring and benchmarking
productive capacities in LLDCs through a careful identification of indicators. Therefore, the
ultimate outcome of this project will be a productive capacities index (PCI) 36 constructed
and validated for three beneficiary countries. In each beneficiary country, government
officials responsible for statistical and development analysis will be trained in monitoring
the PCIs, and in their use for generating and implementing development strategies. The
project is financed through the tenth Tranche of Development Account and complemented
with other project funds (i.e. a project funded by Common Fund for Commodities on
commodity value chains).
365. By assisting LLDCs to monitor their progress in building productive capacities, the
PCI can assist them in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals, in particular
Goal 1 (poverty eradication), Goal 2 (zero hunger), Goal 3 (good health and wellbeing),
Goal 4 (quality education), Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy), Goal 8 (decent work and
economic growth), Goal 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), Goal 10 (reduced
inequality), Goal 16 (peace and justice – strong institutions) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for
the Goals).
366. Objectives and features. The main objective of the project is to strengthen the
capacity of selected landlocked developing countries to develop Productive Capacities
Indices and use them to support evidence-based policymaking. With this objective in mind,
the project assists in defining the conceptual, methodological and statistical framework for
identifying, selecting and validating indicators, which will be used in the construction of the
Productive Capacity Index.
367. Outputs. In 2020, activities on this project focused on finalizing the methodology
for the PCI, as well as preparing all relevant materials for its planned launch in early 2021.
This included consultations with the Development Statistics and Information Branch of
UNCTAD as well as academic experts. The PCI uses data from 193 countries, collected

36 The Productive Capacities Index is a composite index to measure the state (condition) of productive
capacities in economies on the basis of a set of sub-indices, covering areas such as structural
economic transformation, transport, ICT, innovation and technology, employment and labour
productivity, energy and private sector development, and so forth.

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between 2000 and 2018, and 46 indicators, to measure performance across eight
components of productive capacities – natural capital, human capital, energy, institutions,
structural change, information and communications technologies (ICT), transport and the
private sector. The index scores a country’s performance on productive capacities on a
scale of 1 to 100, assessing the effectiveness of policies and strategies as well as existing
gaps and limitations. It can help Governments formulate and implement their policies better
and benchmark their achievements.
368. In addition, UNCTAD finalized and released two publications on the PCI, one
outlining the finalized methodology, and one analysing the performance of LLDCs in
building productive capacities, in comparison to other country groups. The study finds that
LLDCs underperform other developing countries in all categories of the PCI except for
natural capital.
369. Furthermore, UNCTAD prepared a series of materials to prepare the official launch
of the PCI in early 2021, including press releases, infographics and a dedicated website
where the PCI has been made publicly available.
370. Results. It is expected that the newly launched PCI will enable policymakers and
practitioners as well as academics in LLDCs and other developing countries to improve
evidence-based policymaking based on the analytical insights offered by the PCI.

2.3. Coherent strategies for productive capacity development in selected African Least
Developed Countries
371. Development context. UNCTAD is implementing a United Nations Development
Account project called “Coherent strategies for productive capacity development in
selected African least developed countries”. The project beneficiaries are Burkina Faso,
Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The implementation of the activities of the
project began in the first quarter of 2020 and will end in the last quarter of 2023. The three
beneficiary countries have a strong commitment to fostering sustained growth, creating
decent jobs, and building resilience to shocks through developing productive capacities and
transforming the structure of their economies from low- to high-productivity activities.
While some progress has been made over the past few decades, manufacturing continues to
play a relatively small role in these economies both in terms of its share of output and its
contribution to exports.
372. Although the Governments of the beneficiary countries understand the importance
of productive capacities and the crucial role of trade and industrial policies in fostering
them, there is an urgent need for an operational strategy on how to build such capacities in
African LDCs. Existing strategic frameworks to develop productive capacities tend to be
fragmented, ad hoc and hard to operationalize at the country level. In addition, they tend to
focus more on building new capacities and less on how to maintain and make better use of
existing capacities. In this context, there is a dire need for a more holistic and coherent
approach to productive capacity development that strikes a good balance between the need
to build and utilize existing capacities. The proposed project seeks to strengthen the
capacities of beneficiary countries to formulate and implement such holistic and coherent
strategies to develop and utilize productive capacities to enhance their prospects of meeting
the Sustainable Development Goals. More specifically, the project is expected to contribute
to Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic
growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all) and Sustainable
Development Goal 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation).
373. Objectives. The main objective of the project is to strengthen the capacities of
beneficiary countries to build, utilize and maintain productive capacities to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals.
374. Outputs. In the light of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the
focus of the project in 2020 was on the preparation of national studies identifying the core
constraints to the development of productive capacities in Burkina Faso, Rwanda and the
United Republic of Tanzania, and the identification of policy recommendations on what
needs to be done to achieve national goals on productive transformation. In addition to

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these studies, two papers were prepared on the role of trade and industrial policies in
promoting productive transformation in Burkina Faso and Rwanda and actions that have to
be taken to make trade and industrial policies more supportive of productive
transformation. The country-studies will serve as background papers for the training and
skill building activities that will be organized in the three beneficiary countries in 2021 and
2022.
375. Results and impact. The implementation of the project began during the onset of
the lockdowns and travel restrictions were imposed by national authorities in response to
the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this constraint, significant progress has been made in the
implementation of the project as evidenced by the number of activities that have already
been carried out.
376. At the request of the Government of Rwanda, a Policy Implementation Adviser was
hired to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM)
during the revision of the National Trade and Industrial Development Strategies in 2020.
An outcome of this assignment was the preparation of a strategic paper on how to enhance
coherence to strengthen Rwanda’s productive capacities. The Adviser presented the
findings of this document, on 21 August 2020, to the MINICOM Senior Management Team
chaired by the Minister and to a workshop for all MINICOM Directors-General and
consultants working on the revised trade and industrial policies and related strategic
documents.
377. Another impact of the project is the sensitization of policy-researchers in Rwanda on
the need for more focus and attention on productive capacity development issues. Through
bilateral discussions and a keynote presentation on productive capacities at the sixth
Economic Policy Research Network (EPRN) Conference, held in Kigali on 25 February
2020, UNCTAD has been able to convince the EPRN Secretariat to make “Economic
Policy Measures to Enhance Productive Capacities post COVID-19 Crisis” the theme of its
7th Annual Research Conference to be held in 2021. This will provide a very good platform
for exchange of knowledge on productive capacities between researchers and policymakers.

2.4. Supporting development efforts of Angola through European Union–UNCTAD Joint

Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II
378. Development context. In 2019, Angola had a population of approximately 31.8
million people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 84 603 millions (current
prices). While the GDP is relatively high compared to other sub-Saharan African countries,
excluding Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, it remains highly volatile. The GDP
growth rate for 2019 was negative at -1.6 per cent.37 Buoyed by high petroleum prices,
Angola experienced a period of accelerated growth in its GDP, with the highest annual
average growth rates in 2002 (14.53 per cent), 2005 (15.03 per cent) and 2007 (14.01 per
cent). 38 The 2008–2009 global economic crisis reversed the high growth rate, which
dropped to 0.86 per cent in 2009 and after a period of renewed growth from 2010 onwards
reached negative levels in 2016 (-2.58). The slowing growth of Angola until 2019 was the
result of instabilities and fluctuations in already low global commodity prices. Indeed, the
country continues to depend on oil that constitutes 93 per cent of its exports,39 although this
dependency is declining compared to 97 per cent in 2017. 40 Further, in terms of human
development, Angola ranks 148 among 189 countries and is categorized in the lower end of
medium human development.41 The Productive Capacities Index (PCI) recently published
ranks Angola 177 on a list of 193 economies with a PCI of 22.03. While the PCI is
relatively high for one component of the productive capacities – natural capital, it is lower
than the LDC average for human capital, institutions and private sector in particular. 42
Despite recent efforts, key gaps and bottlenecks in the investment climate persist, including

37 UNCTADstat database; data published in 2020.

38 Growth rates are based on GDP in constant 2010 United States dollars.
39 UNCTADstat database 2019.
40 UNCTADstat database 2017.
41 UNDP, Human Development Report 2020.
42 UNCTAD, Productive Capacities Index: Methodological Approach and Results (Geneva, 2020).

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a complex system for FDI entry and establishment, burdensome operational regulations,
persistence of restrictive business practices and a lack of institutional capacity and
coordination.43
379. Furthermore, the COVID-19 related health and economic crisis that erupted in 2020
is estimated to have had a high toll on LDCs, including Angola. The slight signs of
recovery from COVID-related shocks are slow and uncertain, and 2020 was the fifth year in
a row of recession and “hardship” for the country.44 Angola remains heavily dependent on
oil, which accounts for a whopping 93 per cent of the nation’s total merchandise exports
(2019). This dependency makes it – along with most LDCs dependent on the export of a
few products – highly vulnerable to foreign trade shocks. Consequently, the sharp fall in the
volume and prices of fuel during the pandemic impacted the country severely. Sub-Saharan
Africa stands to be the hardest hit region in terms of increase in extreme poverty due to the
pandemic. 45 Even more than before, the situation calls for urgent need for export
diversification outside of the extractive sectors, which remains high on the trade and
development agenda of Angola.
380. Objectives and features. The European Union–UNCTAD Joint Programme for
Angola: Train for Trade II – a programme running over the period 2017–2023 – was
designed to respond to the above challenges, and it is therefore more topical than ever. The
programme aims to support Angola in its efforts towards structural transformation,
identification of potential non-oil export products and diversification of the economy as
well as integration into the regional and global economy. It provides training, capacity-
building and advisory activities, as well as knowledge sharing and study tour opportunities
for Angolan stakeholders. Train for Trade II aims to improve the capacity of Angola in
policy formulation and implementation, which is expected to directly contribute to
economic growth, diversification of the economy, job creation, poverty reduction, and
improved living conditions for the population. It also aims to ensure equal opportunities for
women and young people. In collaboration with the national coordinating entity - Ministry
of Industry and Commerce (MINDCOM), the Train for Trade II Programme works with
various ministries, agencies, private sector entities and non-governmental organizations at
the national level. The Train for Trade II Programme consists of seven components,
including (a) commercial diplomacy; (b) creative economy; (c) Empretec entrepreneurship
training and entrepreneurship policy development; (d) National Green Export Review;
(e) Investment Policy Review; (f) trade facilitation; and (g) transport and logistics. The
programme is part of the overall Trade Support Project financed by the European Union,
with a total budget of €12 million.
381. Outputs. The programme underwent a Results Oriented Monitoring (ROM)
exercise commissioned by the European Union in March 2020. As a result of its
recommendations, the programme’s logical framework was revised in the second half of
2020 to better capture the innovative results being achieved through the programme.
Further, new complementary activities across the different components were designed to
address some needs that have emerged during the programme implementation. To deliver
these new activities, the European Union committed an additional funding of €780,000,
bringing the total programme budget at €6.3 million. The programme’s national
Ministerial-level Steering Committee approved the new work areas and budget allocation in
December 2020, together with an extension of the programme’s implementation period
until July 2023.
382. Implementation of activities in 2020 was severely impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic and related restrictions. The last fully presential workshop was organized in
March 2020 when Module II of the UNCTAD Empowerment Programme for National
Trade Facilitation Committees was delivered in Luanda. Out of the 44 course participants,
32 were certified, and the first inputs for the National Trade Facilitation Strategy were
drafted during the workshop. The component later organized a three-month online training
with 30 participants and 20 certified attendees. Activities throughout the rest of the year

43 UNCTAD, Investment Policy Review of Angola (Geneva 2019).

44 International Monetary Fund (IMF), Angola Country Report No. 21/17 (January 2021).
45 UNCTAD, The Least Developed Countries Report 2020 (Geneva 2020).

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were carried out online or in hybrid format. Under the Commercial Diplomacy component,
an online training on negotiating techniques was organized, paving the way for continued
support to ongoing trade negotiations processes. The Creative Economy component
supported the establishment of a public sector Working Group on Cultural and Creative
Industries to oversee the component’s implementation, produced a draft State of Play report
on the sector as well as two technical briefs, a plan for a training package and an action plan
that were discussed in a national conversation with the Government and with the private
sector. Under the Empretec component, work towards the National Entrepreneurship
Strategy was advanced through the finalization of a Mapping of the Entrepreneurial
Ecosystem and a consensus-building webinar. In addition, a series of trainings of trainers
was organized online, and a session for former empretecos (participants trained through the
Entrepreneurship Training Workshops in Angola) on mitigating against external shocks,
such as COVID-19. Under the Investment Policy Review (IPR) component, a review of
international investment agreements concluded by Angola was carried out, and Angolan
participation was facilitated in a regional webinar for investment promotion agencies on
Adapting to the New Normal. A webinar on cooperation for apiculture development in
Angola organized under the National Green Export Review (NGER) component counted
with participation from eight different provinces. Under the Transport and Logistics
component, a focused webinar series providing on-the-job training on public–private
partnership (PPP) project development for transport infrastructure, sharing the experiences
of Brazil in the area, was delivered for a core group of officials engaged in developing PPP
projects.
383. Results/impact. Thus far, 1,400 Angolans have benefited from training and policy-
oriented activities, with about 26 per cent of them having taken part in multiple capacity-
building activities thus consolidating their knowledge. The programme has exceeded its
targets on both public and private sector actors trained. Thirty individuals have been trained
as trainers, contributing to the sustainability of the action. The programme has helped to
identify eight new green product categories with potential for exports as well as mapped the
value chains and supported the development of action plans for seven (of expected five)
derived products (honey, timber, coffee and four tropical fruits). At the outcome level, the
programme has contributed to the development of policies, strategies and official briefs,
with 60 per cent of the target delivered and 140 per cent expected at mid-term of
programme implementation. This includes an Investment Policy Review of Angola, a
review of international investment agreements concluded by the country, inputs to the PPP
law and decree, a draft creative economy strategy and two policy briefs, a draft trade
facilitation strategy, as well as a Mapping and Assessment Report of the Entrepreneurial
Ecosystem in Angola contributing to the development of a National Entrepreneurship
Strategy. At the impact level, despite the difficult conditions, the value of total exports to
SADC countries has increased since 2016. At the same time, a slight reduction in the share
of non-oil exports to the world is observed, and a decrease in investment inflows.

3. Trade-related capacity-building in the least developed countries

Trust Fund for the Least Developed Countries

384. Development context. Contributions to the multi-donor Trust Fund for the Least
Developed Countries are aimed at enhancing the capacity of member States, in particular
the least developed countries, to design and implement trade and development-related
policies.
385. Objectives. The objective of the Trust Fund is to provide LDCs with alternative and
targeted policy options as well as assist them in developing their capacities to participate
fully in multilateral trade negotiations and implement trade and development-related
policies.
386. Outputs. In 2020, the Trust Fund for Least Developed Countries was utilized to
support the dissemination of a new comprehensive manual Building and Utilizing
Productive Capacities in Africa and the LDCs: A Holistic and Practical Guide
(UNCTAD/ALDC/INF/2020/1). Funds supported the final desktop publishing and printing
of the document, necessary for a wide dissemination to member states. The development of

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productive capacities is increasingly recognized as a fundamental step in transforming the

economies of African countries and the LDCs and putting them on a sustained development
path. Within the wider UNCTAD programme of work on productive capacities, including
the development of the Productive Capacities Index, a series of virtual briefings were
organized for member States in Geneva, New York and Addis Ababa. Key messages and
policy guidance from the above-mentioned Manual were shared with member States,
enhancing their knowledge base, and equipping them with a range of policy options to
support the building, maintenance, and utilization of productive capacities. Due to the travel
restrictions and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 2020, UNCTAD
dissemination efforts were quickly adapted to virtual formats and online interactive
sessions. The Trust Fund was also utilized to support the delivery of an Ambassadorial-
level retreat for the Group of Least Developed Countries on “Productive capacities and
structural transformation – On the road to LDC V”, held on 19 February 2020. The retreat
enabled Geneva-based Ambassadors to engage with UNCTAD experts to assess the
progress achieved by the LDCs in the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action
(2011–2020) in key areas within the mandate of UNCTAD; share findings of UNCTAD
work on LDCs of relevance to the LDC V process; present the UNCTAD Productive
Capacities Index, as it applies to LDCs; and identify issues and priorities for action by
LDCs, in view of the preparation for LDC V and of the negotiation of the plan of action for
the coming decade.
387. Results. As a result of UNCTAD support, key stakeholders from LDCs, based in
Geneva, New York, Addis Ababa and beyond are better informed of the policy issues and
challenges facing their countries in the development, maintenance, and utilization of
productive capacities. The evidence and policy guidance presented in the UNCTAD manual
on productive capacities and the practical tools such as the Productive Capacities Index
(PCI) provide concrete instruments for policymakers to build evidence, conduct analysis
and design more targeted policies. They also serve as powerful monitoring tools over the
medium to long term to help countries benchmark performance and adapt and adjust
implementation strategies accordingly.

4. Mobilizing Financial Resources for Development

4.1. Response and recovery: Mobilising Financial resources for Development in the time of
COVID-19
388. Development context. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the economic,
financial and debt vulnerabilities of low-income and middle-income developing countries
(LICs and MICs), leaving their economies ravaged and floundering, and potentially
undoing progress made toward sustainable development and the achievement of
2030 Agenda.
389. In face of these challenges, the project “Response and Recovery: Mobilising
financial resources for development in the time of COVID-19” responds to a call to action
by the United Nations General Assembly, made in its resolution 74/270, adopted on 3 April
2020, that calls upon the United Nations system, under the leadership of the Secretary-
General, to work with all relevant actors in order to mobilize a coordinated global response
to the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse social, economic and financial impact on all
societies.
390. The project focuses on the mobilisation of financial resources for development, one
pillar of Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnership for the goals), specifically targets
17.1, 17.3 and 17.4. Moreover, a successful response to and recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic is required for attaining environmentally sustainable economic growth with
decent work and simultaneously reducing inequalities. Therefore, the project is also linked
to Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 10 (Reduced
Inequalities) and 13 (climate action).
391. The initiative, under the coordination of the Debt and Development Finance Branch
of UNCTAD, brings together UNCTAD and the regional commissions for Africa (ECA),
Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), ensuring

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global reach and regional presence as well as international cooperation and expertise
sharing. Each of the regional partners is engaged in mutually enhancing workstreams.
392. UNCTAD provides diagnostics on the COVID-19 pandemic fallout on the macro-
financial conditions and debt vulnerabilities of selected LICs and MICs in order to
strengthen their capacity to design responses to the pandemic aligned with the achievement
of the 2030 Agenda.
393. These diagnostics build on UNCTAD expertise in (a) designing global
macroeconomic scenarios through the Global Policy Model (GPM); (b) assessing
developing countries’ financial conditions based on the Financial Conditions Indicator
(FCI); (c) analysing the debt capacity of countries to meet the most significant Sustainable
Development Goals; and (d) elaborating proposals for improving the international debt
restructuring architecture and promoting soft-law principles for responsible borrowing and
lending. The project enhances UNCTAD expertise that stems from both the analytical work
on macro-financial and debt issues and the intergovernmental work on Financing for
Development (FfD) of the Division of Globalization and Development Strategies.
394. Objectives and features. The objective of the project is to strengthen diagnostic and
policy design capacity of the relevant macroeconomic, fiscal and debt financing
authorities in selected LICs and MICs in order to respond appropriately and innovatively to
the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure a recovery that enables the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals.
395. The project is organized through three related and mutually supportive thematic
clusters that address key macro-financial, fiscal and debt issues arising from the COVID-19
crisis. As an ongoing legacy, the project has a web-based virtual knowledge platform with
information on its outputs accessible by member countries and the public.
396. Cluster one, “Macro-financial needs assessments and possible policy responses to
the COVID-19 shock”, provides an analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic fallout on the
macro-financial conditions of developing countries in general, with special attention to
LICs and MICs, through three workstreams that assess (a) how the global macroeconomic
developments are likely to affect developing countries – based on the UNCTAD Global
Policy Model (GPM); (b) the liquidity options open to developing countries in terms of the
Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) – the set of global, regional and bilateral institutional
agreements that provides temporary liquidity response in times of financial crises – and
effective use of these options on the global, regional and bilateral level; and (c) the
Financial Conditions Indicator (FCI) providing a honed regional picture for the most
vulnerable countries whose sparse data precludes country specific analysis. The main aim
of this cluster is to provide diagnostics in order to design responses to the pandemic.
397. Cluster two, “Making debt work for development”, focuses on sustainable recovery
even given existing and accumulating debt vulnerabilities of selected beneficiary countries.
This cluster is organized in three workstreams that provide (a) analysis of the development
finance needs of beneficiary countries to achieve the most significant Sustainable
Development Goals taking as point of departure UNCTAD Gap-analysis tool that estimated
the impact of achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1–4 on public debt sustainability
of selected developing countries; (b) assessment of current initiatives and proposals to
address unsustainable debt burdens in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and
recommendations on revitalizing UNCTAD (2012) Principles of Promoting Responsible
Sovereign Lending and Borrowing in a national and international context; and
(c) innovative financing instruments and other initiatives to alleviate the debt burden facing
highly indebted ECLAC countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
398. Cluster three, “Macroeconomic and fiscal strategies to recover from the COVID-19
crisis”, focuses on policy recommendations for recovery for beneficiary countries. Its three
workstreams provide (a) policy recommendations on capital account management measures
for developing countries and a macroprudential policy options document for beneficiary
countries in Latin American and the Caribbean; (b) a Tax Policy Framework for beneficiary
African Countries; and (c) policy recommendations on balanced and inclusive fiscal policy
package for beneficiary countries in Asia and the Pacific.

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399. Outputs. The project is ongoing and is in the process of delivering practical tools,
research papers and other outputs. UNCTAD work mainly focuses on cluster one
Macro-financial needs assessments and possible policy responses to the COVID-19 shock
and cluster two, Making debt work for development. Specifically, UNCTAD delivered in
2020 the following outputs:
(a) Forward-looking policy scenarios based on the expansion and update of the
current World Database (WD) and the Global Policy Model (GPM) that cover a “baseline”
scenario (no policy changes) and scenarios with policy strategies that could help developing
countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals;
(b) Research paper discussing macroeconomic policy options, main challenges
and risks, with a focus on the potential for financial vulnerability (or alternatively,
improvements over such vulnerabilities) in selected developing countries and groups;
(c) Research paper discussing the macroeconomic implications for selected
developing countries of climate adaptation strategies, especially in the context of shocks
and structural bottlenecks highlighted in the GPM exercise;
(d) The real-time Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) tracker – updated on a
monthly basis on liquidity options and use of these options on the global, regional and
bilateral level for all 193 United Nations member countries during the ongoing COVID-19
related crisis, launched through several regional virtual workshops;
(e) Sustainable Development Finance Assessment (SDFA) framework that will
identify the development finance needs of selected beneficiary countries to achieve
structural transformation through the most significant Sustainable Development Goals and
how to make this compatible with external financial sustainability and public debt
sustainability; and
(f) Policy brief on deteriorating debt sustainability in developing countries.
400. Results. By the end of 2020, UNCTAD had delivered key outputs for the
achievement of project outcomes. Within cluster one, the forward-looking policy scenarios
and research papers based on the expanded and updated version of the GPM as well as the
GFSN tracker has contributed to enhancing the capability of beneficiary developing
countries to undertake macro-financial needs assessments as well as to identify possible
policy responses to the COVID-19 shock, considering pre-COVID funding gaps, current
global challenges and the 2030 Agenda. Cluster two has already provided two outputs
related to the diagnostic of the financial vulnerabilities of beneficiary countries. While the
policy brief addresses the debt sustainability of developing countries and the international
initiatives and proposals to tackle the unsustainable debt burdens in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the SDFA framework will enable the assessment of the development
finance needs of two beneficiary countries to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 1–4
without jeopardizing external financial sustainability and public debt sustainability.

4.2. United Nations joint programme Haiti in Crisis: A National Consultation on Reform
Priorities and Financing Options for Accelerated Sustainable Development Goal
Achievement
401. Development context. The development landscape in Haiti is highly challenging.
About 6 million Haitians out of the total population of 11.3 million live below the poverty
line. This figure is only marginally better than at the start of this Millennium, and the
limited progress is expected to have been entirely eroded as a result of the most recent
crises. Haiti had set an objective of becoming a middle-income country by 2030, with
extreme poverty then at 3 per cent. Considering demographic growth, it would require the
country to grow at 7 per cent per year from now on to reach this target. Since the
formulation of the Strategic Development Plan for Haiti in 2012, growth has been just
above 1 per cent in the better years, and negative as of 2019. After two successive years of
negative GDP growth (mainly as a result of uninterrupted expressions of wide-spread
discontent), 2020 saw an additional and major impact of COVID-19 on the economy, with

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the economy estimated to have lost between 4 to 5 per cent of its value in 2020.46 The GDP
of Haiti was 8 290 million in current United States dollars in 2019. Haiti’s exports are
highly concentrated, with 86 per cent of merchandise exports in textiles mainly targeting
the US market.47
402. The February 2020 Integrated Strategic Framework for Haiti, as requested by the
Security Council, underlines the importance and urgency for Haiti to address the
development financing challenge. This includes structural, policy and reform issues. The
important responsibility assigned to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (Bureau
Intégré des Nations Unies en Haïti or BINUH), in terms of the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative’s and Deputy Special Representative’s “Good Offices” function, provides a
major value added to the capacity of the United Nations system in Haiti to advocate for –
and obtain commitment towards – those policy change and reform imperatives, and is thus
particularly important and timely for this United Nations joint programme. In particular,
one of the thematic mandates of BINUH is the “Promotion of inclusive and comprehensive
inter-Haitian dialogue efforts to encourage national consensus on the country’s priorities, as
well as the implementation of political, legislative and structural reforms”.
403. Objectives and features. The joint programme will help Haiti to assess financing
options for the achievement of the National Sustainable Development Goal Strategy and to
formulate and implement comprehensive action plans and, where required, policy reforms
to mobilize such funds in a way that is best aligned with the National Sustainable
Development Goal Strategy goals.
404. Identified scenarios for financial mobilization will in turn lead to the possible
revision in the current Sustainable Development Goal Strategy and Goals, in which
financing options and challenges have as of now not been considered.
405. While the programme implementation will be, on the United Nations side, co-led by
UNDP and UNCTAD, the entire Haiti United Nations country team, as well as non-resident
agencies with a particularly strong mandate or expertise in this subject area, will be
associated with the project and under the leadership of Resident Coordinator, as
co-implementing partners or by sharing their accumulated global and Haiti-specific relevant
expertise and lessons learned.
406. The programme will ensure a broad-based national consultation in defining
strategies, priorities and goals, as well as regular exchange with other key partners from the
private, the non-governmental or financial sector, Multilateral Development Banks (the
World Bank) and international partners.
407. At the end of the programme, the continuation of regular strategy updating will be
fully institutionalized and capacities to support this strengthened. A strong, Ministry of
Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE)-coordinated monitoring and evaluation
capacity will be developed, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and
Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Social
Affairs and Labour and others, so as to ensure continuous and joint assessment and strategic
updating of financing strategies as well as the fullest possible contribution of all mobilized
financing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
408. The UNCTAD contribution focuses on exploring and stimulating the potential of the
private sector to become a stronger pillar generating funds for the realization of the
Sustainable Development Goals in Haiti.
409. Outputs and results. The programme received funds in July 2020, in the middle of
the COVID-19 pandemic. Most activities could not take place in this context. However, the
programme team and management structures were set up and initial meetings carried out. In
October 2020, UNCTAD launched research on the potential and constraints of the fisheries
and aquaculture sectors in the country. UNCTAD participated in the delivery of a webinar
targeting the private and public sectors in the framework of the Sustainable Development

46 Haiti in Crisis: A National Consultation on Reform Priorities and Financing Options for Accelerated
Sustainable Development Goal Achievement.
47 UNCTADstat database.

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Goals week in December 2020, presenting early findings of the fisheries and aquaculture
research as well as the Empretec Programme, including a testimonial from an Angolan
Empretec participant.

III. Theme C:
Fostering economic efficiency, improving governance
410. Efficient market and effective and development-focused States are indispensable for
the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Market
can play a useful role in the allocation of resources. However, without proper regulatory
mechanisms, there are risks of market failures including abuses of monopoly power,
negative externalities and inequality. It is the role of the States to correct market failures,
create an enabling legal, regulatory and institutional framework and provide right
incentives for market players to contribute more effectively towards sustainable
development.
411. UNCTAD technical cooperation supports developing countries in fostering
economic efficiency and improving governance. In particular, it helps to establish
pro-competitive regulations, facilitate trade and business by removing bureaucratic barriers
to trade and investment, mainstream sustainability into international investment
agreements, and strengthen statistical capacity to formulate sound economic policies.
412. In this section, nine products under the theme “Fostering economic efficiency,
improving governance” are reported on. The reports highlight main technical cooperation
activities carried out in 2020 and key results to date. Technical cooperation projects that are
pertinent to the aforementioned theme, but not linked with any of the existing nine products
in this thematic area are reported on under “C99 Other”.

C1 Voluntary peer reviews of competition and consumer

protection laws and policies

Table C1
Voluntary Peer Reviews of Competition and Consumer Protection Laws and Policies

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/8X/603 Training programmes on restrictive 1986– Multi-donors

business practices (competition policies)

413. Development context. UNCTAD voluntary peer reviews of competition and

consumer protection laws and policies allow developing countries to benchmark their
legislative and institutional frameworks against international best practices. They also
provide an opportunity for reviewed agencies to self-evaluate their enforcement
performance. The reviews are conducted using an interactive peer review method that
promotes knowledge-sharing between competition authorities and consumer protection
agencies at the regional and international levels, enhances informal cooperation networks
and encourages both North−South and South–South cooperation.
414. Objectives and features. The reviews assess the features of the legal and
institutional frameworks, the enforcement record and the perceptions of these laws and
policies by relevant stakeholders. The reviews identify major procedural, administrative,
and legislative changes that might be necessary for the effective law enforcement and for
the optimum functioning of the competition and consumer protection authorities. They
provide insights into country-specific constraints, including political and economic
challenges that restrict effective enforcement of the laws in question. The reviews serve as a
basis for peer review examination during the annual meetings of the UNCTAD
Intergovernmental Groups of Experts (IGE) on Competition Law and Policy and on
Consumer Protection Law and Policy and during the United Nations Conferences to

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Review All Aspects of the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for
the Control of Restrictive Business Practices. The presentation and discussion of the peer
review report is usually followed by a dissemination in the country and by a technical
cooperation project led by UNCTAD to support the implementation of the report’s key
recommendations.
415. Outputs. In 2020, UNCTAD carried out the voluntary peer review of the consumer
protection law and policy of Peru as well as a second voluntary peer review of competition
law and policy of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the only
regional economic organization whose competition rules were subject to this exercise
twice. During the Eighth United Nations Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set of
Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive
Business Practices, UNCTAD welcomed the requests for the voluntary peer review of the
consumer protection law and policy of Chile and the voluntary peer review of competition
law and policy of Malawi, which will be presented and discussed in 2021.
416. Voluntary Peer Review of Consumer Protection Law and Policy of Peru. The
voluntary peer review on consumer protection law and policy of Peru, the third exercise
facilitated by UNCTAD, was held in October 2020. UNCTAD is the only international
organization conducting voluntary peer reviews of consumer protection law and policy.
417. Peru is a country in South America with a population of more than 31 million
inhabitants and shares borders with Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. In 2018, Peru
was allocated a value of 0.759 in the United Nations Development Programme human
development index, placing it in the high human development category and positioning it at
82 out of 189 countries and territories.48
418. The Constitution of Peru of 1993 contains an explicit reference to consumer
protection in article 65, which provides: “The State defends the interests of consumers and
service users. To this end, it guarantees the right to information in respect of the goods and
services available on the market. It is also responsible for ensuring, in particular, the health
and safety of the population.” On the basis of the Constitution, Peru has established a strong
legislative and public policy framework for consumer protection, whose principal legal
instrument in the area of consumer protection is the Consumer Code (Act No. 29571,
14 August 2010).The Peruvian legislature’s decision to systematize consumer protection
legislation in the form of a code takes due account of the specific nature of the subject
matter and the need to ensure that consumer protection is reflected in all relevant
legislation. This codification has also allowed for the systematic and coherent arrangement
of consumer protection law, which helps to provide legal certainty, despite other bodies of
legislation complementing or supplementing it.
419. The Consumer Code establishes the National Integrated Consumer Protection
System, which comprises principles, rules, procedures, techniques, and instruments
designed to harmonize public policies and optimize the activities of relevant State
authorities. The system is administrated by the National Consumer Protection Council, a
coordinating body attached to the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers and
chaired by INDECOPI, the National Institute for the Defence of Competition and
Protection of Intellectual Property, thereby the focal point and principal agency for matters
relating to consumer protection as the national consumer protection authority.
420. The consumer arbitration model is free and binding, being administered throughout
the country by regional and local governments, other public entities and legal persons and
the regional offices of INDECOPI. It involves mediation between providers, consumer
associations and the public authorities. The complaints book is an internal review
mechanism that all businesses are required to make available to consumers upon request, in
physical or virtual form, so that they can submit complaints or claims.

48 United Nations Development Programme, “Inequalities in Human Development in the 21st Century:
Briefing note for countries on the 2019 Human Development Report – Peru”, Human Development
Report 2019.

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421. Consumer associations are also regulated under the National Integrated Consumer
Protection System, following the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection, which
recommend that consumer associations should be independent. The Consumer Code
provides for a system of funding whereby associations receive a percentage of the funds
raised through fines and sanctions to cover the legal expenses incurred by their lawyers.
422. The assessment of the country’s consumer protection law and policy concluded that
Peru has a strong consumer protection system, which has achieved many nationally and
internationally recognized successes. The legislative and public policy framework is
extensive and balanced and integrates almost all of the United Nations guidelines for
consumer protection and various international best practices. The institutional framework
for consumer protection is equally satisfactory. INDECOPI, as the main consumer
protection agency, fulfils its role as the leader of the inter-institutional coordination system
and combines this with effective enforcement of legislation. Furthermore, INDECOPI has
established a prestigious public profile, both among public, associative, and private
institutions and among consumers in general. Other public institutions with a stake in
consumer protection are actively involved in consumer protection activities. The private
and associative sectors are dynamic and have contributed to the establishment of a strong
culture of consumer protection in Peru.
423. The report identified some areas where improvements could be made to strengthen
consumer protection, with regard to which various recommendations were formulated.
Many of these recommendations were directed towards INDECOPI, as the main consumer
protection agency, while others related to areas that are outside of the jurisdiction of
INDECOPI and are addressed to other institutions in the executive, legislative and judicial
branches of government and the associative and private sectors.
424. Regarding the legislative framework, it was recommended that the Government
improve consumers redress through a single procedure for consumer complaints before all
competent public bodies, including a single portal for submitting complaints and single-
person settlement bodies or new forms of summary settlement. Also, consumer associations
and ad hoc consumer groups should be permitted to bring collective action directly before
the courts, without prior authorization from INDECOPI. Furthermore, a review of existing
consumer protection policies to accommodate the special features of electronic commerce
and ensure that consumers and businesses are informed and aware of their rights and
obligations in the digital marketplace, drawing on international best practices such as those
set out in the OECD recommendations and in the United Nations guidelines for consumer
protection was also recommended. Another recommendation suggested greater attention
towards vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers, especially poor persons in rural areas,
who should be a special focus of public policy. INDECOPI regional offices’ capacities
should be enhanced and further educational campaigns should be developed, promoting
multilingual initiatives and fostering collaboration with entities that have deep roots in
areas with a high concentration of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers.
425. Other recommendations referred to a better consideration of consumer protection
into higher-level national policies, and the enhanced collaboration within the National
Integrated Consumer Protection System, especially of regional and local governments in
consumer protection; to the promotion of amicable settlement of disputes and their handling
by the private sector, by making full use of existing means of dispute resolution, such as
conciliation, mediation, and consumer arbitration. The strengthening of the consumer
product safety by INDECOPI through an alert system, formal communication channels
between entities responsible for recalling products and further education and awareness
raising among consumers and businesses was suggested. Furthermore, it was recommended
that INDECOPI improve inter-agency cooperation on consumer protection in the area of
financial services and of consumer privacy and data protection; and continue to be actively
engaged in the international and regional cooperation in consumer protection, particularly
with regard to the enforcement of legislation and the settlement of cross-border disputes.
426. Australia, Italy and the United States, acting as peer reviewers, raised various
questions during the question-and-answer session. They asked Peru questions on the
protection of its vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers, the funding of consumer
associations, the interaction between government institutions with interests in consumer

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protection, enforcement powers in digital markets, international cooperation, and collective

redress. In turn, Peru asked reviewers on the use of behavioural insights in consumer
product safety, regional networks for cross-border enforcement cooperation and
policymaking in the digital economy.
427. Voluntary Peer Review of Competition Law and Policy of WAEMU. The second
voluntary peer review of competition law and policy of the WAEMU was held in October
2020. WAEMU is the first and only regional economic organization of developing
countries to have undergone this exercise, which took place for the first time in Geneva
during the meeting of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition
Law and Policy in July 2007.
428. The success of the first peer review greatly contributed to the large audience enjoyed
by WAEMU within UNCTAD, the only international framework where competition issues
are discussed at the multilateral level adapted to the specificities of economies in transition,
developing countries and least developed countries in particular.
429. More than 10 years later, an ex-post evaluation of the recommendations from the
first peer review exercise was necessary for taking stock of the organization’s progress in
the enforcement of competition law and policy and to determine improvements that had to
be made to the current system, taking into account the new development that are the
establishment of a community framework on competition within the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS) and the prospect of the adoption of rules at the
continental level, to support the recent African Continental Free Trade Area. This second
peer review was also an opportunity for the WAEMU Commission to relaunch cooperation
with more experienced competition authorities and to mobilize technical assistance focused
on strengthening the operational capacities of the regional structure and national
competition agencies.
430. Indeed, the implementation of the community competition policy is one of the tools
for achieving the objectives set out in the WAEMU Treaty. The Commission operates
within an institutional framework that gives it exclusive competence to sanction
anticompetitive practices observed in the common market, whether or not they affect trade.
The role of the WAEMU member States, through their national competition authorities, is
to work with the Commission by monitoring how markets are functioning, providing
support to the Commission when it carries out enquiries or checks, cataloguing State aid
and participating in the decision-making process. This area is a priority and the WAEMU
Commission’s efforts have been considerable to bolster the integration process,
implementing activities to improve its performance and that of the national competition
authorities through numerous initiatives and joint training sessions to improve skills for
staff and officials, with a view to increasing cooperation. However, how powers should be
divided between the Commission and the national authorities remains unresolved, as there
has been no clear political or high-level legal guidance to tackle this important issue.
431. A report ordered by the Commission in 2011 49 strongly recommended that new
institutional and legislative structures be put in place at the regional and national levels in
order to ensure the effective enforcement of the community competition rules. The reforms
considered should encompass substantive rules, namely improving the substantive rules on
the control of concentrations creating a system of a priori control; and also, the distribution
of powers, procedures, and institutions, being carried out at the regional and national levels.
National legal frameworks entailed the establishment of independent national competition
authorities with sole decision-making power in the control of anticompetitive practices,
functionally separated from trade ministries and with the adequate human and budgetary
resources to be fully independent from the executive branch. In addition, the WAEMU
competition regime should include rules on the control of concentrations in line with the
new community framework. The Commission should oversee the work devoted to the
transposition of national laws to the community competition framework to ensure that some

49 Mor Bakhoum, “Cohérence institutionnelle et effectivité d’une politique régionale de la concurrence:

le cas de l’Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA)”, Revue internationale de droit
économique, vol. XXV, No. 3 (2011), pp. 305–332.

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national laws (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali) are fully in line with the
community framework.
432. One of the major challenges in the regional integration process in West Africa is the
need for convergence between the interventions of WAEMU and the ECOWAS bodies,
which have similar objectives. In 1999, WAEMU and ECOWAS signed a cooperation
agreement, which includes competition, and since the establishment of the ECOWAS
Regional Competition Authority in 2019, there has been renewed interest in seeking how
the two competition frameworks can be harmonized. Other recommendations include a
mechanism for consultations between the two regional authorities, and criteria for
determining the jurisdiction of each authority, namely regarding merger control, the
relationship with the national competition authorities, as well the pooling of resources to
carry out studies and enquiries.
433. The report prepared for the ex post review concluded that progress had certainly
been made in the application of the WAEMU common competition policy since the 2007
peer review. The results obtained are significant, especially as concerns the control of
government measures that distort competition. There has also been an increase in cases
relating to the practices of private enterprises. However, there remains the important
question of the division of powers between the regional authority and national agencies,
which continues to demand more authority in handling cases. Indeed, the Commission has
sought to involve member State officials in inquiries, investigations, and the preparation of
decisions; however, no changes have been made in that regard to the institutional
framework (at the national and regional levels) for implementing community competition
rules. It is also important to undertake reforms in order to make the legal system compatible
with the ECOWAS, since there is currently a serious risk of inconsistencies in the
application of both rights.
434. The report also identified some areas where improvements could be made to
strengthen competition policy and law of the region, with regard to which various
recommendations were formulated, including on the update of community rules and
regulations to include leniency and compliance programmes; the adoption and/or revision
of national competition laws in line with the regional rules; the reorganization of the
relationship between the Commission and the national competition authorities; the
strengthening of capacity-building of the Commission and the national competition
authorities; the establishment of a regional network of competition authorities; the
advocacy of competition law and policy to relevant stakeholders, such as chambers of
commerce, consumers and business associations; a cooperation framework with ECOWAS;
UNCTAD support through technical assistance in implementing the required legislative
reforms and recommendations from the peer review exercise, among others.
435. Tunisia, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and
Professor of the ZHAW School of Management and Law and former Deputy Director of
the Swiss Competition Commission, acting as peer reviewers, raised various questions
during the question-and-answer session. They asked WAEMU representative about aspects
relating to the application of Community law, the relationship with the member States and
future prospects. In particular, they asked about coordination between the WAEMU
Commission and the national authorities and on the need to establish synergies mechanism
with ECOWAS given the risk of collision and inconsistencies in the application of both
competition regimes affecting the same member States.
436. The secretariat presented a proposal for technical assistance to implement the peer
review recommendations, whose overall goal was to improve WAEMU legislative and
institutional frameworks for regional competition law and policy. In particular, both
WAEMU and its member States must reform their regulations in a coordinated manner and
take account of ECOWAS rules in doing so.
437. Regarding the voluntary peer review of the consumer protection law and policy of
Chile, UNCTAD conducted a fact-finding mission to collect data and information;
identified the panel of peer reviewers; and drafted the peer review report including findings
and recommendations on how to improve the consumer protection regime.

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438. The voluntary peer review of competition law and policy of Malawi was similarly
subject of information gathering from the Competition Commission of Malawi and from
the public and private stakeholders of the country, the peer review report having been
started.
439. The presentation and discussions of the reports of both reviews will take place in
2021 during the fifth session of the IGE on Consumer Protection Law and Policy and the
nineteenth session of the IGE on Competition Law and Policy respectively, held by
UNCTAD.
440. Results and impact. The UNCTAD secretariat outlined two tailor-made technical
assistance projects, respectively for Peru and WAEMU, for the implementation of the
respective peer review recommendations, and invited other authorities and development
partners to assist Peru and WAEMU in improving policies, enhancing enforcement
capacities, and developing a consumer protection and competition culture. Due to the
current pandemic situation, the dissemination activities of both peer reviews will be
conducted virtually during 2021.
441. Although it is too soon to assess the impact of the peer review in Peru, as legal and
policy recommendations take considerable time to be implemented, the Government of
Peru already requested UNCTAD to continue supporting the consumer protection agency
INDECOPI in technical cooperation and capacity-building, including through specialized
training for consumer protection officials. A series of such trainings is scheduled for 2021,
which should also benefit officials from the other 17 Latin American member countries of
the UCNTAD COMPAL Programme.50
442. It is expected that the new competition regime that will emerge from the ex post
review of the WAEMU competition regime will contribute to the improvement of the
business environment in West Africa with a view to building a competitive subregional
economy, better integrated into the world economy, and stimulating growth and inclusive
sustainable development.

C2 Business facilitation

Table C2
Business facilitation

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

BHU/0T/HAF Business Facilitation eRegulations Bhutan 2018– United

(EIF) Nations Office
for Project
Services –
Switzerland

CMR/0T/IBH European Union-Extension du système my 2020– European

business.cm au Cameroun Union

CUB/0T/IAM SPEED E-regulation 2019– European

Union

IRQ/0T/HAH Business Facilitation in Iraq 2018– Public

Donation

LES/0T/HAG Business Facilitation in Lesotho 2018– Lesotho

LIB/0T/IBS eRegulation System Libya 2020– Agence

française
d’expertise

50 See https://unctadcompal.org/.

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 TD/B/WP/311/Add.1

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

technique
internationale

MYA/0T/HBI United Nations Trade Cluster Myanmar 2019– United

Nations Office
for Project
Services –
Switzerland

NIR/0T/IAU Strengthening the Nigeria Trade 2020– Germany

information Portal (GIZ Germany)

URT/0T/FBC UNDAF II, inclusive Growth 2016 DRTF 2017– One United
Nations

INT/0T/6AT Business Facilitation Multi-donor Fund 2006– Multi-donor

INT/0T/HCJ Strategic Partnership the Netherlands 2018– Netherlands

INT/0T/IBF European Union-Trade – Establishment of a 2020– International

Trade Facilitation Portal Burkina Faso and Trade Centre
Jordan

INT/0T/IBG European Union-Trade Related Assistance 2020– International

Project – Establishment of a Trade Trade Centre
Facilitation Portal, Burundi, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan

RAF/0T/IAO UNCTAD – TMEA Cooperation on Trade 2019– Trade Mark

Facilitation East Africa

RAS/0T/HAQ Transparency in Trade Regulation and 2018– Australia,

Facilitation in PACER Plus New Zealand

ROA-2023 Global Initiative towards post-Covid-19 2020– Development

(W12) resurgence of the MSME sector Account

443. Development context. The business facilitation programme has developed a series
of web-based e-government systems to help developing countries and countries with
economies in transition improve their investment, trade and business climates through
transparency, simplification and the automation of rules and procedures related to
enterprise creation and operations. The eRegulations system is a turnkey e-government
software allowing administrations to publish their procedures online (online information
portals for businesses, traders and investors). Trade portals are information portals, derived
from the eRegulations system, showing detailed information on import, export and transit
procedures and allowing countries to comply with the article 1 of the WTO Bali agreement.
Once procedures have been clarified through the eRegulations/trade portal systems, a set of
10 principles of simplification of administrative procedures helps countries cut bureaucratic
procedures and reduce the duration, cost and complexity of business-related procedures
without changing related laws. Simplified procedures can then be automated through
another e-government system called eRegistrations, which builds online single windows for
businesses and investors.51
444. Objectives and features. All tools and services developed by the business
facilitation programme aim to: improve the business and investment climate and legal
frameworks; lower administrative barriers to business development, in particular for small
businesses; increase domestic and foreign investment and trade, promote good governance

51 See https://unctad.org/topic/enterprise-development/business-facilitation.

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and reduce corruption. The programme contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 1.3
(implement appropriate social protection systems), 8.3 (encourage the formalization and
growth of MSMEs); 16.3 (promote the rule of law); 16.5 (sustainably reduce corruption and
bribery); 16.6 (develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions); 16.10 (ensure
public access to information); and 17.1 (strengthen domestic resource mobilization).
445. Outputs. In 2020, faced with the global COVID-19 pandemic, countries have been
using UNCTAD online digital platforms to continue providing essential services to
businesses. In Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, a special
COVID-19 menu was added to the national trade portal systems informing traders in real
time on the trade related emergency and simplification measures. Burkina Faso resumed the
update of its step-by-step information guide on business creation procedures through the
Burkina Faso eRegulations portal.
446. The Cuba Trade Portal and the Bhutan eRegulations portal were officially launched,
giving access to step-by-step information on 74 and 273 procedures respectively, related to
import, export, business creation and operation.
447. In Bhutan, Cuba, Iraq and Lesotho new services were automated through the
eRegistrations systems. Prior to the configuration of the services in each country, the
procedures were thoroughly analysed and simplified through the eRegulations system by
merging forms and removing unnecessary or redundant requirements. The agencies
involved in the procedures actively participated in the simplification process. The
automated services will be utilized in 2021.
448. New eRegulations/trade portal systems were configured for Burundi, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania).
National civil servants were trained on the methodology of information collection and
registration in the system. In Cameroon, an analysis of business registration procedures was
launched in four new regions – Bertoua, Maroua, Ngaoundéré and Limbe. The business
registration procedure will be automated in these four regions using the eRegistrations
system in 2021.
449. New procedures on import, export and transit operations were documented in the
eRegulations/trade portals of Cuba, Kenya, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania
(mainland), Uganda and Zanzibar.
450. In El Salvador, the Cuentamype system was put in use for a pilot group of small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Cuentamype is a unique platform through which SMEs
can comply with all administrative obligations (mandatory registrations and licences),
obtain and store all licences and certificates online, keep their business accounts and pay
taxes.
451. Results. The results and impacts of activities are detailed below.
452. Transparency. Procedures documented in an eRegulations system are completely
transparent and widely accessible in all countries where the system is operational. A total of
7,800 procedures are documented in national eRegulations/trade portal systems, with
approximately 22,000 steps (interactions between a user and a public entity), 53,100 forms,
7,584 norms and laws accessible online and over 5,800 civil servants and entities with
contact data. In 2020, over 4,800,000 people visited national and regional eRegulations
websites worldwide.
453. Simplification and harmonization. As a result of clarification of trade and
investment-related procedures through the eRegulations/trade portal systems and the
simplifications proposed, the following achievements were obtained:
(a) In Kenya, for the 42 procedures having undergone simplification, 46 steps
were eliminated, 64 required documents were removed, 16 steps can now be completed
online instead of in person, administrative cost savings to the sum of K Sh194,780 were
achieved, and 69 hours were saved.
(b) In Rwanda, for the 28 procedures having undergone simplification, 23 steps
were eliminated, 26 required documents were removed, 42 steps can now be completed

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online, administrative cost savings to the sum of RF155,058 were achieved, and 3 hours
were saved.
(c) In the United Republic of Tanzania, for the seven procedures having
undergone simplification, two steps were eliminated, 10 can now be completed online and
one required document was removed.
(d) In Uganda, for the seven procedures having undergone simplification, four
steps were eliminated, eight can now be completed online, 15 required documents were
removed, and administrative cost savings to the sum of U Sh222,354 were achieved.
454. Automation of procedures. The eRegistrations system is an e-government system,
designed to set up electronic single windows and computerize simple or complex
administrative procedures. The Benin eRegistrations system, monentreprise.bj, was
officially launched allowing businesses to register and get all their certificates online in less
than 3 hours. The system makes Benin one of the most efficient countries in business
registry worldwide on a par with developed economies such as Denmark, Estonia and New
Zealand. In Bhutan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs adopted eRegistrations as the engine
for automating procedures in the context of its integrated business licensing system (IBLS)
programme. The IBLS foresees the progressive automation of 226 government services. In
Lesotho, business licensing is now available online for trading and manufacturing through
eRegistrations.
455. Exchange of good practice and South–South cooperation. National experts in
Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cuba, El Salvador, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda,
Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania have trained civil servants of their countries
or provinces on the use of the eRegulations/trade portal and eRegistrations system and on
the UNCTAD methodology for the simplification of procedures. Experts from El Salvador
and Guatemala presented their country experience with eRegulations and eRegistrations
systems in Cuba and Paraguay.
456. Good governance and public participation. The programme encourages
public–private dialogue on improving the regulatory framework and its application by
national administrations. Through a built-in query module of the eRegulations system,
foreign and local businesses sent 419 queries to seek assistance on complying with
registrations, report delays or missing information. System owners act as the focal points
among the agencies whose procedures are documented in the eRegulations systems. Most
queries received though the portal were dealt within less than 24 hours or referred to the
responsible agency for further processing.

C3 Trade facilitation

Table C3
Trade facilitation

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union-UNCTAD Joint 2017– European

Programme Train for Trade II Union

PAR/0T/IBT Strengthening capacity of National Trade 2020– World Bank

Facilitation Committee in Paraguay

INT/0T/HBG HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD Trade 2018– United

Facilitation Agreement Capacity-Building Kingdom
Programme

INT/0T/ICF HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD Trade 2020– United

Facilitation Agreement Capacity-Building Kingdom
Programme

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

RAF/0T/DCG a GIZ-Trade Policy and Trade Promotion .. Germany

Fund

RAF/0T/IAO UNCTAD-TMEA Cooperation on Trade 2019– Trade Mark

Facilitation East Africa

RAF/0T/IBO Projet d’Appui institutionnel à la mise en 2020– African

oeuvre de l’accord sur la facilitation des Development
échanges de l’OMC en Afrique Centrale Bank

RAS/0T/HAQ Transparency in Trade Regulation and 2018– Australia, New

Facilitation in PACER Plus Zealand

ROA-2023 Transport and trade connectivity in the age 2020– Development

(X12) of pandemics Account
a Operationally but not financially completed or fully completed in 2020.

457. Development context. Trade facilitation has over recent years been recognized as a
key element of national trade and development policies. The main objective of trade
facilitation is to make cross-border trade of goods simpler, faster and cheaper, while
maintaining efficient compliance controls such as ensuring collection of duties, taxes, and
observing product standards.
458. The focus on trade facilitation had already increased following the entry into force
on 22 February 2017 of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement. To
date 153 of the 164 Member countries of WTO have ratified the agreement and are
implementing the obligations contained therein. The agreement aims to reduce trade
transaction costs and bureaucratic barriers, speeding up clearance procedures for the cross-
border trade of goods, thereby making trade easier, faster and less costly.
459. In 2020, the development focus on trade facilitation gained further momentum in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital, paperless and electronic trade facilitation
solutions became important tools to ensure that cross border trade could continue to flow,
while at the same time ensuring that the transmission of the coronavirus was minimized.
460. In addition, the alignment of national and regional rules with the multilateral trade
facilitation framework, for example through adoption and implementation of regional and
subregional trade agreements, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area, is
instrumental to achieving a harmonized global trade facilitation framework.
461. Trade facilitation reforms are associated with several Sustainable Development
Goals, including Goal 10, aiming at reducing inequality within and among countries, and
Goal 16, which promotes inclusive societies, with access to justice for all and effective,
accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. UNCTAD work supporting national
trade facilitation committees (NTFCs) directly supports the compliance with article 23.2 of
the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, as well as target 17 of Goal 17 on “effective
public, public–private and civil society partnerships”.
462. Successfully implemented trade facilitation measures not only boost trade but also
improve revenue collection, health, safety and security compliance controls, and they can
also help to streamline government agencies. Such reforms help small cross-border traders,
often women, enter the formal sector, make international trade procedures more transparent
and accountable, promote good governance, generate better quality employment, strengthen
information technology capabilities and generally modernize societies by bringing about
benefits related to administrative efficiency. These reforms are a prerequisite for
developing countries to join global value chains and start trading out of poverty.
463. Objectives and features. The Trade Facilitation Programme of UNCTAD aims at
enhancing trade facilitation processes and the competitiveness of developing countries,
including LDCs, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States. Its

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goal is to ensure an increased implementation of trade facilitation reforms by developing

countries, improving their capacity to comply with international and regional rules and
standards relating to trade facilitation, including World Trade Organization commitments.
464. To facilitate the implementation of the technical and institutional obligations
resulting from the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement and regional
and subregional agreements in this field, UNCTAD assists developing countries, including
LDCs, with a range of activities, as follows: elaboration of needs assessments and national
and regional trade facilitation implementation plans; assistance with the ratification,
categorization and notification of national implementation obligations; development of
project plans; advisory services and capacity-building for national countries and their trade
facilitation committees; monitoring and evaluation of trade facilitation implementation;
assistance to roll out transparency tools; general capacity-building and technical assistance
on trade facilitation reforms; as well as assistance with the implementation of trade
facilitation measures at national and regional levels.
465. A main feature of UNCTAD technical and capacity-building in trade facilitation is
to assist with the establishment and operationalization of national trade facilitation
committees (NTFCs). The concept and benefits of such committees, that have an important
coordination role in trade facilitation implementation, have been known and promoted by
UNCTAD for many years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NTFCs have become
important counterparts for UNCTAD and development partners to implement digital and
paperless processes that facilitate trade while at the same time reducing the likelihood of
contagion by transport workers and border officials.
466. Based on good practices of existing NTFCs, UNCTAD has developed a
comprehensive capacity-building programme to assist countries to improve decision-
making capacity and implementing skills of to fulfil their mandate to establish and operate
such committees. UNCTAD provides an intensive professional programme for the
secretariat and members of such committees, namely the Empowerment Programme for
National Trade Facilitation Committees. The main objective is to help the committees to
implement, in a coordinated manner, trade facilitation reforms, including the provisions of
the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, and to be able to monitor implementation.
467. In addition to the Empowerment Programme, UNCTAD provides support at the
regional level, including to the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community
of Central African States (ECCAS), the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations
(PACER) Plus and other regional organizations. As an example, UNCTAD is strategically
advising the EAC Secretariat for several years on the best trade facilitation strategies at
regional level and the harmonization of policies at the national level through national trade
facilitation committees composed of public and private sectors involved in trade logistics.
By the same token, UNCTAD has supported nine economies in the Pacific to enhance the
transparency of its trade procedures within the regional Pacer Plus programme.
468. The Trade Facilitation Programme also assists developing countries in the
implementation of specific trade facilitation measures. In 2020, for instance, UNCTAD
helped with following: establishing a legal framework for trade-related single windows;
undertaking simplification of trade-related procedures; training national transit
coordinators; establishing national and regional trade information portals for cross-border
trade procedures; establishing national monitoring tools for efficient trade facilitation
implementation; supporting regional trade facilitation initiatives and supporting countries in
implementing trade facilitation measures in response to COVID-19.
469. The success of the programme rests not least on its strong cooperation with other
areas of work within UNCTAD, working on the crossroads of trade facilitation with
customs automation, e-commerce, e-governance, transport, business facilitation and non-
tariff measures, as well as with external partners such as United Nations regional
commissions, United Nations country teams, the International Trade Centre, the World
Trade Organization, the World Customs Organization and other international and regional
organizations.
470. Outputs. UNCTAD technical assistance and capacity-building work in support of
trade facilitation in 2020 was greatly impacted by COVID-19. In response to the global

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pandemic and the resulting restrictions in organizing national training and capacity-building
workshops, UNCTAD has developed a dedicated e-learning program for trade facilitation.
The courses have during 2020 been further enhanced and developed from stand-alone
videos, to include a combination of videos, accompanying webinars and tests with
subsequent certification of participants. The e-learning is under continuous development
and sessions have, so far, been developed in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
UNCTAD has in 2020 prepared and made available:
(a) More than 2,200 e-learning pages in various languages,
(b) More than 1,000 minutes of recorded class materials.
471. During 2020, UNCTAD has trained more than 500 trade facilitation stakeholders
through its e-learning program; 42 per cent of those stakeholders were women. Participants
have mainly been members of national trade facilitation committees; secretariat staff and
other staff of relevant entities involved with trade facilitation and representing both public
and private sectors. More than 20 e-learning sessions have been organized with multi-
country participation in most sessions.
472. The e-learning courses of videos and webinars, focus on answering, in an interactive
way, key questions such as:
(a) What is trade facilitation and why is trade facilitation increasingly
important?
(b) What are the benefits of trade facilitation?
(c) Can trade facilitation support a country’s development policy?
(d) What is the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), and how can we legally
interpret each of the Provisions of the Agreement?
(e) What other international standards and recommendations, apart from the
TFA, are of interest to implement trade facilitation reforms?
(f) What is the role of national trade facilitation committees?
(g) Which trade facilitation indicators and indexes should a country take into
consideration?
(h) What is the relationship between technical barriers to trade and sanitary
and phytosanitary measures and trade facilitation?
473. UNCTAD has continued to provide national trade facilitation committees with
tangible tools to ensure that the knowledge acquired in the course of the programme is
maintained and transferred, thus contributing to the sustainability of the committees.
Concretely, this is achieved by supporting countries to develop National Trade Facilitation
Roadmaps, that will be used as multi-annual work plan for the NTFC to steer trade
facilitation reforms, irrespectively of changes that might occur in the NTFC membership.
474. Results and impacts: The UNCTAD refocus during COVID-19 of moving to
e-learning and thereby supporting NTFCs from developing and least developed countries
during the COVID-19 has been highly appreciated according to testimonies from
participants.
475. The Acting Director of Customs of the East African Community Secretariat noted
“The online trade facilitation training was a great opportunity for the region to reinforce its
capacity to address unprecedented demands due to COVID 19. I am optimistic that the
training will greatly enhance the regional capacity on trade facilitation interventions and
facilitate faster clearance of goods amid the coronavirus pandemic.”
476. “The training has equipped me to handle several challenges. The knowledge
obtained will help me solve trade facilitation issues at the national level, so the country
recovers from the economic shrinkage experienced during this tragic time” one the
participants from the United Republic of Tanzania said.
477. UNCTAD support for national trade facilitation committees brings also tangible
policy results. In 2020, four countries supported by UNCTAD ratified the WTO Trade

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Facilitation Agreement and 15 new notifications were sent to the WTO Trade Facilitation
Committee by countries that had received UNCTAD technical assistance in the preparation
of those notifications.
478. A total of 25 national trade facilitation committees received assistance from
UNCTAD for their establishment or formalization during 2020. In the scope of the projects
implemented, UNCTAD supported countries in the drafting of key trade facilitation policy
documents. As such:
(a) 34 national trade facilities coached;
(b) 12 countries assisted to implement international standards;
(c) 11 countries directly attributed improved trade facilitation collaboration
after UNCTAD assistance;
(d) 12 legal instruments drafted to support the establishment of national trade
facilitation committees.
479. One of the main drivers of trade facilitation is transparency. In that regard,
UNCTAD has largely contributed to it by building capacity and dialogue among the
national trade facilitation committees with a public–private partnership but also through the
trade information portals. Indeed, the trade information portal is an IT tool providing
traders with the necessary information on trade procedures for export, import and transit
operations. These projects are implemented in cooperation with UNCTAD Business
Facilitation Unit. By implementing a trade information portal, the countries not only
implement the article 1 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, but also undertake an
important step towards the actual simplification of trade procedures. In 2020, a total of
eight Pacific islands and five countries in the East African Community have benefited from
UNCTAD support to increase transparency in trade facilitation and developed online
portals to display trade procedures.
480. During 2020, UNCTAD has launched one other valuable tool for national trade
facilitation committees, namely the so-called Reform Tracker, which is an online
monitoring tool for committees to monitor and collaborate regarding the implementation of
national trade facilitation reforms and implementation of obligations of international and
regional agreements. The tool provides an electronic collaboration platform for the
members of the national committees with a view to being able to more efficiently
collaborate in the implementation of trade facilitation procedures and monitor and report on
these. During 2020, the tool has been piloted in 3 countries in the Eastern African region
and will be rolled out in additional countries shortly.

C4 ASYCUDA – Automated System for Customs Data

Table C4
ASYCUDA – Automated System for Customs Data

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/9X/89S Support for ASYCUDA implementation 1998– Multi-donors

activities

INT/0T/FAK Support to the Centre of Excellence, 2017– National

Gibraltar Governments

INT/0T/GAE Projet d’interconnexion des systèmes 2018– Economic

informatiques douaniers ALISA/PACIR de Community of
la CEDEAO West African
States

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/GAK Public Financial Management Improvement 2018– European

and Consolidation Project Union

INT/0T/HBV a Enhancement of ASYCUDA World to 2018– Germany

facilitate Pre-Arrival Processing 2020

INT/0T/HCP Enhancement of the a CITES system 2019– Convention on

International
Trade in
Endangered
Species of
Wild Fauna
and Flora

INT/0T/IBB Enabling PaP and PdP of ocean cargo 2020– Germany

through digital B2B exchange between
ASYCUDA-GIZ

INT/0T/IBL Trade and customs data extraction tool for 2020– World Trade
regular tariff and trade data notifications to Organization
WTO

RAF/0T/6BC Establishment of SEATAC (ASYCUDA) 2006– Norway

RAF/0T/IAA COMESA Trade Facilitation Programme 2019– Common
Market for
Eastern and
Southern
Africa

RAF/0T/IAL Development of extraction tool for trade- 2020– International

related data African Trade Observatory Trade Centre

RAF/0T/JAA Implementation of customs inter 2020– World Bank

connectivity on rail between Burkina Faso
and Côte d’Ivoire

RAS/0X/0DX ASYCUDA implementation and support in 2000– Multi-donor

the Asia–Pacific region

RAS/0T/1DA ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for the 2002– Japan

Pacific (ASMP)

RAS/0T/IAK The Implementation of the Pacific Trade 2019– Australia

and Customs Harmonisation Project

RLA/0T/3AD ASYCUDA Regional Support Centre for 2003– National

the Americas and Africa Governments

ROA-2023 Transport and trade connectivity in the age 2020– Development

(X12) of pandemics Account

AFG/0T/BBD Implementation of ASYCUDA in the 2012– Afghanistan

Afghan Customs Department (Phase 2: 2020 through World
Rollout and Enhancement) Bank

AFG/0T/HBU Afghanistan Fiscal Performance 2018– Afghanistan

Improvement Support Project (FSP)

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/CBO ASYCUDA World Implementation in 2013– Angola

Angola

ANT/0T/EBK a ASYCUDA World (Antigua and Barbuda) 2015– Antigua and

2020 Barbuda

ARG/0T/FBA Fortalecimiento de la Capacidad de Gestión 2017– Argentina

de la Deuda Pública de la Provincia de Río
Negro, Argentina

ARU/0T/GAW ASYCUDA World Consolidation – Aruba 2017– Aruba

BAR/0T/CAA ASYCUDA World Implementation in 2013– Barbados

Barbados

BDI/0T/TIAJ Amélioration de SYDONIA World et mise 2019– Burundi

en œuvre du guichet unique

BGD/0T/FAC ASYCUDA World – ASYCUDA Support 2016– Bangladesh

Mechanism for Asia

BKF/0T/EBM Formation transit SYDONIA 2016– African

Development
Bank

BKF/0T/HAM Projet d’Interconnexion des systèmes 2018– Burkina Faso

informatiques douaniers – Burkina Faso

BKF/0T/HAV Ouverture de SYDONIA World sur Internet 2018– Burkina Faso

CMB/0T/IAI ASYCUDA support mechanism for the 2019– Cambodia

Asia Region (ASMA)

CMB/0T/ICG Migration to the latest available SuiteWorld 2020– Germany

release and Development and
Implementation of an enhanced Risk
management feature

COI/0T/HCN Set up of an electronic Single Windows and 2019– European

improvement of ASYCUDA World Union –
COMESA

CUR/0T/FAY Strengthening Customs Management 2016– Curaçao

capacity of Curaçao

DJI/0T/HBX Projet d’Appui à la Modernisation de 2019– World Bank

l’Administration Publique – Djibouti

DRC/0T/DBZ Mise en œuvre des Mesures de 2014– Democratic

Performance Republic of
the Congo

DRC/0T/HCF Introduction des pratiques modernes de 2019– Trade Mark

gestion des sites douaniers East Africa

ELS/0T/IBW Projet SYDONIA – El Salvador 2020– El Salvador

EQG/0T/EAM Mise en place du SYDONI World à la 2016– Equatorial

Direction Générale des Douanes (DGD) Guinea

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

FIJ/0T/CBF Computerisation of Customs Procedures 2013– Fiji

and Data and Deployment of ASYCUDA
World

GAB/0T/DAH Mise en œuvre de SYDONIA World 2018– Gabon

GAM/0T/HAJ Implementation of ASYCUDA World in 2019– Switzerland

Gambia

GUI/0T/BCX Implementation de SYDONIA World 2013– Guinea

GUY/0T/GAI ASYCUDA World Implementation in the 2017– Guyana

Cooperative

HAI/0T/DAO Consolidation of ASYCUDA World and 2014– Haiti

Simplification of Customs Procedures and
Operations in Haiti

IVC/0T/4BV Mise en place de SYDONIAWORLD a la 2005– Côte d’Ivoire

Direction Générale des Douanes

IVC/0T/HAD a Interconnexion des systèmes douaniers 2018– World Bank

entre la Côte d’Ivoire et le Burkina Faso 2020

JAM/0T/GAS Electronic Single Window for Trade 2017– Jamaica

KAZ/0T/IAR Provision of Services on Technical Support 2020– Kazakhstan
and Modernization IS ASTANA-1
KAZAKHSTAN

KAZ/0T/IBU Support and Development of ASTANA-1 2020– Kazakhstan

Information System of the Republic of
Kazakhstan in 2020

LAO/0T/HBP Establishment and maintenance of the 2019– Lao People’s

ASMA Democratic
Republic

LEB/0T/5BK Implementation of ASYCUDA World in 2005– Lebanon

Lebanon

LES/0T/HBF Technical Consulting Services Agreement 2019– Lesotho

(Vanuatu ESWS)

MAG/0T/EAC Mise en œuvre de SYDONIA World 2016– Madagascar

MAU/0T/CAD Projet de Modernisation des Douanes de la 2013– Mauritania

République Islamique de Mauritanie

MDV/0T/HBK ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for the 2018– Trade Mark

Asia Region (ASMA) East Africa

MLI/0T/9BF ASYCUDA World Technical Assistance 2009– Mali

and Support

MOL/0T/IAF a Moldova – Upgrade of Operational 2019– Republic of

Asycuda World System of the Customs 2020 Moldovia
Service

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

NCA/0T/HBZ Impèlementation de SYDONIA World en 2020– New

Nouvelle Calédonie Caledonia

NEP/0T/GAU ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for Asia 2017– United

Nations Office
for Project
Services

NER/0T/GAO Technical assistance project for the second 2017– Niger

phase of the implementation of ASYCUDA
World

PNG/0T/DAX Computerization of Customs Procedures 2014– Papua New

and Data and Deployment of ASYCUDA Guinea
World

RWA/0T/HBE Rwanda Electronic Single Window – 2018– Trade Mark

TMEA East Africa

SEY/0T/BBO ASYCUDA project 2011– Common

Market for
Eastern and
Southern
Africa

SIL/0T/GAH Public Financial Management Improvement 2017– Sierra Leone

and Consolidation Project

SRL/0T/DBT ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for Asia 2014– Sri Lanka

SRL/0T/IAD Implementation of an Electronic CITES 2019– Department of

Certification System Wildlife
Conservation

SUD/0T/8BG ASYCUDA project 2008– Sudan

SUR/0T/BAE ASYCUDA World Implementation in the 2012– Suriname

Republic of Suriname

SWA/0T/HBB Reinforcing analysis of risk profiling and 2014– Eswatini

installation and implementation of ASYPM
2018

SYP/0T/4BP Implementation of ASYCUDA World in 2004– Syrian Arab

the Syrian Customs Directorate Republic

TIM/0T/HCR Implementation of the Trade Single 2020– Timor-Leste

Window System for Timor-Leste (TL-
TSWS)

TOG/0T/EAS Migration vers SYDONIA World et 2016– African

formation Development
Bank

TOG/0T/FBE ASYCUDA Training 2017– Togo

TRI/0T/BDD Strengthening customs management 2012– Trinidad and

capacity (ASYCUDA World consolidation) Tobago

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

TUK/0T/FBF Implementation of the Integrated Custom 2017– Turkmenistan

Information System in the State Customs
Service of Turkmenistan

UGA/0T/HCH Uganda Electronic Single Window – Phase 2019– Trade Mark

II East Africa

VAN/0T/HBJ Technical Consulting Services Agreement 2019– Vanuatu

(Vanuatu ESWS)

ZIM/0T/7AC Implementation of ASYCUDA World in 2007– Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
a
Operationally but not financially completed or fully completed in 2020.

481. Development context. The ASYCUDA programme is directed at reforming,

streamlining and automating the customs clearance process, increasing trade facilitation and
strengthening the institution in member States and the capacities of its personnel.
An efficient and effective customs administration is essential to the welfare of any country
as it benefits the national economy by collecting revenue, assists the Government in
implementing national and international trade policy, protects the country by combating
fraud and the illegal trafficking of prohibited and restricted goods, provides statistical
information on foreign trade transactions essential for economic planning and supports
international trade needs.
482. The ASYCUDA programme is committed to providing sustained support for
development, both in-country and remotely. Over a period of 40 years, it has supported the
changing and evolving needs, addressed challenges of the customs administrations of 127
countries and territories, and facilitated their international trade. Having originated as a
means to help countries build and utilize the data collected at customs ports of entry
through databases, the programme’s scope has gradually widened to helping countries
manage their economic and financial analysis and planning, as well as assisting the private
sector in doing business and including partner governmental agencies in the automation and
streamlining of their procedures. It has also expanded in terms of the customs management
functions that it supports, from the initial data capture (now uploaded via the Internet) to
assisting countries and territories in monitoring trade crossing inwards and outwards of
their borders, interfacing customs with partner governmental agencies for exchange of
information, making available trade statistics, measuring institutional and trade facilitation
benchmarks, and producing data critical to risk management analysis and enhancing the
operational performance of customs and its integrity as an institution.
483. As an outcome of the fourteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development, the mandate of the ASYCUDA programme is reflected in paragraph 38
of the Nairobi Maafikiano, as it was in the Accra Accord (paragraph 167). The document
states that UNCTAD should “continue to provide assistance to developing countries to
design and implement policies and actions aimed at improving the efficiency of trade
transactions as well as the management of transport operations. It should also continue to
cooperate with member States in implementing the Automated System for Customs Data
(ASYCUDA)”. The Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, in document
A/C.5/64/L.23, also refers to the programme when it encourages the Secretary-General of
UNCTAD “in supporting the strengthening of regional economic integration in Africa by
providing, within the allocation to the Conference, technical assistance and capacity-
building in the areas of trade, customs and infrastructure” (paragraph 82). In the Doha
Mandate, specific reference is made to the programme’s work, reaffirming, inter alia, the
importance and role of the ASYCUDA programme in supporting developing countries,
particularly landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, and in
continuing its trade facilitation work. The mandate states that UNCTAD should “assist
developing countries, particularly landlocked developing countries and transit developing
countries, and some countries with economies in transition, to address challenges affecting

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their participation in trade from geographical constraints, with a view to improving

transport systems and connections, designing and implementing resilient and sustainable
transport systems, and enhancing transit infrastructure and trade facilitation solutions”,
“continue its work in the field of trade facilitation, including the Automated System for
Customs Data programme” and “advise small island developing States on the design and
implementation of policies addressing their specific trade and trade logistics challenges
linked to their remoteness and geographical isolation” (paragraphs 56 (h), (i) and (j)).
General Assembly resolution 70/1 recognizes “that baseline data for several targets remains
unavailable,” and calls “for increased support for strengthening data collection and
capacity-building in Member States, to develop national and global baselines where they do
not yet exist” (paragraph 57). The resolution also makes reference to the need to “support
developing countries, particularly African countries, least developed countries, small island
developing States and landlocked developing countries, in strengthening the capacity of
national statistical offices and data systems to ensure access to high-quality, timely, reliable
and disaggregated data” (paragraph 76). In relation to General Assembly resolution 70/1, it
is worthy to note the UNCTAD Automated System for Customs Data Software Suite is
being implemented in 41 African countries and territories, 38 least developed countries,
34 small island developing States and 21 landlocked developing countries, which makes it a
unique possibility as a base repository for the extraction of trade and customs related data to
strengthen statistical capacity and to support trade policymakers.
484. The use of the ASYCUDA system by customs administrations contributes to
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as explained below:
(a) Goal 1. No poverty: customs’ contribution to national revenue through
revenue collections, and the subsequent investment of revenues into national
development programmes;
(b) Goal 2. Improving the food security and food safety through strengthening
Customs and inter-agency controls at the borders, automation of issuance and monitoring
of use of phytosanitary and veterinary certificates, integrated quota monitoring for
agricultural exports and imports;
(c) Goal 3. Ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being, in particular targets
3a and 3d, by automating customs control of movement of excisable goods/tobacco
products with ASYCUDA-DCTS and by strengthening of customs and inter-agency
controls at the borders of pharmaceutical products, drugs precursors, introduction of
electronic certificates for pharmaceutical goods and their efficient control in the single
window environment;
(d) Goal 6. Clean water and sanitation, in particular target 6.3, by improving
water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of
hazardous chemicals and materials, as customs apply in their controls the international
Conventions of Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm;
(e) Goal 8. Decent work and economic growth: customs make a key
contribution to facilitating trade, enabling access to global value chains, innovation and
employment opportunities;
(f) Goal 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure, in particular targets 9.1, 9.3
and 9.c: the use of ASYCUDA by customs, which has always combined state-of-the-art
advanced technologies with proven in-the-field expertise, ensures an efficient and
tailored support to countries thus contributing to their ICT infrastructure development
and upgrade, including the simplification of customs processes, sustainable
modernization and automation initiatives promoting early taking of ownership by
governments which contribute towards lowering the international market’s barriers to
entry for SME/SMIs, especially in the least developed countries and Africa, and by
improving regional and cross-border infrastructure;
(g) Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable, in particular targets 11.2, 11.5, 11.b: technical assistance in the area of
customs promotes the development of customs and trade infrastructure (ports, logistics
terminals, warehouses, supply chains in cities), while the use of ASYREC in disaster-

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prone countries reduces the loss of lives through implementation of integrated policie s
and plans increasing resilience to disasters;
(h) Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns: customs
make a key contribution through more efficient customs and inter-agency controls over
chemicals export and import;
(i) Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts:
customs administrations using ASYCUDA can improve control for ozone depleting
substances. One of the main objectives of implementing ASYCUDA is to reduce the use
of paper in government agencies until disappearance;
(j) Goal 15. Life on land, in particular targets 15.5, 15.7 and 15.c: customs
contribute to protecting society from unwanted pests and preventing the flow of illicit
wildlife products by applying health and agricultural policies, and the Internationa l Plant
Protection Convention; customs also help to take urgent action to end poaching and
trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply
of illegal wildlife products by applying the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Indeed, in 2019, ASYCUDA
developed in cooperation with CITES an automated solution for endangered species
import/export permit application, processing, issuance and reporting;
(k) Goal 17. Partnerships for the Goals, in particular targets 17.1, 17.6, 17.8,
17.9, and 17.18, through the use of ASYCUDA system: customs contribute, by applying
international standards and trade-related agreements, and by collaborating with other
national authorities, countries and international agencies such as the World Customs
Organization, to increased efficiency and coordination, strengthened resource
mobilization and trade facilitation and statistics, which in turn contributes to ensuring
sustainable development. In addition, the ASYCUDA programme organizes a multitude
of study tours and technical and functional training sessions for customs delegations to
visit and learn from experiences of implementing a new technology and/or a new
infrastructure in other parts of the world, directly contributing to North–South and
South–South international and regional cooperation, ensuring capacity-building and
transfer of know-how.
485. Objectives and features. The main objective of the ASYCUDA programme is the
modernization of customs and of partner governmental agencies for trade facilitation, using
information technology to speed up and simplify the goods clearance process. The
ASYCUDA system manages the entire customs clearance process, from (and prior to) the
arrival of goods up to their warehousing and ultimate release, after payment of duties and
taxes. It includes an advanced risk-management and selectivity function and strong anti-
corruption features. The implementation of an ASYCUDA project in a beneficiary country
is based on the delivery of a comprehensive capacity-building programme, designed to
transfer the full ASYCUDA functional and technical know-how to national staff and to
ensure that the national team will be able to administer and maintain the national
ASYCUDA system without external technical assistance and support.
486. Outputs and results. In addition to supporting the efforts in minimizing the impact
of the pandemic, ASYCUDA experts in the field and in the headquarters mobilized their
efforts to provide the necessary assistance to Governments and customs administrations in
the implementation of ASYCUDA systems and modules and the development of new
standalone tools. Countries such as Cambodia, Georgia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritania,
the Republic of Moldova and Turkmenistan upgraded their ASYCUDA systems to its latest
version. The Gambia and New Caledonia, through remote assistance of ASYCUDA experts
and teleworking, started the implementation of ASYCUDA World in 2020 with the
development and installation of prototype and additional modules as requested by customs
authorities. Other countries such as Aruba, Barbados and Kazakhstan enhanced their use of
the system by implementing additional features and modules. Within the framework of
Single Window system implementation projects, Comoros, Jamaica, Rwanda, Timor-Leste
and Vanuatu carried out activities for the development, design and launch of modules for
the automation and streamlining of partner governmental agencies’ procedures.
Development-wise, the ASYCUDA programme took advantage of the travel restrictions to

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further develop and improve its systems and tools such as the Dynamic Selectivity for risk
management, the integration into ASYCUDA World of the express couriers clearance
module and an enhanced version of the IATA Cargo-XML for the electronic processing of
air cargo information, the development of an enhanced version of ASYPM (Automated
System for Performance Measurement) and the development of trade data extraction tools.
487. The ASYCUDA programme continued to allow for increased revenue collection by
customs, shorter clearance time and lower trade costs and simplified customs clearance
process in the least developed countries and other user countries and territories. In Aruba,
ASYCUDA implemented an online facility for the electronic payment of duties, taxes and
other charges on international trade. In 2020, 99.8 per cent of payments of duties and taxes
were made online. In Barbados during the first quarter of 2020, 60 per cent of commercial
imports were cleared within 24 hours after payment of duties. In Comoros, within the
context of the implementation of an ASYCUDA-based Single Window system for trade,
the National Research Institute on Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, which delivers,
manages and controls import/export authorizations of animals, plants and agricultural
products, increased its tax collection efficiency by 125 per cent in 2019–2020. In Jamaica,
within the context of the implementation of the Jamaica Single Window for Trade,
predictable and consistent service delivery greatly reduced application processing times to
an average of 28 hours and overall clearance times to an average of 32 hours, with
considerable savings in associated costs. In Lebanon, over 350 containers were processed
through ASYCUDA system the day after the 2020 blast. In Nepal, over 3,000 declarations
are processed every day on average through ASYCUDA system. Sri Lanka piloted the
eCITES system developed jointly by ASYCUDA and CITES. In 2020, over 650
import/export permits were issued for international trade of endangered species on eCITES.
The Vanuatu Electronic Single Window National Project Team and ASYCUDA
implemented the bespoke ASYCUDA Sanitary and Phytosanitary Module (ASYSPS) to
automate the processes of applying, approving and paying for SPS certificates. In 2020,
over 350 SPS export certificates and 2,000 import permits were issued, over US$250,000
were collected and 114 biosecurity officers and stakeholders were trained (53 per cent
women). The average time for the application process went from days to as little as 10
minutes.
488. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distance training and e-learning have
become the cornerstone of capacity-building. ASYCUDA programme organized and
delivered virtual sessions where the trainer and the trainees interact through their desktops
and laptops using technology like in New Caledonia. The ASYCUDA has also been
mobilizing its efforts in offering quality training materials to its systems’ users around the
world by implementing a platform for e-learning and availing training documentation and
videos. However, countries with on-site trainer benefited from training in 2020, but
complying with sanitary restrictions. The number of participants was reduced by half.
Training rooms were larger in size to respect social distancing. All participants wore masks
and were handed hydroalcoholic solutions for frequent hands and material disinfection. In
some countries such as Gabon, participants’ temperature was measured before entering the
room. In Barbados, five training sessions were executed to a total of 122 participants in
2020.

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C5 Statistics

Table C5
Statistics

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/IBJ European Union-Implementation of the 2020- European

action Better Statistics for Gender Union
responsive Trade Policy

INT/0T/IBK Development of a transport cost database 2020- World Bank

for international trade, with a special focus
on international shipping

RAF/0T/BCR Projet UEMOA-CNUCED pour la mise en 2014– West African

place des statistiques du commerce Economic and
international des services Monetary
Union

ROA-1617 Developing indicator on illicit financial 2017– Development

(AL10) flows and monitoring them in Latin Account
America

ROA-1819 Defining, estimating and disseminating 2018– Development

(Y11) statistics on illicit financial flows in Africa Account

ROA-2023 Data and statistics for more gender- 2020- Development

(D12) responsive trade policies in Africa, the Account
Caucasus and Central Asia

489. Development context. Harnessing the power of data and statistics is a necessary
condition to fully implement and monitor progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
This is true for all areas of sustainable development, and particularly for the areas that are
most dynamic and where significant changes can be observed in relatively short periods of
time, such as trade and its gender impacts, investment and financial issues. Countries
require accurate, timely and relevant statistics that could allow monitoring of trends in these
areas and studying the impact of economic policies on inclusive development. UNCTAD is
continuously taking actions to assist developing countries that have decided to improve
their statistical capacity in the area of trade, investment, finance, gender in trade and
sustainable development.
490. Illicit financial flows (IFFs) raise serious problems for financing development since
they constitute a drain on capital and tax revenues. They compromise sustainable
development by diverting resources from social spending and productive investment and by
impeding structural transformation. They may also weaken institutions and the rule of law.
These risks have been recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, where
the reduction of IFFs is listed in Sustainable Development Goal target 16.4. The Addis
Ababa Action Agenda also highlights IFFs as a threat to the mobilization of resources for
development and calls for a redoubling of efforts to substantially reduce IFFs.
491. As a driver of economic development, trade can contribute to more equal economic
empowerment of women and men or exaggerate existing inequalities and create new ones.
Member States are committed to advancing equal and inclusive trade, but lack of data
threatens to become an impediment to developing gender-responsive and inclusive trade
policies. There are multiple channels of interaction between gender and trade, and effects
that are country or industry specific. Having reliable and comparable statistics on gender
and trade is a prerequisite for action and reviewing progress towards inclusive trade policy
and equitable economic development as part of the 2030 Agenda.

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492. Objectives. The objective of this product is to enhance the capacity of policymakers
and other stakeholders to monitor and report progress along the Sustainable Development
Goals, with a particular focus on trade and development and the interrelated issues of
finance, technology, investment and sustainable development. Specifically, the project with
the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) has the objective of
improving the statistical capacity of member States of the WAEMU to establish a
harmonized mechanism of data collection, treatment and dissemination of statistics related
to the imports and exports of services. The e-learning and other training activities aim at
building national capacities to collect, harmonize, analyse and disseminate statistics related
to international trade of goods and services. UNCTAD, as a co-custodian of Sustainable
Development Goal indicator 16.4.1, also developed concept and methodologies to measure
IFFs with the objective of strengthening national statistical capacities to define, measure
and disseminate statistics on tax- and commercial-related IFFs. The outcomes of the
IFF-related projects would enhance the data infrastructure required to measure Sustainable
Development Goal 16 and support evidence-based policy recommendations in this area. In
a joint United Nations Development Account (UNDA) project on gender-in-trade, with the
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Economic Commission for Europe
(ECE), UNCTAD is developing a coherent approach and member States’ statistical
capacity to measure the interplay between gender equality and trade policy with official
statistics. The methodology for doing so is being developed in a joint project with the
European Commission Directorate General on Trade.
493. Outputs. The WAEMU-UNCTAD project started in 2014 and its activities
continued throughout 2020. During 2020, UNCTAD Development Statistics and
Information Branch (DSIB) have been working on the final phase of the project – the
detailed specification, design and build of the IT system. This work progressed well, and it
is expected that the completed system will be rolled out to countries in the second half of
2021. Related to this project, a new global transport costs database was built and launched
in 2020, in cooperation with the World Bank – this will contribute directly to the estimation
of freight costs – which UNCTAD is working on in cooperation with the Central Bank of
West African States (BCEAO).
494. Finally, as this project is approaching its end, an evaluation of the project was also
undertaken by an independent evaluator and the draft evaluation report was submitted to
UNCTAD and WAEMU in 2020. The project evaluation recognized the good management
of the project and was accepted by both parties without amendment.
495. The training activities on trade statistics were developed by UNCTAD, in
collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division and the World Trade Organization
and delivered as part of the Train for Trade Programme. Two global courses were offered
in 2020. The participants of all courses involve statisticians from national statistical
institutes, customs offices and different ministries that participate in the collection, analysis
and dissemination of international trade statistics. Over the past 3 years, over 3,500
participants have received online training in either merchandise or services trade statistics.
496. In addition to the continuing tenth tranche of the UNDA project on measuring IFFs
in Latin America, UNCTAD in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC), UNECA and ESCAP continued its work on the 11th and 12th tranches of
UNDA projects to estimate IFFs with a focus on African and Asian countries. In October
2020, UNODC and UNCTAD published a “Conceptual framework for the statistical
measurement of illicit financial flows” reflecting concepts and methods adopted by the
Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators in 2019. This
conceptual framework now sets the definitions and standards for the statistical
measurement of IFFs. In spring 2021, UNCTAD will publish companion methodological
guidelines to help countries pilot this work. In February 2021, the report of the High-level
Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (FACTI) for
Achieving the 2030 Agenda noted this important development.
497. UNCTAD held an online workshop under the UNDA project on gender-in-trade in
November 2020 to launch work in the ECE region. The event built on a desk study of
gender-in-trade challenges in the ECA and ECE regions and shared the conceptual
framework for the measurement of gender-in-trade for discussion.

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498. In June 2020, UNCTAD published a policy brief entitled “Making trade agreements
work for gender equality – data and statistics” to guide member States in this work. First
pilot countries have started to test the compilation of gender-in-trade indicators using
methodology developed in the project with the European Commission.
499. Results. The UNCTAD-WAEMU project achieved significant results in 2020,
including the validation of the second round of surveys which incorporated several
methodological improvements. The development of an IT statistical system, and the
transport costs database were also significant milestones in this work.
500. In relation to the training activities in statistics (part of the Train for Trade
Programme), the training programme on international merchandise trade statistics (IMTS)
had 1,247 participants (48 per cent women) from 149 countries. The other training courses
on statistics on international trade in services (SITS) had 987 participants (42 per cent
women) from 153 countries. In total, 2,234 participants from 173 countries benefited from
statistical e-learning courses.
501. Finally, the UNDA projects on measuring IFFs had made significant progress over
the past two years. As noted above, the conceptual framework was adopted by the Inter-
Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators in 2019 and
published in 2020. The inter-agency task force, chaired by UNCTAD, also made
considerable progress on developing the methodological guidelines.

C7 Enabling accounting and reporting on the private sector’s contribution

to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Table C7
Enabling accounting and reporting on the private sector’s contribution to
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

B99-1819 Enabling policy frameworks for enterprise 2018– Development

(H11) sustainability and Sustainable Development Account
Goal reporting in Africa and Latin America

ROA-2023 Global Initiative towards post-Covid-19 2020– Development

(W12) resurgence of the MSME sector Account

502. Development context. A high-quality corporate reporting environment is a critical

facilitator for attracting investment, allocating scarce resources in an efficient manner, and
promoting financial inclusion and stability. In the past decades, there has been a clear trend
towards the adoption of harmonized standards and codes by UNCTAD member States.
Furthermore, the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development significantly
increased and enhanced the role of enterprise reporting as a primary source of information
on the private sector contribution to the attainments of the Sustainable Development Goals.
However, effective implementation of such standards and codes remains a challenge for
many developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Elements that have
an impact on the corporate reporting environment include weaknesses in legal and
regulatory frameworks, lack of human capacity and relevant support institutions, or
obstacles to the adequate monitoring and enforcement of international standards and codes.
As such, there is a need for coherent efforts to support capacity-building in the area of
corporate reporting, with a view to enabling progress towards the convergence of national
corporate reporting environments with global standards and codes. In particular, member
States require tools that enable the identification of gaps through international
benchmarking, the elaboration of action plans for accounting reform, and the measurement
of progress in priority areas.
503. Objectives and features. The Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on
International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) was established with the

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mandate to assist member States of the United Nations in harmonizing their accounting
practices with international standards to improve good governance and transparency,
facilitate international investment and strengthen financial stability. ISAR conducts its
activities with the support of the UNCTAD secretariat. Since the adoption of the
2030 Agenda, ISAR focuses on harmonization of companies reporting on their contribution
to the Sustainable Development Goal implementation. The Intergovernmental Working
Group of Experts achieves this by building an intergovernmental consensus towards
convergence of corporate reporting and in particular on sustainability reporting
frameworks; facilitating international coordination and cooperation with the key players in
this area; identifying and sharing good practices; developing practical guidance and
capacity-building tools and providing technical assistance on issues related to both financial
and sustainability reporting. This work is conducted through the annual sessions of the
Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts, as well as associated workshops and round
tables, research activities and technical assistance, such as the Accounting Development
Tool (ADT).
504. The ADT enables beneficiary countries to voluntarily assess their accounting
infrastructure, including their national institutions, regulations, human resources and
processes, against international requirements for high-quality corporate reporting. The Tool
promotes an open and constructive dialogue among all stakeholders involved, which is
required for conducting successful accounting reforms. It provides a quantitative
benchmark of a country’s position at a particular point in time and, when implemented
more than once, allows countries to assess their progress towards achieving international
best practice. The results of the Accounting Development Tool support the elaboration of
national action plans and the identification of priority areas where further action is required
in order to improve their corporate reporting environment.
505. Outputs. The thirty-seventh session of ISAR was held virtually from 2 to
6 November 2020. Distinguished speakers representing major international players in the
area of corporate accounting and reporting, public and private sector bodies, the accounting
profession, investors, academia and other stakeholders, discussed progress made and main
challenges in improving quality and usefulness of sustainability/Sustainable Development
Goal reporting by companies; trends and good practices in climate-related financial
disclosures, as well as the impact of COVID-19.
506. In accordance with the agenda several case studies conducted by UNCTAD in the
intersessional period, on the practical application of UNCTAD/ISAR Guidance on core
indicators (GCI) for entity reporting on the contribution towards the attainment of the
Sustainable Development Goals were presented and discussed. The case studies provided
further evidence of usefulness of the GCI approach on facilitation of a baseline
sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting by companies in a consistent and
comparable manner and underscored the role of the GCI as a capacity-building tool for
integrating sustainability information into companies’ accounting and reporting cycle. In
addition, the need for technical capacity-building was highlighted. To address this need,
UNCTAD published a Training Manual on Core Sustainable Development Goal Indicators
for Entity Reporting and developed Tutorials of the GCI Training Manual to be used for
training purposes either in person or through distance learning.
507. Reflecting on the role of UNCTAD as a co-custodian of the Sustainable
Development Goal indicator 12.6.1 “Number of companies publishing sustainability
reports”, under other business agenda item, experts reviewed progress and challenges in the
Sustainable Development Goal data collection from companies on their contribution
towards implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In addition, the session featured the ISAR
Honours 2020, which acknowledged key national and international initiatives on promotion
and harmonization of sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting by companies,
with a view to raising awareness and disseminating best practices in this area. The virtual
ceremony was attended by more than 100 participants and viewed by more than 150 people
on the United Nations Web TV. Thirty-seven public and private sector entities from
20 developing, developed and countries with economies in transition were considered for
the honours. ISAR Honours recognized six honourees, three within the international
category and three in the national.

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508. Under the other business agenda item, Colombia, Guatemala, Kazakhstan and South
Africa shared their experiences on strengthening their accounting and reporting
infrastructure based on the UNCTAD Accounting Development Tool (ADT) with a focus
on improvements in sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting with support of
the GCI application.
509. Preceding the session, on 30 October 2020, ISAR technical webinar on Assurance
on Sustainability Reports was jointly organized by UNCTAD and the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development. The workshop had 205 registrants from 26 countries.
Discussions focused on current practices and challenges in this area.
510. On the side of the thirty-seventh session of ISAR, the secretariat organized a virtual
meeting with representatives from beneficiary countries (Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya and
South Africa) of the Development Account 11th Tranche Project Enabling policy
frameworks for enterprise sustainability and Sustainable Development Goal reporting in
Africa and Latin America. The meeting provided an occasion to inform on the progress of
implementation of national activities, share experiences, express their views and discuss
common challenges faced in their efforts to strengthen policy frameworks for enterprise
sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting. The meeting was organized in
response to a request from beneficiary countries to use the ISAR session as an opportunity
to share lessons learned throughout the project implementation within and across regions,
and to facilitate a harmonized approach towards developing policy frameworks on
sustainability and Sustainable Development Goal reporting by companies. The main
objective of the project is to strengthen the capacities of Governments to measure and
monitor the private sector contribution to the 2030 Agenda, in particular on indicator
12.6.1, and encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt
sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
511. In 2020, within the scope of the Development Account project, UNCTAD continued
to implement the ADT in Colombia and South Africa and initiated its implementation in
Guatemala, which took into consideration new developments in the area of accounting and
sustainability reporting, drawing on UNCTAD research into corporate reporting and the
Sustainable Development Goals.
512. In Colombia, a National Action Plan towards developing high quality
sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting by companies was developed based
on the gaps and priorities identified and agreed with the ADT. A meeting to present the
National Action Plan, discuss the activities and recommendations proposed and develop
consensus on the way forward took place virtually on 15 July 2020. This was followed by a
capacity-building activity on core Sustainable Development Goal indicators which took
place virtually in July 2020. It was based on the UNCTAD GCI and a newly developed
Training Manual on its implementation. The capacity-building workshop was attended by
84 participants. Participants included stakeholders that participated in national activities in
Colombia and representatives from companies and universities.
513. In Guatemala, an assessment of the national sustainability/Sustainable Development
Goal reporting infrastructure was conducted from July to October 2020. A national report
on the assessment of sustainability/Sustainable Development Goal reporting was prepared
and validated at the national consultative workshop in October 2020. The workshop also
included presentations and discussion on sustainability reporting, three GCI case studies
and a note on the status of sustainability reporting in the country, which facilitated
awareness creation on best practices, trends, and challenges in this area.
514. In South Africa, a progress meeting was held online in July 2020 and a national
report of the ADT assessment was discussed at the National Consultative Workshop which
took place virtually in November 2020. The discussions included presentations on
sustainability reporting and the GCI. Guatemala and South Africa are now in the process of
developing an action plan based on the ADT findings.
515. Moreover, in implementing activities, UNCTAD has continued fostering
partnerships with key players in the sustainability reporting area, including with the
International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB),

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Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Professional Accountancy Organization Development

Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, and other international and regional
stakeholders in the area of corporate and Sustainable Development Goal reporting.
Additionally, UNCTAD has strengthened cooperation with other United Nations entities
working in this area such as: UNDESA, UNEP, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC),
and United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). As a result,
UNDESA is using the GCI as business statistics’ input for the national accounts and
UNRISD is developing indicators for social and solidarity entities building on the core
Sustainable Development Goal indicators, which highlights the relevance of sustainability
reporting in measuring the contribution of the private sector to the Sustainable
Development Goals. This cooperation has been critical for UNCTAD consensus-building
efforts among stakeholders in the diverse corporate reporting community, towards
facilitation of harmonization and comparability of sustainability/Sustainable Development
Goal reporting by companies and raising awareness of the role of high-quality reporting in
monitoring the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
516. During the year, UNCTAD participated in and contributed to the webinars with the
European Commission, World Business Alliance, World Business Council on Sustainable
Development, Global Compact, UNRISD, Professional Accountancy Organization
Development Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), and other
international and regional stakeholders in the area of corporate and Sustainable
Development Goal reporting.
517. In cooperation with UNEP as co-custodian of indicator 12.6.1 together with
UNCTAD, a methodology to measure the “Number of companies publishing sustainability
reports” has been developed. This led to the reclassification of the indicator from Tier III to
Tier II at the end of 2019. In 2020, UNCTAD started the process of data collection in
cooperation with pilot countries, including Guatemala, Qatar, South Africa and Ukraine.
The mechanism of data collection will be replicated in the other regions to aggregate the
global statistics that will be reported to the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable
Development Goal Indicators in 2021.
518. Results. For more than 37 years, the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts
has been providing member States with guidance and tools on a number of corporate
reporting topics. These products have had a positive impact, assisting member States in
implementing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and other internationally
recognized practices, such as guidelines on corporate governance disclosure, and
environmental and corporate social responsibility reporting.
519. The thirty-seventh virtual session of the Intergovernmental Working Group of
Experts had close to 400 delegates from more than 50 countries. The Intergovernmental
Working Group of Experts is the largest expert meeting of UNCTAD and one of the longest
standing groups of experts in the United Nations system. High attendance underscores its
sustained relevance in shaping the international agenda in accounting and reporting, and its
role in bringing the views of developing countries in the standard-setting process.
520. A survey shows that 98 per cent of participants found the session to be useful or
very useful. Over 90 per cent of participants rated the session’s organization, attendance
and substance as satisfactory or very satisfactory. One hundred per cent of technical
workshop participants rated the workshop as useful or very useful.
521. The Group of Experts reached agreed conclusions on all agenda items. Particularly,
it underlined the essential role that sound sustainability reporting by entities plays in
promoting sustainable investment and finance, and in attaining the Sustainable
Development Goals. It noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly heightened the
focus on sustainability issues. It also stressed that the existence of diverse sustainability
reporting frameworks and standards leads to inconsistent and incomplete information and
that there is a need to address these challenges to improve the quality and reliability of
sustainability data and reporting, with a view to improving corporate decision-making
while strengthening investors’ and other stakeholders’ protection and information;
promoting efficient and transparent markets, economies and societies; facilitating the

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reduction of systemic risks; and improving corporate internal control systems and
management practices.
522. At the same time, ISAR took note of recent trends towards convergence in enterprise
accounting and reporting, including concerted efforts to overcome the fragmentation of
sustainability reporting, and of the quest for standardization in this area and for an
appropriate design of the governance aspects of a comprehensive global corporate reporting
system. In this regard, it emphasized the need to foster further efforts and cooperation in all
initiatives towards a single, coherent, and robust set of standards on sustainability reporting
that would provide consistent and comparable data, facilitate the interconnectivity of
integrated reporting and ensure an equal footing of financial and sustainability reporting. It
also underlined that climate-related financial disclosures were critical to understand the
possible exposure of companies’ activities to the medium- and long-term effects of climate
change, as well as their impacts on society, and to properly manage those impacts, risks and
opportunities, including the efficient allocation of capital supporting a transition to a more
sustainable, low-carbon economy.
523. In this regard, in its agreed conclusions the thirty-seventh session recognized the
important role that the GCI has been playing to facilitate the convergence of sustainability
reporting frameworks by providing early on an initial and simple common set of universal
indicators for entities’ baseline reporting on sustainability issues in alignment with the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also noted the usefulness of capacity-
building efforts provided by the UNCTAD secretariat to facilitate wider use of the GCI,
raising awareness and dissemination thereof, including for small and medium-sized
enterprises, and encouraged further activities in this area with a view to facilitating the
further convergence and alignment of reporting frameworks and practices. Those include
continue engaging with relevant United Nations agencies, as well as with key regional and
international institutions, promoting work on the harmonization and comparability of
sustainability accounting and reporting by entities in the public and private sectors,
developing metrics and tools on measuring and collecting timely and reliable data on the
private sector contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goal implementation. It
also called upon UNCTAD to conduct further case studies and consultative meetings during
the forthcoming intersessional period with a view to analysing the main findings of about
20 case studies prepared over the last two years and reflecting the feedback in the GCI
implementation process. Further on, it requested UNCTAD to continue monitoring progress
on the implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related
Financial Disclosures, as well as of the recommendations of other initiatives, with a view to
facilitating the exchange of experiences and good practices on this topic in future ISAR
sessions.
524. ISAR also requested the UNCTAD to continue its efforts relating to the
implementation of the Accounting Development Tool (ADT) and the GCI; and to continue
monitoring developments in the standard-setting arena that have implications for the ADT
and GCI, with a view to updating these tools at an appropriate juncture in the coming years,
as needed. It also called to conduct further work required for the implementation of the
metadata guidance and data collection mechanisms to support member States in reporting
on Sustainable Development Goal indicator 12.6.1.

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C8 Investment and public health

Table C8
Investment and Public Health

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-Building in Investment for 2011– Multi-donors

Development

INT/0T/DCA Promoting Access to Knowledge and 2014– Germany

Education in Developing Countries

RAF/0T/HBT AfCFTA support programme to eliminate 2018– Germany

non-tariff barriers, increase regulatory
transparency and promote industrial
diversification

ROA-2023 Investment incentives for local production 2020– Development

(F12) of essential antibiotics in East Africa Account

525. Development context. Developing countries experience considerable difficulty in

attracting sustainable investment in their health and pharmaceutical sector to meet the
sustainable development goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of all
at all ages. The framework for investment in health involves many policy domains and
institutions, including in health, investment, intellectual property and competition
regulations, and relies on both public and private finance as well as international
cooperation. Currently, the challenge of directing investment into health is intensified due
to COVID-19, which also revealed the vulnerability of global supply chains. UNCTAD
seeks to enhance the capacity of developing countries to develop a framework for
investment in health, taking into account their respective development context and provides
technical assistance to promote coherence in related policies, such as intellectual property
(IP), innovation, competition and digitalization. The programme targets Sustainable
Development Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Sustainable Development Goal 9 (build
resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) and
Sustainable Development Goal 17 (policy and institutional coherence).
526. Objectives and features. The objectives of the programme are the following:
(a) Development of domestic technological capacities and promotion of
investment in health sector;
(b) Promotion of coherence in industrial and health policies, including in the
regulation of investment and intellectual property;
(c) Promotion of stakeholder ownership to ensure the sustainability of
programme activities.
527. Outputs. The programme provided policy advice and capacity-building in three
areas:
(a) Policy coherence for investment in health, including local production of
pharmaceuticals;
(b) Use of intellectual property rights for industrial development, regional
economic integration and value chain development; facilitate collaborations between
foreign and domestic enterprises, universities and private sector for technology and
innovation; and
(c) Promotion of investment and intellectual property policy to address the
development impact of the digital economy.
528. In 2020, the work programme involved the implementation of three projects
targeting investment in the production and supply of antibiotics in the context of measures

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to combat antimicrobial resistance, supporting regional cooperation on IP rights in the

context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the development of a
database of case laws on intellectual property and public health.
529. In March 2020 UNCTAD launched a project funded under the United Nations
Development Account on Investment incentives for local production of essential antibiotics
in East Africa. Pharmaceutical producers in this region tend to focus on a limited range of
antibiotics, while neglecting others that are as much needed. As a result, there is a high risk
of resistance developing for products that are being overused, while the limited or
undersupply of other products is equally a risk for the public health system, resulting in
insufficient access by patients. The project aims at addressing the misalignment between
incentives for the local production of antibiotics and the objective to tackle antimicrobial
resistance (AMR). Although COVID-19 affected the beginning of the project, in 2020,
UNCTAD has completed collecting empirical data for a situation analysis on local
production, importation and supply of antibiotics, instances of shortage and prevalence of
AMR and an assessment of the policy framework for investment in local production and
supply of antibiotics in beneficiary countries, namely, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
UNCTAD also undertook a collection and assessment of regional policies at East African
Community (EAC) level. A series of webinars was held with stakeholders in Ethiopia,
Kenya, Uganda and with EAC Secretariat, to assess the current situation and improve the
understanding on AMR and supply of antibiotics. In 2021, UNCTAD expects the draft
reports and recommendations to be submitted for validation by stakeholders and to begin
the implementation of recommendations. The project lasts until 2023.
530. On 23 April 2020, UNCTAD and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized
a webinar on investment in quality local production in low- and middle-income countries
(LMICs) to address supply bottlenecks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The
event, which was attended by 127 participants, emphasized the need to increase pandemic
preparedness in developing countries through, inter alia, increased local pharmaceutical
production.52 Based on the results of this workshop, in May 2020 UNCTAD published an
exploratory paper on “Ten Actions to Boost Low and Middle-Income Countries’ Productive
Capacity for Medicines”. It identified five challenges (lack of capital, technology and skills,
low quality and standards, weak enabling policy frameworks, small markets and unstable
demand and poor infrastructure) affecting LMICs. To overcome these challenges the
exploratory paper identified ten actions to ensure LMICs’ equitable access to COVID-19-
related products, focusing on technology partnerships between LMIC Governments, local
pharmaceutical producers, foreign investors and development partners. 53
531. In 2020, UNCTAD developed a case law database on intellectual property and
public health. This case law database consists of a systematic collection of the summaries
of notable judgments adopted by national or regional judicial organs of the members of the
World Trade Organization (WTO). The summaries have been developed with a view to
supporting a better understanding of key intellectual property issues that relate to access to
medicines.54 The case law database is the product of UNCTAD work for over a decade on
intellectual property and public health. It has been updated with the support of the South
Centre. The case law database was launched on 16 December 2020 via a webinar organised
jointly with the South Centre.
532. In promoting regional cooperation on intellectual property rights to enhance regional
economic and value chain integration, UNCTAD undertook consultations with the African
Union Commission, the UNECA and the European Union Intellectual Property Office
which works as a development partner to the African Union. In addition to supporting the
Secretariat of the African Union Commission, UNCTAD provided an overview of its work
and a potential framework for regional cooperation during the virtual meeting of the
AfCFTA Technical Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights held from 11 to

52 See further information at https://unctad.org/en/pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=2418.

53 See further information at https://unctad.org/news/ten-actions-boost-low-and-middle-income-
countries-productive-capacity-medicines.
54 UNCTAD, 2020, Case Law Database: Intellectual Property and public Health, available at
https://unctad.org/ippcaselaw/.

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13 November 2020. The work of UNCTAD on regional cooperation on intellectual

property rights is conducted under the 2018–2021 BMZ55-funded project on the AfCFTA
support programme to eliminate non-tariff barriers, increase regulatory transparency and
promote industrial diversification.
533. In April 2020, UNCTAD organized a webinar on “Who owns our data? What is the
role of intellectual property?” as part of the UNCTAD E-commerce Week 2020. The
control and sharing of data are becoming crucial due to its importance for innovation and
productivity, including in food and agriculture, climate change and industrialization. The
webinar hosted international experts on data and intellectual property rights to address the
key bottlenecks for data sharing and the role of intellectual property rights. It contributed to
increased awareness of webinar participants on the role of IP rights in promoting the
sharing of data.56
534. In 2020, UNCTAD and the International Trademarks Association (INTA) organized
a webinar on the potential of distinctive signs to promote inclusive and sustainable
economic development. Panellists shared the experience of ASEAN and Zimbabwe on
potential contributions of distinctive signs for enterprises and overall economic
development.
535. Results and Impact. With the launch of the project on Investment incentives for
local production of essential antibiotics in East Africa, UNCTAD has become part of the
international effort to address the investment gap to combat antimicrobial resistance
(AMR). The webinar consultations conducted with beneficiaries helped to increase
awareness of the challenges of AMR and the role of local production of antibiotics. The
fact-findings, interviews and data collection conducted in the beneficiary countries and the
East African Community have already identified important gaps in AMR policies and their
implementation. UNCTAD’s case law database on intellectual property and public health
was recognised by users as instrumental in informing judges in developing countries on
substantive questions of the interface between intellectual property protection and public
health. UNCTAD’s contribution to the to the intellectual property rights chapter of the 2019
Assessing Regional Integration in Africa IX report, was endorsed as a good basis for a
situation analysis and deliberation of the AfCFTA Technical Working Group on Intellectual
Property Rights during its meeting held virtually on 11–13 November 2020. UNCTAD is
further requested to support the work of the Technical Working Group.

C9 International investment agreements

Table C9
International Investment Agreements

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/0BG Capacity-Building in Developing Countries 2000– Multi-donors

in IIA

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-Building in Investment for 2011– Multi-donors

Development

INT/0T/HCJ Strategic Partnership the Netherlands 2018– Netherlands

536. Development context. The current network of international investment rules is

multi-layered and multifaceted. The past years saw dynamic changes to the regime of
international investment agreements (IIAs), with intensified efforts at the regional level.

55 BMZ is the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.
56 See further information at
https://unctad.org/meetings/en/SessionalDocuments/DTL_STICT_2020.11.05_eWeek2020finalsumm
aryreport_en.pdf.

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At the same time, the number of bilateral investment treaty (BIT) terminations has been
increasing.
537. Growing unease with the current functioning of the global IIA regime and the
investor–State dispute settlement (ISDS) system, combined with the evolution of the
international investment landscape, the greater role of Governments in the economy and the
current sustainable development imperative led countries to reform their IIA regimes.
Today, there is broad consensus that reform is not an option but a must.
538. The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the need to reform the IIA regime. Some of
the policy responses taken by Governments to address the economic fallout of the pandemic
could be challenged by foreign investors through arbitration proceedings under IIAs (World
Investment Report 2020). This highlights even more the need to safeguard sufficient
regulatory space in IIAs to protect public health and to minimize the risk of investor–State
dispute settlement proceedings. IIA negotiators and policymakers should therefore be
familiar with key issues and concepts surrounding such agreements, thoroughly understand
legal obligations under IIAs as well as issues arising in practice during their implementation
and use available tools to review the sustainable development dimension of IIAs.
539. Integrating sustainable development objectives into IIAs requires addressing a
number of questions, including how to safeguard the right to regulate while preserving
protection; how to enhance legal clarity of certain provisions; how to reform dispute
settlement; how to promote and facilitate investment; how to ensure responsible
investment; and how to manage the systemic complexity of the IIA regime. As such policy
changes are taking hold in new treaties, the large stock of old-generation treaties is lagging
behind and becoming an increasing source of friction in the process of modernization of the
investment regime.
540. Objectives and features. The UNCTAD work programme on IIAs responds to this
trend of reform, aiming to make the IIA regime work better for both States and investors,
and more conducive to sustainable development. The programme covers activities in the
three pillars of UNCTAD (research and policy analysis, technical assistance and advisory
services, and intergovernmental consensus-building). The IIA work programme is guided
by the Accra Accord, which established UNCTAD as the key focal point in the United
Nations system for dealing with matters related to IIAs (paragraph 151), the Doha Mandate,
which ratified it (para. 65 (k)) and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which calls on
UNCTAD to continue its existing programme of meetings and consultations with member
States on investment agreements (para. 91). In addition, the Nairobi Maafikiano reiterates
the call for UNCTAD to continue its existing programme (para. 38 (l)) and to continue
promoting a better understanding of issues related to IIA and their development dimension
(para. 55 (hh)).
541. Outputs. For 2020, the main outputs are outlined below.

Research work related to technical assistance

542. In addition to regular reporting and monitoring on international investment policy
developments, the IIA work programme carried out research and policy analysis, among
others, for the following publications:
(a) World Investment Report 2020. The World Investment Report 2020
(WIR 2020) was launched on 16 June 2020. Its Chapter on recent policy developments and
key issues notes that the pandemic will slow down the pace of treaty-making. The
pandemic and its mitigation measures are also likely to result in a reassessment by countries
of the role of IIAs in national development. Indeed, IIAs can come into play in relation to
the policy responses undertaken by governments to address the economic fallout of the
pandemic as these measures also affect the operations of foreign investors. The chapter
provides an update on developments on investor–State dispute settlement and discusses
trends in investment policymaking. It also takes stock of IIA and ISDS reform actions,
which have been undertaken at all levels (national, bilateral, regional and multilateral). The
report also notes that progress on the reform of the IIA regime is visible in treaties
concluded in 2019. Nearly all new IIAs contain features in line with the UNCTAD
Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development and the Reform Package for

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the International Investment Regime, with the preservation of States’ regulatory space
being the most frequent area of reform. Since 2012, over 75 countries and regional
economic integration organizations benefited from UNCTAD support for the development
of new model BITs and IIA reviews.
(b) IIA Reform Accelerator. The IIA Reform Accelerator was launched on
12 November 2020 with the aim to expedite the modernization of the existing stock of
2,500 old-generation IIAs in force today. The Accelerator responds to the need for change
of substantive aspects of the IIA regime by focusing on a selection of reform-oriented
formulations for eight key IIA clauses (including fair and equitable treatment, and indirect
expropriation provisions). The IIA Reform Accelerator identifies ready-to-use model
language, accompanied by recent IIA and model BIT examples. Building on the UNCTAD
Investment Policy Framework, the IIA Reform Accelerator provides a tool for coordination,
focused discussion and consensus-building on joint reform actions between multiple
countries. The importance of reforming the stock of old-generation treaties becomes
particularly apparent in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic the world is facing
today.
(c) IIA issues notes. The following issues notes were produced:
(i) “The Changing IIA Landscape: New Treaties and Recent Policy
Developments”, 1 July 2020. This IIA Issues Note reviews the changing IIA
landscape and sheds light on new treaties signed in 2019 and recent policy
developments. The Issues Note also discusses how policy responses taken by
governments to address the COVID-19 pandemic could create friction with existing
IIA obligations.
(ii) “Investor–State Dispute Settlement Cases Pass the 1,000 Mark: Cases and
Outcomes in 2019”, 8 July 2020. This IIA Issues Note provides an overview of
known treaty-based investor-State dispute settlement cases initiated in the past year
and overall ISDS case outcomes.

Capacity-building
543. Based on the UNCTAD Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development
and its Reform Package for the International Investment Regime as well as UNCTAD IIA
Reform Accelerator options for modernizing the existing stock of treaties, UNCTAD
carries out a range of training activities and advisory services. During the reporting period,
the following activities were implemented.

Advisory services
544. They include reviews of a country’s or region’s IIA network; comments on
country’s or region’s model treaties; and other analysis of various aspects of countries’ IIA
universes, including with respect to the interplay between IIA obligations and measures
taken to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comments are provided with a
view to identifying options for maximizing IIAs’ sustainable development dimension. The
analysis is tailor-made, considering the specificities of each country and/or region and,
typically, the submission of written advisory services is complemented by one or several
videoconferences, discussing the analysis undertaken on behalf of the country.
545. In response to requests from member States, UNCTAD provided IIA reviews for
Kyrgyzstan (February 2020), Angola (October 2020) and Kazakhstan (October 2020). Also,
UNCTAD provided comments on the model treaties of Egypt (September 2020) and
Morocco (January 2020) at their request.
546. Support was also given to the African Union, UNECA and other stakeholders with
the draft of the Investment Protocol of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Among others, UNCTAD contributed to an Expert Meeting organized by the African Union
on the African Investment Protocol on 18 June 2020 (webinar) as well as a series of
discussions organized by the African Union on COVID-19 and the risk of ISDS cases in
Africa which ultimately resulted in the adoption of a declaration on COVID-19 and ISDS in
Africa.

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Regional or other training courses hosted or co-hosted by UNCTAD in 2020 include the
following:
(a) Joint UNCTAD–League of Arab States–Islamic Development Bank “High-
Level Expert Meeting on the New Arab Regional Investment Agreement”, 14–15 January
2020, Rabat. The meeting provided Arab countries with key recommendations for drafting
a new Arab Regional Investment Agreement. It brought together 32 participants from
16 Arab countries and called on UNCTAD to continue its assistance to the League of Arab
States towards the conclusion of the regional agreement.
(b) UNCTAD meeting with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Morocco
on the new bilateral investment treaty model of Morocco, 16–17 January 2020, Rabat. The
meeting discussed the key elements found in the new model and provided concrete
recommendations on certain provisions with a view to strengthening the model’s
development dimension.
(c) UNCTAD “Expert Workshop on International Investment Agreements (IIAs)
for Sustainable Development”, with the Ministry of Economy of Montenegro,
27–29 January 2020, Geneva. The expert workshop with senior officials from Montenegro
working on international investment policymaking questions focused on recent worldwide
IIA developments as well as country-specific issues, such as the content of the new model
BIT currently being developed, the regional context and the European Union’s new
investment policy approach. Presentations were delivered by UNCTAD and external
experts.
(d) UNCTAD Virtual Workshop on IIA reform for the Ministry of Investment of
Saudi Arabia (MISA), 17 February 2020, Geneva. The workshop discussed the reform of
IIAs and investor-State dispute settlement and shed light on the ongoing efforts of Saudi
Arabia to modernize its existing stock of IIAs. It also discussed potential friction between
IIA obligations and measures taken in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(e) “UNCTAD – D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation Joint virtual
workshop on COVID-19 and IIAs”, 30 June 2020. The workshop provided participants
with up-to-date knowledge on policy options for sustainable development-oriented reform
of bilateral investment treaties and facilitated discussions on key IIA reform issues.
It focused on IIA reform in times of COVID-19 and identified the key provisions found in
D-8 countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan and Turkey) that are in urgent need of reform.
(f) UNCTAD virtual meeting with the Shridath Ramphal Centre of the
University of the West Indies and the CARICOM Secretariat on “IIA Reform in the
Caribbean in the COVID-19 era”, 21 October 2020. The meeting discussed IIA reform
efforts in the Caribbean countries and provided policy recommendations on reforming
specific treaty provisions to bring them in line with national development strategies and to
minimize the risk of COVID-19 – related ISDS cases.
(g) “UNCTAD–Commonwealth Small States Office virtual meeting on IIA
reform”, 30 October 2020. The meeting brought together representatives from the
Commonwealth small States and discussed the UNCTAD IIA Reform Accelerator and how
it can be used to assist small States in reforming their IIA regimes.
(h) UNCTAD–Egypt General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI)
“Workshop on the new model BIT of Egypt”, 19 November 2020. The webinar reviewed
the new model BIT of Egypt. It involved all relevant stakeholders in Egypt in charge of the
drafting and adoption of the new model. Over 10 ministries participated in the discussions
with UNCTAD experts.
547. Results and impact. There is strong evidence that the IIA work programme has a
concrete and positive impact. UNCTAD policy tools have shaped investment policymaking
at all levels.
(a) Forward-looking IIA reform is well under way and involves countries at all
levels of development and from all geographical regions. IIA reform has gained momentum
and has become even more urgent today with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of

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today’s new IIAs include several sustainable development-oriented reform elements in line
with UNCTAD policy tools (see WIR 2020). Provisions that were considered innovative in
pre-2012 IIAs now appear regularly. Highlights of modern treaty making include a
sustainable development orientation, preservation of regulatory space, and improvements to
or omissions of investment dispute settlement. The most broadly pursued area of reform is
preservation of regulatory space. As part of broader IIA reform, countries have
implemented many ISDS reform elements in recent IIAs.
(b) Since the launch of UNCTAD options for Phase 2 of IIA Reform
(WIR 2017), a growing number of countries have taken steps to modernize their old-
generation treaties. Given that, so far, such reform actions have addressed a relatively small
number of IIAs, there is broad scope and urgency to pursue them further. The stock of old-
generation treaties is 10 times larger than the number of new reform-oriented treaties.
Modernization of these treaties remains an important policy challenge.
(c) At the Multi-year Expert Meeting on Investment, Innovation and
Entrepreneurship for Productive Capacity-building and Sustainable Development, eighth
session, that took place on 21 September 2020, several delegates expressed appreciation for
UNCTAD assistance related to IIAs and the sustainable development-oriented reform of the
IIA regime. A number of delegates highlighted the need for further reform action,
particularly in light of the pandemic. They called for the strengthening of that work,
including through the outcome of the fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development. One panellist briefed experts on the impact of UNCTAD work on
IIA reform and UNCTAD’s analysis on measures taken by many Governments in response
to
COVID-19, which could create friction with the expansive obligations included in the stock
of old-generation international investment agreement.
(d) UNCTAD Virtual IIA Conference 2020: “IIA Reform in Times of
COVID-19” held on 26 November 2020 brought together over 200 participants from
Governments, international and regional organizations, private sector, academia, civil
society and media. Experts generally recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic and the
ensuing economic crisis posed great challenges but also provided a new impetus for the
reform of the IIA regime. Countries can build on the growing wealth of IIA reform
experience to accelerate the modernization of international investment regime. The Virtual
IIA Conference 2020 echoed the need to ensure that the IIA regime promotes and facilitates
investment for sustainable development and that it safeguards the right of States to regulate
in protection of public health in the post-pandemic era.
(e) Feedback from participants in capacity-building workshops and conferences
on IIAs is generally very positive, with an average of 90 per cent stating that the courses
contributed substantially to improving their understanding of the key issues at stake. An
average of over 80 per cent of respondents also indicated that they had reported on issues
related to the Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development to colleagues in
their departments and 44 per cent noted that the Investment Policy Framework had
prompted their country to reconsider its investment policy strategy. To date some
140 countries (including regional economic integration organizations) have used UNCTAD
recommendations on IIA reform to (re)design investment policies and IIA treaty clauses.

Further evidence and positive feedback include:

(a) “It gives me immense pleasure to acknowledge that ‘The Guiding Principles
for Investment Policymaking for D-8 Countries’, developed jointly by UNCTAD and D-8
Secretariat, played an important role in drafting and modifying our domestic and foreign
investment policy frameworks, for which Board of Investment is thankful to UNCTAD.
I hope that UNCTAD would continue play its role in assisting and capacity-building of
developing countries.” Executive Director General Board of Investment, Pakistan
(b) “We are very pleased with the success of the Expert Meeting on the new
proposed Arab Investment Agreement […] The meeting will allow Arab countries to align
their investment policies with their development aspirations. The meeting embodies the
longstanding and productive collaboration and partnership between the Islamic

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Development Bank (IsDB) and UNCTAD which have resulted in numerous instances of
cooperation, for over a decade, in delivering programmes for officials from IsDB member
countries aiming to build their capacity in international investment policymaking.”
Manager, Country Strategy and Market Integration Division, Islamic Development Bank.
(c) “… It goes without saying that the quality of the UNCTAD experts and the
relevance of their interventions and comments have enabled us to assess the innovations
brought by the new Moroccan model of BITs and to measure the consistency of this model
with international best practices in this area. I take this opportunity to reiterate my warm
thanks and to express my gratitude to you for the availability of UNCTAD to further
strengthen its already excellent collaboration with Morocco in order to facilitate the process
of modernizing its legal framework for investment.” Department of the Treasury and
External Finances, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Morocco.
(d) “We think UNCTAD provides valuable work through analysis and technical
assistance in the field of investment particularly on international investment agreements.
We are proud to support this work through our strategic partnership with UNCTAD.”
Director, Trade Policy and Economic Governance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Netherlands.
(e) “We congratulate UNCTAD for its great work on the reform of the IIA
regime and today’s conference [the Virtual IIA Conference 2020] is a concrete example of
how UNCTAD has been fundamental to this.” Undersecretary for Trade Regulation and
Facilitation, Ministry of Economy, Brazil.

C10 Competition and consumer protection policies and frameworks

Table C10
Competition and consumer protection policies and frameworks

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/8X/603 Training programmes on restrictive 1986– Multi-donors

business practices (competition
policies)

RAS/0T/IAV Delivering Block Chain Based Online 2020– Public donation

Dispute Resolution System (BODR)

ROA-2023 Global Initiative towards post-Covid- 2020– Development

(W12) 19 resurgence of the MSME sector Account

ROA-2023 Strengthening Social Protection for 2020– Development

(Y12) Pandemic Responses Account

548. Development context. Competition law and policy contributes to economic growth
and sustainable development through market openness, innovation and economic
efficiency, while achieving consumer welfare. Competition policy complements trade
policy, ensuring that the benefits brought by trade and investment liberalization are not
hampered by anticompetitive business practices. Consumer protection empowers
consumers to play an active role in the market, through informed, responsible and
sustainable choices, and it ensures that unfair commercial practices are sanctioned, and
consumers protected. In a globalized world competition and consumer protection laws and
policies are increasingly faced with cross-border challenges, which demand further regional
and international cooperation to guarantee a level playing field for business and a high-level
of consumer protection across the world.
549. Most of the technical cooperation projects of UNCTAD tend to comprise both
competition and consumer protection areas at national level and six projects have a regional
dimension:

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(a) The project on “Delivering block-chain based online dispute resolution for
consumers” which was developed as means to improve international trade and consumer
trust in electronic commerce in two ASEAN pilot countries before expanding to other
countries from this region;
(b) Implementation of the competition framework in the West African Economic
and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region and to support the work of the Commission: the
assistance to the drafting of merger regulations within the regional competition rules will
strengthen the competition regime of this regional economic organization, paving the way
for an effective monitoring of market concentration in a large market that includes eight
African member States;
(c) Technical assistance and capacity-building on competition and consumer
protection to Portuguese-speaking developing countries, which builds on the common
history and language and the similar culture to promote competition and consumer policies
as important instruments within these countries’ development strategies;
(d) UNCTAD, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia (ESCWA) and the OECD joint cooperation on the development and reform of
competition frameworks across the Arab countries that are members of ESCWA, with a
strong regional dimension;
(e) The United Nations Development Account (DA) COVID-19 response
technical cooperation projects on “Global Initiative towards post-COVID-19 Resurgence of
the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Sector” (2023W – MSME project), and
on “Strengthening Social Protection for Pandemic Response” (2023Y – social protection
project), which have developing countries across the world as beneficiaries with a strong
regional focus, in close cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa (UN-ECA), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(UN-ESCWA), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UN-ESCAP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
550. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to anticompetitive and unfair
business practices: poor business infrastructure and complex regulatory and licensing
regimes make it harder for companies to enter these markets; their policies, laws and
regulations are often not sufficiently robust, while their enforcement agencies lack the
capacity to effectively detect and address many instances of anticompetitive behaviour; and
citizens and businesses are less aware of the importance of competition and do not exercise
their rights or fulfil their responsibilities. Increasingly, many competition and consumer
protection problems have a cross-border component. Companies and supply chains are
international, while competition and consumer protection laws and enforcement agencies
are primarily national. Individual countries have struggled to address anticompetitive
practices at the international level, which requires regional and global collaboration to set
and enforce competition rules. The successful implementation of competition and consumer
protection policies results in the elimination of anticompetitive regulation and unnecessary
barriers to trade imposed by government policies.
551. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition generated new requests and needs for UNCTAD to provide
technical assistance on competition and consumer protection policies, leading to new
COVID-19 related technical cooperation projects aiming to provide support during the
crisis and in the economic recovery process, including the UNDA COVID-19 projects on
social protection and the MSMEs, both mentioned above. UNCTAD expertise on
competition and consumer protection policies was combined with the expertise of the
United Nations regional economic commissions, with which joint work was developed to
effectively deliver assistance and capacity-building on the topics of the contribution of
competition law and policy to MSMEs and on consumer protection in the provision of
health services (including e-health).
552. On the other side, several developing countries requested UNCTAD’s support
through urgent advisory services directly addressing the COVID-19 related unfair

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commercial and anticompetitive practices taking place in their markets (Brazil, Chile,
Dominican Republic, Peru and Uzbekistan 57 ) and through specific training activities
(Cambodia, Guatemala, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam; and the Arab countries
members of UN-ESCWA). Because consumer and competition policies were at the fore
front of the public authorities’ response to the market disruption caused by COVID-19,
UNCTAD disseminated news items and a newsletter gathering the decisions, measures and
initiatives adopted by consumer protection agencies and competition authorities,
recommending the most relevant actions in both fields during the pandemic. 58
553. Furthermore, the travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic outbreak facilitated
the multiplication of online meetings and events with representatives from consumer
protection agencies, competition authorities and from relevant stakeholders from
governmental bodies, academia, the private sector and civil society organizations.
554. In the ASEAN region, UNCTAD, together with its partners such as the ASEAN
Secretariat, GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) and Japan, has continued
delivering capacity-building activities even in times of COVID-19. Furthermore, UNCTAD
has been providing bilateral and ad hoc advisory services and capacity-building activities
such as the work carried out for Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar. The detailed
information is mentioned below.
555. Objectives and features. UNCTAD aims to assist developing countries and
countries with economies in transition in adopting or revising competition and consumer
protection legislation and policies to align with international best practices, as well as
regional frameworks in these areas. Competition and consumer protection policies are
complementary to trade and industrial policies and seek to promote economic growth and
sustainable development. They play an important role in achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals, especially Goal 8 – Decent work and Economic growth, Goal 9 –
Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Goal 10 – Reduced inequalities, Goal 12 –
Responsible consumption and production, and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals.
556. UNCTAD work on competition and consumer protection policies contributes to the
strengthening of the competition and consumer protection systems of developing countries
and countries with economies in transition by developing policy, legislative and
institutional frameworks; drafting legislation adapted to member States’ current challenges,
particularly during 2020 where COVID-19 has been a pressing issue for many competition
and consumer protection authorities; designing and implementing institutions to enforce the
laws; building human capacities through training programmes; advocating for a
competition and a consumer protection culture and developing competition and consumer
protection curricula for universities.
557. Outputs. Under the trilateral cooperation agreement between UNCTAD,
UN-ESCWA and OECD seeking to support the formulation or improvement of national
competition laws, procedures and enforcement in the Arab countries, the first Competition
Arab Forum was held in January 2020. The forum was attended by all the countries of the
region and competition authorities and experts from other countries (Romania, Turkey,
United States, etc.) were also invited to attend. There were four sessions on: competition

57 Peru (INDECOPI, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority): request on Consumer Protection
legislation and decisions on hoarding and price gauging, April 2020; Dominican Republic
(ProConsumidor, Consumer Protection agency): request for information on unsafe products from
China related to COVID-19, May 2020; Chile (SERNAC, Consumer Protection agency): request
regarding contract cooling off periods in consumer protection legislation, July 2020; Brazil
(SENACON, Consumer Protection National Secretary): request for information on the definition of
“consumer” in other jurisdictions, July 2020; Uzbekistan (Antimonopoly Committee): request on
price regulation and the practice of excessive pricing, an opinion was provided and discussed in a
meeting organized in December 2020.
58 COVID-19: Firmer action needed to better protect consumers and Defending competition in the
markets during COVID-19, both of 8 April 2020, available at https://unctad.org/news/covid-19-
firmer-action-needed-better-protect-consumers, and at https://unctad.org/news/defending-
competition-markets-during-covid-19. Also, Airlines must respect consumers’ rights, 4 June 2020,
available at https://unctad.org/news/airlines-must-respect-consumers-rights.

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and economic development; effective competition framework; partnership for development

through competition law and policy; and competition in public procurement. Furthermore, a
webinar on “Competition law and policy during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19
pandemic, reflections in the Arab region” was organized in July 2020 to discuss the
problems generated by COVID-19 in the economies of the region. In March 2021, the
second forum took place, analysing the role played by international and regional
organizations in the management of the COVID-19 crisis and presented the best practices
developed by member States. In addition, in 2021 the three organisations will jointly
organize a training course on competition and public procurement for the technical staff of
the Arab competition authorities.
558. The project on “Delivering block-chain based online dispute resolution for
consumers” aims to support two beneficiary countries in setting up the legal, policy and
technological frameworks necessary to deliver online dispute resolution to consumers, and
to allow for cross-border online dispute resolution for consumers. In particular, the
project’s goals are to: (a) provide an updated picture of current consumer dispute resolution
in beneficiary countries and at the global level, identify best practices and lessons learnt;
(b) define technical and infrastructure requirements of beneficiary countries to develop
online dispute resolution systems, including through block-chain technology; (c) build
capacities of government consumer protection agencies, consumer groups and business
associations on consumer online dispute resolution; and (d) build consensus among
beneficiary countries on the modalities for delivering consumer online dispute resolution
and cost/efficiency improvement of trade among beneficiary countries. The project has
been presented to potential South-East Asian beneficiaries.
559. It advanced in the two main research outputs: (a) report on national frameworks for
consumer dispute resolution and redress; and (b) report on consumer dispute resolution and
redress, online dispute resolution for consumers, including using blockchain technology
across the world. The project has been presented to potential South-East Asian
beneficiaries, whose formal request is still pending.
560. The merger regulation of WAEMU was prepared in the framework of the peer
review of the WAEMU competition law and policy, its goal being to support WAEMU in
establishing an enabling environment where the regional competition authority of the
WAEMU and its member States are well equipped to tackle market concentration that may
undermine the functioning of markets in their regional area. The merger control guidelines
of the WAEMU, which had been drafted based on the United Nations Set of Principles and
Rules on Competition59 and international best practices included in the UNCTAD Model
Law on Competition, 60 were presented, discussed, and validated in a workshop in July
2020. Its adoption will equip the WAEMU and its member States with an appropriate
regulatory and institutional framework to assess mergers effectively in their jurisdictions.
561. Under the technical assistance and capacity-building on competition and consumer
protection to Portuguese-speaking developing countries, supported by the experience-
sharing of Portugal and Brazil in both policy areas and fostering regional cooperation
between the beneficiaries and neighbouring countries and other partners, a round of
meetings with representatives of Angola, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, Timor-Leste
and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries took place to identify contact points
and assess needs for competition and consumer protection advice and training from the
beneficiaries. UNCTAD will also associate Brazilian authorities to this process and seeks to
enhance cooperation at the regional level with other regional organizations active in the
African continent (i.e. Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC) and
WAEMU).

59 In 1980, the United Nations Conference on Restrictive Business Practices approved the Set of
Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices
for adoption as a resolution 35/63 of the United Nations General Assembly (5 December 1980).
Available at https://unctad.org/Topic/Competition-and-Consumer-Protection.
60 UNCTAD Model Law on Competition, Part 1 and Part 2. Commentaries available at
https://unctad.org/Topic/Competition-and-Consumer-Protection.

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562. Under the two UNDA COVID-19 projects on social protection and the MSMEs
(Cluster on access to markets), UNCTAD focused on the contribution of consumer
protection policy to social protection in health services provision (including e-health) and,
under the second project, on the role of competition law and policy in supporting MSMEs
in facing and overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic economic impact. UNCTAD has
addressed both topics from a global perspective, although in the MSMEs project, this
overall view was complemented by national market studies of developing countries in
different continents. The outputs include two overview reports: one on consumer protection
and social protection; and another on competition, MSMEs and market access. These
reports were commented by the United Nations regional economic commissions as partners
to UNCTAD under these projects. In the case of the social protection project, the World
Health Organization Regional Office for Africa and the Pan American Health Organization
provided important comments to the report. In 2021, for the MSMEs project, the studies on
SMEs, market access and competition in the midst and in the aftermath of COVID 19 of
Brazil, South Africa and Thailand will be also drafted and discussed in regional meetings
scheduled for the first semester of 2021.
563. Barbados requested UNCTAD assistance in drafting guidelines based on merger
provision of the Barbados competition law and supporting the Fair-Trading Commission to
effectively undertake merger analysis on applications received from the business
community and also to guide lawyers to understand the law as they assist their clients.
A merger guideline report was drafted and presented and discussed in a workshop jointly
organized by UNCTAD and the Fair-Trading Commission.
564. At the request of the Government of the Philippines representing the ASEAN
Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) and the ASEAN Secretariat 61 , UNCTAD
accepted to join a regional technical project supported by the Government of Japan through
the Japan–ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), whose objective is to promotion sustainable
consumption in the ASEAN region, through an ASEAN Toolkit on Sustainable
Consumption. The toolkit aims to enhance the knowledge of government officials and
relevant stakeholders, such as consumer associations and businesses, by following best
practices and models of public policies, addressing the following topics:
(a) Understanding the concepts and principles of sustainable consumption;
(b) Best practices and approaches to policies that promote sustainable
consumption;
(c) Tools and instruments used in influencing consumer behaviour,
communication/ information provision tools such as product information through labelling
and certification, economic instruments such as incentives, and regulatory instruments;
(d) Use of appropriate instruments and tools in selected areas such as food
sector, energy, and consumer electronics; and
(e) Development of a set of advocacy materials such as slides, infographics and
audiovisual presentations, among others, to be used by officials to promote sustainable
consumption among consumers.
565. Under the ongoing bilateral cooperation between UNCTAD and UN-ESCWA, a
joint workshop on “Consumer Protection in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic,
Focus on Digitalization for the Arab Region” was organized on 3 August 2020. 62 The
webinar gathered consumer protection agencies from UN-ESCWA member States and
international experts to discuss how the COVID-19 crisis impacted consumers and identify
the challenges that emerged as a result of the pandemic. The webinar also addressed the
shift to digitization as more consumers rely on online activities in response to and in the
aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

61 This project did not lead to a trust funds agreement with UNCTAD, the funds having been
nevertheless allocated in consultancies to develop the toolkit and the organization of an event for
ASEAN member States to discuss the modules as agreed between the parties involved.
62 https://unctad.org/meeting/consumer-protection-aftermath-covid-19-pandemic-focus-digitalization-
arab-region

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566. UNCTAD and the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), the competition authority
of Japan, established a partnership in 2019 to assist Asian and African competition
authorities in enforcing competition law to maximize the benefits of well-functioning
markets in these countries, which is financially supported through the Japan–ASEAN
Integration Fund (JAIF). This cooperation with JFTC and JAIF led to the publication in
2020 of the guidance document of the “ASEAN Competition Law and Policy Peer
Review”, which is a framework for competition law and policy peer reviews in ASEAN
member countries. Also, UNCTAD provided comments to their “Study on recommended
procedures for cooperation on cross-border competition cases”.
567. Also in 2020, the Office of Trade and Competition Commission (OTCC) of
Thailand requested UNCTAD assistance in the preparation of a market study on the
COVID-19 impact assessment of the online travel agency (OTA) in the hospitality industry
of Thailand. This project is aimed at reviewing the status of the market of pre- and post-
COVID-19, identifying competition concerns and developing guidelines for regulating
anticompetitive practices in the market.
568. In Latin America, since the end of the UNCTAD COMPAL regional technical
cooperation programme on competition and consumer protection, new activities in this
region have been self-funded by beneficiary countries directly. However, a specific project
on Competition Compliance in Latin America has been launched by UNCTAD in
cooperation with the Zurich University of Management and Law (ZHAW), a regular
partner of UNCTAD, which includes the funding of some activities. This project will end in
2021 with the drafting of a guidance document for competition authorities wishing to
establish a compliance programme within their competition policy.
569. Within the close cooperation with Latin American countries in consumer protection,
UNCTAD organizes every year the UNCTAD–COMPAL International Forum for
Consumer Protection, in partnership with the acting Presidency of the Ibero-American
Forum of Consumer Protection Agencies (FIAGC), currently Portugal. This is the only
regional public discussion dedicated to consumer protection, engaging all relevant
stakeholders – private sector, civil society, legal and economic practitioners, and academics
-, apart from consumer protection agencies. For the Forum’s agenda UNCTAD suggested
three panel topics, closely related to the key topics of the United Nations Guidelines for
Consumer Protection and ongoing UNCTAD priorities in this field, but the forum was
postponed to the Summer of 2021, immediately after the Portuguese Presidency of the
European Union Council.
570. Following the UNCTAD voluntary peer review of the competition law and policy of
Botswana conducted in 2018, the country established a new authority, namely Competition
and Consumer Authority (CCA), in December 2019, combining the mandates of the old
Competition Authority and the Consumer Protection Unit which used to function under the
Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. Botswana also established the Competition and
Consumer Tribunal and requested UNCTAD to organize a virtual training seminar on
competition and consumer protection laws and policies for the new Tribunal members and
CCA Commissions. UNCTAD planned for the training to be delivered in December 2020.
However, due to unavailability of the beneficiaries during the month of December, the
training seminar was postponed to March 2021. The training was organized at no cost to
UNCTAD with the participation of eminent experts and former and current competition
authority heads. The training was hosted by Botswana Competition and Consumer Tribunal
on a virtual platform. The training assisted the country’s adjudicators to better understand
and implement these policies.
571. In 2020, UNCTAD organized and co-organized several webinars to serve member
States’ requests and needs in both policy areas and also spoke in and moderated discussion
panels organized by different partners, actively participating in more than 20 webinars
across all continents. A detailed list of webinars is listed below:

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(a) First joint UN-ESCWA, UNCTAD and OECD Competition Forum for the
Arab region, January 2020;63
(b) Istanbul Competition Forum Workshop, jointly organized by UNCTAD and
Turkish Competition Authority, March 2020;64
(c) UNCTAD, ISO Committee on Consumer Policy (ISO/COPOLCO) and
Consumers International joint webinar on “Using standards as a tool for consumer
protection”, April 2020;65
(d) UNCTAD and the Ecuadorian Institute of Competition Law (IEDC) joint
webinar on “The relevance of competition policy in the face of the effects of the economic
crisis generated by COVID-19”, May 2020;
(e) Istanbul Competition Forum workshop on “Competition during and in the
aftermath of COVID-19”, jointly organized by UNCTAD and Turkish Competition
Authority, June 2020;66 -
(f) UNCTAD webinar on “Key competition and consumer protection priorities
for regional integration in Africa”, June 2020;67
(g) UNCTAD webinar on “Competition policy in times of COVID-19: is there a
role in international cooperation?”, June 2020;68
(h) UN-ESCWA, UNCTAD and OECD joint webinar on “Competition law and
policy during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflections in the Arab
region”, July 2020;69
(i) UNCTAD virtual training workshop for Cambodian and Myanmar
competition authorities on “How competition agencies take action against cartels or abuse
of dominant position in the time of Covid-19 pandemic?”, July 2020;70
(j) UNCTAD and Guatemala webinars titled “The impact of the COVID-19
crisis on the economy: the role of competition policy in crisis management and economic
recovery” and “Why it is appropriate for Guatemala to equip itself with a Law for the
Promotion and Defence of Competition”, July 2020;
(k) UNCTAD and WAEMU joint regional workshop to validate the draft merger
regulation of the WAEMU, July 2020;
(l) XIV Central American Competition Forum, “Competition policy in the face
of the crisis created by COVID-19 in Central America”, organized jointly with the
Dominican Republic Competition Authority, 2020;
(m) UN-ESCWA, UNCTAD and OECD joint webinar on “Consumer Protection
in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Focus on Digitalization for the Arab
Region”, August 2020;71

63 See https://unctad.org/meeting/first-joint-un-escwa-unctad-oecd-competition-forum-arab-region.
64 See https://unctad.org/meeting/istanbul-competition-forum-workshop.
65 See https://unctad.org/meeting/unctad-iso-copolco-consumers-international-joint-webinar-using-
standards-tool-consumer.
66 See https://icf.rekabet.gov.tr/Home/IndexWebinar.
67 See https://unctad.org/meeting/key-competition-and-consumer-protection-priorities-regional-
integration-africa-webinar.
68 See https://unctad.org/meeting/unctad-webinar-event-competition-policy-times-covid19-there-role-
international-cooperation.
69 See https://www.unescwa.org/events/competition-law-and-policy-during-and-aftermath-covid-19-
pandemic-reflections-arab-region.
70 See https://unctad.org/meeting/virtual-capacity-building-workshop-how-competition-authorities-act-
against-cartels-and.
71 See https://www.unescwa.org/events/consumer-protection-aftermath-covid-19-pandemic-focus-
digitalization.

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(n) UNCTAD and UN-ECLAC joint webinar on “Competition policy towards

the COVID-19 crisis and the reactivation, with a focus on the MSME sector”, under the
COVID-19 DA project on SMEs, August 2020;72
(o) UNCTAD and UNECA joint Ad hoc Expert Group Meeting to review the
publication on “Towards a Common Investment Area in the African Continental Free Trade
Area: Policy Options Towards Levelling the Playing Field for Intra-African Investment”,
September 2020 (UNCTAD contributed to Chapter 4 on “Link between Competition and
Investment – Competition as an Investment Enabler” and presented the comments in the
meeting);
(p) UNCTAD Barbados online workshop on the Merger Guidelines Report,
jointly organized with the Barbados Fair Trading Commission, 2020;
(q) Joint European Commission (EC)-UNCTAD workshop on “Kick-starting
consumer product safety: a worthwhile endeavour”, International Product Safety Week
2020, for Consumer Product Safety agencies, November 2020; 73
(r) UNCTAD virtual training workshop for Myanmar competition authority on
“Competition issues and State aid”, November 2020;74
(s) Istanbul Competition Forum Annual Webinar, jointly organized by
UNCTAD and the Turkish Competition Authority, December 2020;75
572. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition understand the key
role of competition and consumer policies as instruments to achieve inclusive and
sustainable economic growth and development and increasingly request UNCTAD
assistance in the assessment and revision of existing legislation or the strengthening of
experts and stakeholders’ capacities. During the COVID-19 context, advisory services have
been regularly delivered by UNCTAD outside a formal technical cooperation project, such
as advisory service on competition policy to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA), on competition law and policy to Annual Symposium of Kenya, and advisory
service to the Biennial Conference of the African Competition Forum.
573. Results and impact. Technical assistance is an important pillar of the work of
UNCTAD in the field of competition and consumer policies and the significant results have
been achieved to date. The increased number of requests for technical assistance and
capacity-building from developing countries and countries with economies in transition
during 2020 and especially after the pandemic outbreak, underlined the expertise and the
relevance of the technical cooperation services delivered by the Competition and Consumer
Policies Branch. The quick adjustment and flexibility undertaken by the Branch team under
this pillar of work throughout 2020 allowed UNCTAD to fully correspond to the member
States’ requests, and to address their needs and their challenges in the best possible manner.
UNCTAD strongly supported member States in tackling market disruptions in the form of
unfair commercial and anticompetitive practices through advisory services, technical
assistance and capacity-building activities conducted online. These services disseminated
international experiences and best practices, providing a sound background for policy
measures and legislative and regulatory frameworks. The UNCTAD multi-stakeholder
approach in these policy areas and the combination of national-level with regional-level
activities have been extremely successful in the competition and consumer protection
fields. Furthermore, established UNCTAD partnerships with national, regional, and
international organizations and institutions, combining knowledge, technical and financial
support, allow the activities in question to be carried out in the most efficient way and to
produce tangible outcomes.

72 See https://www.cepal.org/sites/default/files/events/files/agenda_eng_0.pdf.
73 See https://unctad.org/meeting/joint-ec-unctad-workshop-kick-starting-consumer-product-safety-
worthwhile-endeavour; https://www.ipsw2020.eu/agenda?session=66445.
74 See https://unctad.org/meeting/virtual-training-workshop-competition-issues-and-state-aid-
myanmar-competition-commission.
75 See https://unctad.org/meeting/istanbul-competition-forum-annual-webinar.

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574. Efficient markets are indispensable for the successful implementation of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Competition and consumer protection are two
disciplines that directly affect consumer welfare and play a direct and important role in
promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty, which
underlines a need for complementarity in their design and application. UNCTAD considers
important to continue to promote synergies between both policies in order to create a
competitive business environment that benefit both consumers and businesses, namely in
the context of the rapid growth of e-commerce and the development of new business
models powered by large digital platforms are dramatically changing market structure and
impacting on consumption patterns at a rapid pace.
575. Concretely on the two UNDA COVID-19 projects, UNCTAD is contributing to the
global immediate response to member States in two important and different areas of the
pandemic: the health crisis and the economic turmoil that it generated. On the health front,
UNCTAD input refers to the role of consumer protection in the provision of basic health
services and includes policy recommendations suggested to member States, aiming to
improve consumer protection in the provision of health services, including in eHealth.
On the socioeconomic front, UNCTAD technical support expects to promote policies that
support competition policy towards stronger MSMEs to achieve a successful economic
recovery in the wake of COVID-19. The cooperation with the United Nations regional
economic commissions and other international organizations such as WHO has already led
to increased visibility of UNCTAD work as a focal point for both competition and
consumer protection policies and has widened considerably the cooperation opportunities at
different regional levels, which is one of the positive results of the participation in the
UNDA COVID-19 joint projects.

C99 Other

Table C99
Others

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Cross Divisional

URT/0T/FBC UNDAF II, inclusive growth 2016 DRTF 2017– One United
Nations

Division on Investment and Enterprise

INT/0T/3AO Support to the UNCTAD–ICC Investment 2003– Multi-donors

Advisory Council

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-Building in Investment for 2011– Multi-donors

Development

INT/0T/GAR Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) 2018– Public

Regulator Capacity-Building donations

INT/0T/ICC Sustainable stock Exchanges (SSE) Multi- 2020– Multi-donors

donor

Division on Globalization and Development Strategies

INT/0T/FAP Wuhan Globalization Seminars 2016– China

1. Capital markets and responsible investment

576. Development context. UNCTAD has deepened its work on responsible investment
through several channels, particularly the activities of the United Nations Sustainable Stock
Exchanges (SSE) initiative. Launched in 2009, the SSE was built on the demand from

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exchanges for a place to come together with investors, companies and policymakers to
share good practices and challenges in a multi-stakeholder environment. The initiative has
grown into what is now a global partnership platform including most of the world’s stock
exchanges. In 2020, the membership of stock exchanges grew to 100 stock exchanges.
577. Objectives and features. UNCTAD work on responsible investment aims to
achieve the following objectives through research, consensus-building and technical
assistance:
(a) Providing capital market stakeholders worldwide with proof of concept of
supporting the Sustainable Development Goals through capital market regulation, training
and education, and market norms;
(b) Supplying data to help markets better react to sustainability challenges;
(c) Sharing of experiences and learning from other markets;
(d) Developing a network support system.
578. Outputs. In 2020, at the request of the United Nations Special Envoy on Climate
Action and Finance, the SSE initiative produced a draft policy guidance for stock
exchanges on how exchanges can promote the adoption and implementation of best practice
in climate related corporate disclosure among their listed companies. A separate research
project in 2020 produced draft policy guidance for derivatives exchanges on how they can
best integrate sustainable development into their products and services. The derivatives
research was produced in collaboration with the World Federation of Exchanges, the global
industry association for exchanges, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the largest
derivative exchange in the world. The SSE initiative also further strengthened its online
database with data on the sustainability practices of over 100 stock exchanges worldwide,
the most comprehensive database on stock exchanges publicly available. In 2020, the SSE
initiative also launched a new online database of stock exchange sustainability disclosure
guidance documents; the database contains a comprehensive collection of all such guidance
documents in the world.
579. The SSE held a number of events aimed at disseminating knowledge and building
consensus on capital market transparency and sustainability, including the following key
events:
(a) SSE convened two Advisory Group meetings, one in July on derivatives
exchanges and one in October on climate disclosure, to build consensus on how exchanges
can support sustainable finance and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
(b) SSE Ring the Bell for Gender Equality events raised awareness on the
business case for women’s economic empowerment and the opportunities for the private
sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development in March 2020 at 73 stock
exchanges worldwide (note 95 exchanges had planned such events but 22 were forced to be
cancelled due to the pandemic);
(c) SSE partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to hold
4 workshops in Indonesia, Myanmar, Ukraine and East Asia and the Pacific, to provide
training on sustainability reporting to stock exchange officials, security market regulators,
investors and listed companies;
(d) Fourteen webinars were held in 2020 to provide technical assistance on
responsible investment on the following topics: climate disclosure; green, social and
sustainability bonds (special focus on COVID-19 relief bonds); gender equality; and
integrating sustainability within derivative exchange operations. Each webinar involved the
participation of between 30 and 50 stock exchanges and other capital market stakeholders.
580. The SSE also provided technical assistance to stock exchanges who are working to
develop guidance on sustainability reporting for their market as part of its objective to have
all stock exchanges providing guidance on sustainability reporting.
581. Results. In 2020, the SSE increased its membership by 4 per cent to 100 SSE
partner exchanges. Nine stock exchanges published a guidance for their market on
sustainability reporting in 2020. There are now 56 stock exchanges with guidance on

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sustainability reporting, up from just 14 when the SSE started encouraging exchanges to do
this in 2015 (with 77 per cent of these guidance documents making explicit reference to the
work of the SSE).
582. SSE work was endorsed by a number of key institutions and private sector partners,
including:
(a) “For COP26 we are working with countries, initiatives, and international
standard setters to ensure that there is a globally consistent approach to climate-related
reporting, and the SSE work will be critical to support this. Through its work with stock
exchanges, the SSE plays an important strategic role in the overall drive for sustainable
finance and the implementation of the TCFD recommendations.” – United Nations Special
Envoy for Climate Action and Finance.
(b) “The SSE work on sustainable finance, ESG disclosure, responsible
investing, risk mitigation, and benchmarking has provided a template on sustainability for
stock exchanges worldwide.” – Chief Commercial Officer, Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

2. Addressing challenges and opportunities in economic globalization

Wuhan Globalization Seminars

583. Development context. The rapid and successful integration of China into the world
economy since the 1990s provides valuable lessons and insights of the opportunities and
challenges posed by economic globalization for the process of structural transformation and
development. Studying the recent development experiences of China and potential
implications for own national development strategies is therefore of great significance for
policymakers from other developing nations.
584. The Wuhan Seminars are a training programme, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of
Commerce of China and UNCTAD since 2004. The programme is focused on the area of
economic globalization and the development experience of China.
585. Objectives and features. The main objective of the project is to enable
policymakers from developing nations to study China’s development experience in the
context of the dynamics of economic globalization processes, and to gain a deeper
understanding of strategic requirements for their national development processes in this
context. Furthermore, the project also aims at supporting Chinese policymakers in their
efforts to keep abreast of ongoing developments in the global economy and to enhance
sensitivity to policy options at national levels to meet new challenges.
586. Outputs. Entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce of China, the China–Europe
Vocational Training Centre and UNCTAD have successfully held and organized well over
20 international seminars on a range of issues relating to economic globalization processes,
their impact on trade, industrialization and macro-financial policy spaces in developing
countries, as well as lessons to be learned from the development experience of China.
587. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual organization of teaching activities and
study tours on the ground was not possible because of travel restrictions. A switch to the
virtual organization of the seminars also was not feasible, since teaching takes place over
several full days per thematic bloc and brings together around 40 to 60 students from all
parts of the developing world. This meant that time differences made appropriate coverage
of teaching materials and inclusive discussions impossible. In these exceptional
circumstances, the Division instead used part of the available funds to produce and prepare
inputs and materials for future seminars, in particular in the area of South–South
cooperation, on systemic issues in the global economy (including in the context of the
UNCTAD fourth session of its Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for
Development) and on specific aspects of the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development
Goals, such as combating global inequalities and reducing illicit financial flows from
developing countries.
588. Results. Since the beginning of the project, nearly 1,000 governmental officials
from 89 developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Oceania
participated in the programme. The seminar series, including in particular the Economic

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Globalization series, has persistently received highly positive feedback and remains very
popular with participants. The programme overall is very much welcomed by policymakers
in developing nations and has, over the years, impacted substantially on training for
developmental policy analysis and design.

IV. Theme D:
Empowering people, investing in their future
589. The transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a plan of action for
people, planet and prosperity. It aims at ending poverty in all its forms and improving
human well-being. The successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement
of the Sustainable Development Goals would require, on the one hand, sound strategies and
policies made by Governments and, on the other hand, the engagement of all people from
different sectors of society, including local authorities, business and industry,
non-governmental organizations, women and farmers. To support policymaking and the
effective participation of people in this new development process, it is essential to
strengthen their skills and update their knowledge base through capacity-building activities.
590. UNCTAD has developed well-targeted technical assistance programmes (including
training) to build capacity for various stakeholders including policymakers, academic
institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and port operators in developing
countries. Furthermore, UNCTAD supports developing country policymakers in
mainstreaming gender in trade policy and empowering women in trade.
591. In this section, reports are presented on three products under the theme
“Empowering people, investing in their future”. The reports highlight main technical
cooperation activities carried out in 2020 and key results to date. Technical cooperation
projects that are pertinent to the aforementioned theme but not linked with any of the
existing three products in this thematic area are reported on under “D99 Other”.

D1 Trade, gender and development

Table D1
Trade, gender and development

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

MYA/0T/HBI United Nations Trade Cluster Myanmar 2019– United

Nations Office
for Project
Services –
Switzerland

INT/0T/CAI Capacity-Building in Trade and Gender 2013– Multi-donor

INT/0T/JAC EIF-Regional Project Promoting Gender 2020– Enhanced

Responsive Trade Policy in the LDCs Integrated
Framework

RAS/0T/HAQ Transparency in Trade Regulation and 2018– Australia,

Facilitation in PACER Plus New Zealand
ROA-1617 Informal cross-border trade for 2016– Development
(J10) empowerment of women, economic Account
development and regional integration in
Eastern and Southern Africa

ROA-2023 Data and statistics for more gender- 2020– Development

(D12) responsive trade policies in Africa, the Account

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Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Caucasus and Central Asia

ROA-2023 Global Initiative towards post-COVID-19 2020– Development

(W12) resurgence of the MSME sector Account

592. Development context. Women are important players in trade in their roles as
producers, workers, entrepreneurs and traders: they have increased their share of the labour
force, of management jobs and roles as entrepreneurs, and their growing participation in the
economy has been a major engine of growth and competitiveness. Yet, despite these
advancements, women’s potential in trade is too often held back by the many constraints
they face.
593. Women are also more vulnerable to economic shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic has
provided new evidence of the fact that economic and social crises tend to exacerbate gender
inequalities, risking reversing decades of progress: women are more at risk of losing jobs
because their participation in the labour market is often in the form of temporary and
part-time employment, and they are often less entitled than men to social protection, as
eligibility frequently depends upon formal employment. Moreover, female-dominated
sectors, such as the services sector, have been the most affected by the pandemic. Finally,
containment measures have contributed to an increase in the already heavy burden of
unpaid work borne by women, and in the rates of domestic violence.
594. Trade and trade policy can play a key role in fostering a more sustainable and
resilient recovery from the pandemic. They also remain a powerful driving force in
supporting the global efforts towards the realization of broader women’s economic
empowerment and gender equality goals. For this to happen, an in-depth understanding of
the gender ramifications of trade policy is necessary to make trade a tool for achieving
more inclusive and gender-equal economies after the pandemic.
595. Objectives and features. The Trade, Gender and Development Programme assists
member countries in enhancing their understanding of the links between trade and gender,
in conducting gender impact analyses of trade policies and agreements, as well as in the
formulation and implementation of gender-sensitive trade policies. It does so by
(a) carrying out analytical activities, (b) implementing capacity development and technical
cooperation activities and (c) promoting policy advocacy and intergovernmental dialogue.
Through its work programme on trade, gender and development, UNCTAD contributes to
the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 8, on inclusive and sustainable
economic growth, by promoting the design and implementation of macroeconomic policies,
in particular trade policies, that are gender inclusive. UNCTAD work in this area is also
strongly aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 5 and recognizes gender equality and
women’s economic empowerment as key elements to achieve the ambitions of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
596. Outputs. In 2020, the Trade, Gender and Development Programme assisted
beneficiary countries in assessing the gender effects of trade policies, and in devising
strategies and policy measures to overcome gender-based constraints that hinder inclusive
development. Activities carried out include:

Training
(a) Online course titled “Trade and gender linkages: An analysis of the Least
Developed Countries”. In 2020, preparatory work had started for the development of the
teaching package which constitutes the basis of the online courses scheduled to take place
in English and French from May to July 2021. One hundred participants were selected for
the course in English, 83 for the course in French.
(b) UNCTAD standard online course on trade and gender, with optional module
dedicated to MERCOSUR (23 March–17 May 2020). The course is part of the capacity-
building project funded by the Government of Finland and is based on volume 1 of the
UNCTAD teaching manual on trade, and on the regional module titled “Trade and gender

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linkages: an analysis of MERCOSUR”. The course was delivered in English, French and
Spanish and hosted 128 participants from 27 countries, 93 women and 35 men. The
objective of this distance-learning initiative is to contribute to improving the capacity of
policymakers to incorporate gender considerations in trade policy formulation and
implementation; of academics to include gender issues in their research and teaching work;
and of representatives of civil society to build their advocacy work on solid bases.
Moreover, the courses allow participants to build professional networks and exchange
views, good practices and lessons learned through a digitally shared space. The courses
provide a timely response to the increased need for digital solutions and online capacity-
building opportunities during the health crisis and remain a unique learning instrument.
(c) Online courses titled “The Gender Impact of Technological Upgrading in
Agriculture” (23 November–13 December 2020). This is the first course devoted to a
specific issue within the trade and gender nexus delivered by UNCTAD. It was offered over
a period of three weeks and was focused on the links between technology in agriculture and
trade from a gender perspective. The course hosted 110 participants from 51 countries,
80 women and 30 men.
(d) Training programme titled “Trade rules and procedures, and
entrepreneurship” for women small-scale and informal cross-border traders. In October
2020, UNCTAD started to implement new capacity-building activities on women small-
scale/informal cross-border traders in Malawi, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia
as part of the multi-agency project “Global Initiative towards post-COVID-19 Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.” The project builds upon the success of a
previous project on the same issues carried out by UNCTAD in the same target countries in
2016-2019. While preparatory work for the workshops was carried out during 2020, the
trainings took place in February 2021 at four border crossings in Malawi, the United
Republic of Tanzania and Zambia.

Analytical activities
597. The analytical work conducted by the Trade, Gender and Development Programme
in 2020 focused on the drafting of the following studies:
(a) Teaching module: Trade and gender linkages: An analysis of the Least
Developed Countries (advanced draft in 2020). This joint UNCTAD-EIF publication
discusses the gender implications of international trade and regional/global economic
integration in the LDCs. It examines the socioeconomic outlook of LDCs and existing
gender inequalities through country perspectives and puts forth policy recommendations.
It covers 47 countries from different geographical regions (33 from Africa, 9 from Asia,
4 from the Pacific, and 1 from the Caribbean). The publication will be available in English
and French.
(b) Teaching module: The Gender Impact of Technological Upgrading in
Agriculture. The module examines the relationship between technology in agriculture and
trade from a gender perspective. It is a unique contribution in bringing the trade and gender
framework developed in previous teaching modules to bear on two interrelated topical areas
of great significance for women’s economic well-being and participation in trade:
agriculture and technology.
(c) Teaching module: Trade and Gender Linkages: An Analysis of Central
America. This publication is the eighth module of the teaching package on trade and gender
and carries out an analysis of trade and gender in the context of six Central American
countries.
(d) Case study: A gender assessment of Myanmar and of the Inle Lake area with
a focus on the agriculture and tourism sectors. The study presents a gender analysis of the
agriculture and tourism sectors in a specific region of Myanmar – the Inle Lake area, and
investigates how to improve women’s participation in the tea, avocado and ginger value
chains, as well as in the tourism sector.
(e) Case study: Women producers in the economy of Kiribati and their
participation in inter-island and international trade. This study investigates the income-

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generating economic activities of women producers and traders in Kiribati and the
constraints they face while participating in production and trade activities.

Events and workshops – Awareness-raising and policy dialogue on the trade and gender
nexus
598. During the period under review the Trade, Gender and Development Programme
organized the following meetings and events on the topic of trade and gender:
(a) “Applying a gender lens to WTO” (19/05/2020) – co-organized by WTO,
ITC and UNCTAD. The event aimed to support governments to integrate gender issues into
their trade policies, programmes and negotiations, by defining what applying a gender lens
means. It provided an opportunity to clarify key concepts, unpack terminologies and
methodologies and more specifically look at how to make WTO agreements and
negotiations more gender responsive. It also looked at some of the concrete tools developed
by international organisations (WTO, UNCTAD, ITC) linking trade and gender.
(b) “New Instruments, Approaches and Frameworks in Trade Policy Towards
Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment” (13/10 2020). The event was
organized within the UNCTAD series of short courses on key international economic and
development issues.
(c) In-person meetings and events planned during the first semester of 2020
(e.g. side event at the Commission on the Status of Women and at the WTO Public Forum)
had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 restrictions.
599. Results. The above activities yielded positive and multiplier effects in terms of
enhanced capacities to mainstream gender into trade policy.
600. According to the feedback received on the standard, regional and thematic editions
of the online course on trade and gender, the courses succeeded in preparing participants to
conduct their own research on the topic, and/or incorporate trade and gender concepts into
their policy-related work. The majority of participants reported that they had acquired the
necessary skills to assist policymakers in their own country to mainstream gender in trade
policy formulation and implementation. Overall, 58 per cent of participants rated the
courses as “excellent”, 31 per cent as “very good” and 11 per cent as “satisfactory”.
Nobody rated the courses as “unsatisfactory” or “poor”.
601. Below are some quotes from participants’ evaluations:
(a) “I will rank this course ‘excellent’. Right from the ease of registration,
prompt delivery of clear information, the resourcefulness of the facilitator, richness of
course contents and the depth of knowledge that other course participants brought to the
course. I will highly recommend the course.” Head of Gender and Quality Management
Systems, Solidaridad West Africa, Ghana.
(b) “I will use the material acquired to formulate some policy briefs and policy
papers with regards to trade, gender and agriculture in Cameroon and other parts of world,
and regional trade agreements.” Research Officer, Ministry of Decentralization and Local
Development, Cameroon.
(c) “Issues on gender and gender mainstreaming are not entrenched in Malawi,
I am ready to fill this gap with the gained knowledge.” Team Leader, DMT Consult,
Malawi.76

76 Mention of any firm or licensed process does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.

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D3 Entrepreneurship for sustainable development

Table D3
Entrepreneurship development for sustainable development

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

ANG/0T/FBK European Union–UNCTAD Joint 2017– European

Programme Train for Trade II Union

NAM/0T/IAX Entrepreneurship Development Namibia 2019– United

Nations
Development
Programme

SAU/0T/CBI Entrepreneurship Development Programme 2014– Saudi Arabia

(Saudi Arabia)

INT/0T/BAQ Capacity-Building in Investment for 2011– Multi-donors

Development

INT/0T/BBV Strengthening SMEs in developing 2012– Private sector

countries and countries with economies in companies
transition
ROA-1819 Promoting Refugee and Migrant 2018– Development
(AV11) Entrepreneurship in East Africa, the Account
Andean region and the Middle East

ROA-2023 Global Initiative towards post-COVID-19 2020- Development

(W12) resurgence of the MSME sector Account

602. Development context. The General Assembly of the United Nations, recalling its
resolutions 67/202 of 21 December 2012, 69/210 of 19 December 2014, 71/221 of
21 December 2016, and 73/225 of 20 December 2018, emphasized the pivotal role of
entrepreneurship in achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions and
acknowledged UNCTAD work in entrepreneurship for development in its resolution
75/211 77 , adopted on 21 December 2020. Recognizing the value of entrepreneurship
education and the dissemination of entrepreneurial thinking across all sectors, the General
Assembly encouraged UNCTAD to continue with its behavioural approach programme,
Empretec, and called upon UNCTAD to continue to assist Member States to identify,
formulate, implement and assess coherent policy measures on entrepreneurship and the
promotion of microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Moreover, the principal political declaration of the fourteenth session of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development78 (Nairobi Azimio), in its paragraph 17, states: “We
call upon UNCTAD to further develop its activities for promoting and facilitating
investment and entrepreneurship for sustainable development”. On the role of UNCTAD,
the outcome document, paragraph 76 (w) of the Nairobi Maafikiano mandates UNCTAD
to: Develop and disseminate further its Entrepreneurship Policy Framework and assist
developing countries in building a competitive microenterprises and small and medium-
sized enterprises sector, as well as better integrating into global value chains, including
through its Empretec programme, including for the promotion of youth and women’s
entrepreneurship, and smallholding farmers.

77 United Nations General Assembly resolution 75/211 titled “Resolution adopted by the General
Assembly on 21 December 2020”.
78 Fourteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (17–22 July 2016,
Nairobi).

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603. In addition, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by United
Nations Member States in September 2015, also emphasizes the role of entrepreneurship in
sustainable development, particularly in Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 8.
604. These mandates underpin UNCTAD technical assistance work on entrepreneurship
for sustainable development.
605. Objectives and features. UNCTAD assistance to member States in the area
includes the identification, formulation, implementation and assessment of coherent policy
measures that support entrepreneurship and the promotion of microenterprises and small
and medium-sized enterprises. The objective is to support member States, at their request,
in designing initiatives, and identifying measures and institutions that will promote
entrepreneurship across six interrelated priority areas: 79 formulating national
entrepreneurship strategy; optimizing the regulatory environment; enhancing
entrepreneurship education and skills development; facilitating technology exchange and
innovation; improving access to finance; and promoting awareness and networking.
606. UNCTAD, in cooperation with various United Nations entities,80 prepared a report
to review the progress of the implementation of the General Assembly resolution 73/225 on
entrepreneurship for sustainable development since its adoption in December 2018. The
report includes an overview of recent developments in entrepreneurship and the promotion
of microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises and identifies best practices
and measures taken to support entrepreneurship at the national, regional and international
levels, including in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
607. The other pillar of UNCTAD assistance to member States focuses on developing
entrepreneurial skills and building local productive capacities of MSMEs, through
UNCTAD Empretec and Business Linkages programmes.
608. Since its inception, the Empretec programme has been installed in over 40 countries
and has been assisting entrepreneurs by establishing self-sustained, local market-driven
entrepreneurship development centres (Empretec national centres). In more than three
decades of activity, more than 500,000 entrepreneurs have benefited from Empretec
workshops and business development services available in the existing network of
Empretec centres worldwide, improving their efficiency, and contribution to job creation in
the hosting countries.
609. The Business Linkages programme seeks to upgrade the capacity of local suppliers
and facilitate their integration into global and/or regional value chains through business
links with large international or domestic companies. The programme currently operates in
nine developing countries and has created substantial and mutually beneficial results, both
for small suppliers and large domestic or international enterprises. The programme is
increasingly geared to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, leveraging the
incentives and resources of the private sector to adopt environmental and labour standards
and ensure the beneficial inclusion of the poorest segment of the population, especially in
rural settings.
610. As part of the United Nations framework for the immediate socio-economic
response to COVID-19, since April 2020 UNCTAD has been coordinating the design and
implementation of the United Nations Development Account project “Global Initiative
towards post-COVID-19 resurgence of the micro, small and medium enterprise sector”
(MSME surge project). The project is being implemented jointly by UNCTAD together
with DESA and all regional commissions, namely ECA, ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA and
ECE. It aims to strengthen the capacity and resilience of MSMEs in developing countries
and economies in transition to mitigate the economic and social impact of the global

79 As identified in the UNCTAD Entrepreneurship Policy Framework – EPF, launched in 2012.

80 Including the regional commissions, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the
International Labour Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the International
Trade Centre, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the United
Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the World
Intellectual Property Organization.

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COVID-19 crisis. During the first and second phases of the project, partner agencies are
assisting governments and entrepreneurs by providing targeted advisory and capacity-
building services. The project is delivering an electronic knowledge platform to facilitate
the access of Governments and MSMEs to relevant information, entrepreneurship skills and
business management knowledge, focusing on the most critical areas for recovery such as
access to finance, access to markets and access to technologies. In addition, UNCTAD
provides online support in such areas as entrepreneurship policies, Empretec, training for
trainers, including for low literacy people; and farming as a business. Other capacity-
building activities cover accounting and reporting for MSMEs, including on environmental
and social issues, to facilitate their integration into global value chains; and MSMEs access
to markets.
611. Outputs. The main outputs in 2020 are reported below. Country level activities have
been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing to halt most of the
in-presence training and services provided by national implementing partners.

Entrepreneurship Policies

Angola – National entrepreneurship strategy

612. As part of the activities of the European Union–UNCTAD joint Programme for
Angola: Train for Trade II, the design of initiatives and measures to promote
entrepreneurship is a key element of the UNCTAD Empretec component aimed at
supporting the Government of Angola to formulate an entrepreneurship strategy. The
assessment of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Angola on the six key dimensions of the
UNCTAD Entrepreneurship Policy Framework (EPF) continued in 2020. In July 2020,
UNCTAD and the Angolan National Small and Micro Enterprises Support Institute
(INAPEM), in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry
of Industry and Commerce, organized a webinar to formulate a consensus-based approach
on developing a national entrepreneurship strategy for the country, and build the capacity of
policymakers and other stakeholders to implement it. More than 50 participants,
representing the Government and different parts of the private sector, discussed the results
of a perceptions survey, carried out by UNCTAD, of the existing entrepreneurship
ecosystem in Angola. Consensus was formed on the need to develop a comprehensive
national entrepreneurship strategy through an inclusive process.

Nigeria – Regional round table on entrepreneurship for sustainable development

613. In February 2020, UNCTAD and its Empretec centre in Nigeria (Empretec Nigeria
Foundation) organized an Africa regional round table titled “Entrepreneurship for
Sustainable Development” in Lagos. The event was attended by more than 500 people,
including representatives of eight African Empretec centers. Discussions focused on the
importance of entrepreneurship policy in strengthening an enabling entrepreneurship
environment, and key challenges in developing a national entrepreneurship strategy were
examined. The event, opened by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment,
included interventions by representatives of key agencies in the areas of entrepreneurship
and development, export promotion, investment, academia, and the private sector.
UNCTAD presented its Entrepreneurship Policy Framework as a means to ensure a holistic
and coherent approach in designing and implementing national entrepreneurship strategies
and to facilitate stakeholder coordination.

Seychelles – National workshop on entrepreneurship development

614. As part of the Investment Policy Review for Seychelles, whose strategic chapter
links investment promotion and entrepreneurship development in Seychelles, UNCTAD
conducted a fact-finding mission in January 2020 and held consultations with several
stakeholders involved with investment and entrepreneurship policy issues. UNCTAD, the
Department of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development (DOIED), the Ministry of
Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning, and the Seychelles Investment Board
also organized a national workshop to identify the barriers to entrepreneurship and discuss
potential policy recommendations. The findings and conclusion of the workshop are

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integrated in the strategic chapter on Entrepreneurship of the Investment Policy Review for
Seychelles.

Zimbabwe – Mapping the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem

615. UNCTAD assisted its Empretec centre in Zimbabwe (Empretec Zimbabwe), in
cooperation with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium
Enterprises Development, in organizing a webinar to discuss opportunities and constraints
to sustainable entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe. The virtual gathering, which took place in
June 2020, brought together different members of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in
Zimbabwe to deliberate on the key environmental issues affecting them. Participants
discussed Zimbabwe’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) which aims, among
other things, to facilitate access to appropriate and affordable workspaces, promote
horizontal and vertical linkages amongst SMEs, and between SMEs and large corporations,
and improve access to finance through various institutions operating in the country.

Entrepreneurship policies for migrants and refugees

616. In 2020, UNCTAD continued to raise attention on migrant and refugee
entrepreneurs, highlighting the challenges they face, and the impact of good practices
worldwide. This is evidenced in the report of the Secretary-General on “Entrepreneurship
for Sustainable Development”, prepared for the seventy-fifth session of the United Nations
General Assembly. 81 In partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and
Research (UNITAR), UNCTAD launched an e-learning course for policymakers and
practitioners on entrepreneurship for migrants and refugees. The course is available in
English and Spanish.
617. At the national level, UNCTAD conducted field research in Ecuador and Uganda to
collect up-to-date information on their respective entrepreneurship ecosystems, their
inclusive nature and vulnerabilities that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
activities were carried out in coordination with governmental focal points, IOM, UNHCR
and other local partners and will inform national workshops planned in 2021.

Entrepreneurship policies for post-COVID MSME recovery and resurgence

618. As part of the MSME surge project, UNCTAD and UNITAR joined efforts to host a
series of four virtual roundtables on the impact of the global pandemic on entrepreneurship
and MSMEs, and examined what government policies would lead to resilient, “green” and
inclusive recovery. The four webinars, held between September and December 2020,
provided insight to policymakers and MSMEs to better understand the impact of the health
and economic crises brought about by the pandemic and identify policy options to mitigate
this unprecedented situation. Among the main topics discussed during the series of virtual
events, attended by over 630 participants, were: MSME recovery and resilience, digital and
innovative solutions for MSME resurgence and inclusive entrepreneurship.
619. In 2020, cooperation began between UNCTAD and the Global SME Policy
Network, represented by Prince Sultan University in Saudi Arabia, in the field of MSMEs.
The project aims to help address the challenges posed by COVID-19 for small businesses,
and contribute to a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery. The two parties undertook a
joint survey to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MSMEs at the global level.

United Nations Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) day 2020
620. In celebration of MSME Day, UNCTAD organized and hosted a global event jointly
with DESA, UNIDO and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) and
supported by the Permanent Mission of Argentina. The virtual event was held on 25 June
2020, and brought together ministers, high level policy makers, leadership of major
international organizations, business associations, academia, entrepreneurs and other key
stakeholders. The event provided the opportunity for an interactive stakeholder dialogue on
how to support MSMEs and enhance their role and impact on sustainable and inclusive

81 A/75/257.

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growth in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and of the post
COVID-19 resurgence.

Empretec
621. The advent of COVID-19 and national responses to contain the virus severely
affected Empretec project activities under the installation and consolidation phase, notably
in Angola, India, Namibia and Saudi Arabia, and also at the global level. Consequently,
only two Empretec training events, coordinated by UNCTAD in collaboration with the
Empretec centre in Nigeria, took place in person, at the end of February 2020.
622. Such an unprecedented situation called for international organizations to join forces
to develop and implement new tools to continue delivering assistance to member States.
Though most of the Empretec training activities were postponed, as their full delivery
requires in-person format, UNCTAD organized several training-of-trainers activities and
webinars for its networks of Empretec trainers and Empretec graduates
(empretecos/empretecas).
623. UNCTAD is following up with national focal points from Côte d’Ivoire, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Indonesia, Lesotho, Rwanda, Seychelles and
Curaçao on their official requests for Empretec installation.
624. Among the achievements of the Empretec network in 2020, the following had a
particular relevance at the global or country level:
(a) The 2020 Empretec Women in Business Award ceremony as a satellite event
of UNCTAD’s flagship World Investment Forum;
(b) The annual Empretec Directors meeting;
(c) A regional meeting of Latin American Empretec centres to share experiences
of assistance to entrepreneurs during the pandemic;
(d) An Empretec Master Class and a Training-of-Trainers (TOT) workshop
(in-person format) in Nigeria for Empretec trainers from various African countries;
(e) Integration workshops for Empretec trainers and trainee trainers in the
Russian Federation (2 sessions) and Saudi Arabia (3 sessions);
(f) Consolidation workshops for Empretec trainers and trainee trainers in Angola
(3 sessions)
(g) Follow-up workshops with certified Empretec trainers who attended
in-person regional and international TOTs (one session for Africa and one for Latin
America);
(h) Online TOTs for Empretec trainers and trainee trainers to train trainers on the
new version of the Empretec workshop – E6DM (7 sessions);
(i) A series of 10 Empretec live sessions (webinars) with former Empretec
graduates, organized in collaboration with Empretec centres in 10 different countries to
identify and share success stories of empretecos on COVID 19 environment;
(j) Development of online tools that could be used in future Empretec formats;
and
(k) Revision and standardization of training materials on Empretec for groups of
entrepreneurs with low-literacy and numeracy skills, and on farming as a business.
625. More specifically the following activities were conducted:

Empretec global network activities

626. The 2020 Empretec Women in Business Award (E-WBA) was held virtually on
10 December 2020, as a satellite event of the UNCTAD World Investment Forum. The
main theme of the 2020 edition was “Resilience – women entrepreneurs’ response to the

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current COVID-19 crisis”. The award was won by a Jordanian technology entrepreneur.82
In recognition of women entrepreneurs’ contribution to attain the Sustainable Development
Goals, UNCTAD introduced three special category awards – circular economy, sustainable
agriculture, and inclusive business – that went to entrepreneurs from Argentina, Ecuador
and Uganda.
627. Directors of the Empretec centres, coordinators and international trainers from
23 countries met virtually in April 2020 to discuss strategies and measures to cope with the
global pandemic and the restrictions affecting regular operations of Empretec centres all
around the world. Participants shared challenges in their respective countries and provided
examples of how virtual tools were facilitating their activities in support of local
entrepreneurs and MSMEs, including former Empretec graduates, as well as attracting new
participants for future workshops. Participants discussed the use of virtual meeting
platforms to conduct coaching and reinforcement sessions as well as a more intensive use
of social media. The latter were mainly used to publicize e-learning activities and provide
online support services, such as “live” sessions and “chats” with experienced Empretec
facilitators, and motivational videos. UNCTAD gathered best practices and suggestions on
short-term and future developments, including the possibility of forming a task force to
discuss the development of new online tools that could complement the standard in-person
Empretec workshops.
628. In the context of the MSME surge project, UNCTAD supported its network of
Empretec centres and their trainers to strengthen their response to assist SMEs, including
through: the introduction of a revised version of the Empretec training materials reflecting
recent trends in business training, training-of-trainers workshops, refresher sessions,
upgrading of trainer certification tools and follow-up activities with Empretec participants
to strengthen their learning through the assessment of their personal improvement plans.
Between April and December 2020, UNCTAD organized 10 online TOTs for a total of
86 hours. Some 160 Empretec trainers from 25 countries from Africa, Latin America and
the Middle East attended the sessions. Assessment questionnaires filled in by participants
showed an overall appreciation of content, duration, and format of the sessions. The
modules incorporating new tools, such as Design Thinking and the Business Model Canvas,
were much appreciated by participants. They also valued new concepts such as
eco-innovation and sustainability embedded in business modelling and appreciated the
opportunity to revise the selection process and receive guidance on how to validate
behaviours shown by participants.
629. In coordination with national counterparts hosting national Empretec programmes,
UNCTAD organized a series of 10 “Empretec Live Sessions”. The webinars touched upon
the main challenges that entrepreneurs face and presented the entrepreneurs’ creative
solutions to demonstrate how their behaviour was a key asset for success and growth
regardless of the economic and social environment in post COVID-19 resurgence.
630. Two online sessions on the “Empretec 21-day meeting” were organized in
November 2020 for two groups of 35 Empretec trainers, respectively from seven African
countries, seven Latin American countries and Romania. The sessions provided participants
with an opportunity to learn how to effectively organize and conduct a meeting with
empretecos, with a view to broadening existing networks of Empretec graduates and
strengthening ties among them.

Empretec activities at a national and regional levels

631. The following section provides some highlights on centres in the installation phase
and more details about promising initiatives undertaken by some centres per region or
geographic areas.

Empretec in Asia
632. Empretec India Foundation established several key partnerships that strengthened its
business development services and relations with the media to promote HiEERAs

82 See https://unctad.org/news/jordanian-woman-techpreneur-scoops-un-business-award.

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(High-Impact Entrepreneurs from Emerging Regions for Action) and help them better
integrate into the local, regional and global industry value chains. The project
implementation will start in 2021.
633. The Empretec counterpart in Jordan (Business Development Centre - BDC)
expanded the Empretec national programme to reach youth in different Jordanian
governorates and vulnerable areas, with a view to supporting the culture of
self-employment. In this respect, BDC initiated “Inhad” - a one-stop national programme
that features workshops on Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship and Ideation,
Entrepreneurship Capacity-Building of Entrepreneurial Competencies, Business Planning
and Business Canvas. Training activities are complemented by technical support in
preparing a feasibility study.
634. UNCTAD and the Social Development Bank of Saudi Arabia conducted a selection
process of national agencies that expressed interest to act as a local implementing partner
that would provide services for the implementation of the Empretec programme in Saudi
Arabia. The overall objective of the project is to complete the installation of Empretec in
Saudi Arabia, through a year plan of activities that consists of 40 Empretec workshops to be
delivered throughout the country, and 18 training-of-trainers workshops aiming at
certifying 20 local trainers (10 men and 10 women) as UNCTAD-Empretec National
Trainers. Five Saudi trainers participated in three online “integration workshops” between
April and July 2020, led by international master trainers from Brazil, Jordan and the State
of Palestine. The focus of integration workshops is to build the capacity of local facilitators
and trainers, particularly as it relates to theoretical aspects behind the Empretec
methodology.

Empretec country activities in Africa

635. UNCTAD continued to provide assistance on the implementation Empretec Angola
and conducted three online TOT sessions. In addition, UNCTAD organized, in coordination
with the team of Angolan trainers, an interactive debate, moderated by experienced
Empretec facilitators and featuring the participation of some successful local entrepreneurs
and former Empretec graduates (empretecos) who told their business stories and shared
their experience of running their businesses through the unpredictable and uncertain times
of the global pandemic.
636. UNCTAD and Empretec Nigeria Foundation jointly organized an in-person six-day
Empretec Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (Empretec Master Class) and a five-day
Regional Training of Trainers in February. Both events aimed at providing African centres
and trainers with an opportunity to observe an Entrepreneurship Training Workshop in its
6DM (or “modernized”) format 83 and to obtain insight on new tools and modules.
Seventeen trainers from eight African Empretec centres attended the workshop as
observers. Twenty-one trainers then participated in the regional TOT, during which they
interacted through a mix of group activities and discussions. All trainers benefited from
hands-on experience on new tools and modules, thus getting ready for the roll-out of the
Empretec workshop in the new format in their respective countries.

Empretec country activities in Latin America

637. Empretec Argentina designed a large training programme for different audiences.
From April to June 2020, more than 350 empretecos participated in virtual meetings to
practice the Empretec’s 10 Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies, focusing on how to

83 The new format was developed in Brazil by the national Empretec counterpart (SEBRAE) in 2018 to
respond to changes and new demands in the area of entrepreneurship skills facilitation. After a series
of country-wide tests to validate its impact, it has been adopted by SEBRAE as the new ETW (6DM).
The methodology was shared with UNCTAD and an international consultative workshop was
organized jointly by UNCTAD and SEBRAE to assess the applicability of the new methodology to
the entire Empretec network. The workshop was attended by 12 lead trainers from 11 Empretec
centres who unanimously supported the adoption of the modernized Empretec methodology. As a
follow-up, UNCTAD organized a regional workshop for lead trainers from the Empretec centers in
Latin America in Bogotá (2019), attended by 19 trainers from 6 countries.

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effectively use them to cope with challenges and obstacles posed by pandemic. In June,
Empretec Argentina developed a series of free virtual training events on various topics:
sustainability, inclusive business, and costs management. Additional training programmes
were developed, in partnership with the National Bank of Argentina and the Ministry of
Foreign Trade, to assist local MSMEs on access to finance and entrepreneurs on the
internationalization of their companies.
638. The Empretec centre in Colombia conducted its first Empretec workshop with the
new 6DM format in virtual mode. The workshop was attended by 23 entrepreneurs.

Empretec country activities in the Russian Federation

639. Four Empretec trainers attended an “integration workshop” organized by UNCTAD
and led by Empretec international master trainers from Brazil during two sessions held in
August 2020. The workshop was designed to prepare the Russian team of trainers to roll
out the new format of the Empretec workshop (6DM).

Business Linkages
640. Funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), a SECO–
United Nations Cluster on Trade and Productive Capacity project in Myanmar saw its
implementation negatively impacted by the pandemic. Consequently, in-person capacity-
building activities with national implementing partners and Farming-as-a-Business (FaaB)
training with selected groups of farmers in the three value chains (tea, ginger and avocado),
selected by the project, were postponed. With a view to advancing on the preparation of the
training material required to implement field activities with smallholder farmers and
producers, UNCTAD, with the help of an international expert and a local agricultural
expert, adapted, customized and translated existing FaaB training material from English to
Burmese.
641. Results and impact. The leading role of UNCTAD was reaffirmed in 2020 in
United Nations General Assembly resolution 75/211, both in the area of entrepreneurship
education and dissemination of entrepreneurial thinking, through the Empretec programme
(paragraph 17), and in the area of support and assistance to member States on
entrepreneurship policy and MSME promotion (paragraph 32).
642. The relevance of UNCTAD work on entrepreneurship policies is attested by a steady
growth of requests of assistance from member States.
643. The UNCTAD-UNITAR e-learning course on Entrepreneurship for Migrants and
Refugees went through two iterations in 2020, with almost 1,000 participants from over
90 countries who enrolled in the course, and over 500 who completed it. More than
50 per cent of participants were women and more than 20 per cent were government
representatives. Exit surveys indicate that over 90 per cent of respondents found the
e-learning course extremely useful and expected to use the acquired knowledge in their
professional work.
644. The United Nations MSME Day 2020 was very popular with over 2,000 viewers
representing all developing regions of the world. It was also very closely followed through
social media channels, where 6,576 people engaged on the topic on Twitter and
1,996 people through Facebook. Almost 500 people were connected through Webex at the
peak of the virtual event, which was also broadcasted by United Nations TV. Three
hundred forty-eight people watched the event through United Nations TV and 1,689 people
on Youtube.
645. From January to September 2020, 4,083 people registered for the Empretec Jordan
“Inhad” programme, participating in 17 workshops in different areas of the country.
Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, 365 young people received
technical support in preparing feasibility studies, 43 were funded directly by the banks and
257 found direct job opportunities. Facebook, in partnership with Empretec Jordan –
Business Development Centre, launched the “Boost with Facebook” global programme
designed to equip small and medium-size businesses with the digital marketing skills they
need to grow their presence online and compete in the digital economy. Under the

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patronage of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply of Jordan, the programme is
envisaged to train around 1,000 SMEs across the country to support their economic
recovery.
646. The 2020 Empretec Women in Business Awards was followed by 175 participants
through a virtual platform. The event was also broadcasted on United Nations TV (web
streaming) and the ceremony was followed by 1,387 viewers across multiple platforms.
Over 1,200 viewers watched the virtual ceremony on UNCTAD Facebook Live, and over
500 viewers on Empretec’s Youtube Live channel. The event generated significant
attention on social media reaching over 10,000 people on Facebook and igniting over 5,000
impressions on Twitter on the day of the event. Soon after the Awards, a winner from
Uganda was given a grant of over US$4.0 million to install a fruit factory. In addition, the
Government has committed to connect hydropower to her farm and also to tarmac a 51 km
road to the factory. The government also wishes to co-invest in her business by injecting a
further US$6.0 million to support marketing the products abroad and in addressing quality
aspects of operations.

D6 Train for Trade

Table D6
Train for Trade

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

INT/0T/4AB Mise en place d’un projet de renforcement 2004– Developing

des capacités de formation portuaire pour country ports
les pays en développement (Programme
Train for Trade)

INT/0T/5BS Coopération entre l’Autorité Portuaire de 2005– Valencia port

Valence (Espagne) et le programme Train authority
for Trade de la CNUCED

INT/0T/6AR Train for Trade Trust Fund 2006– Multi-donor

INT/0T/7BR UNCTAD/ Train for Trade Port Training 2007– Ireland

Programme for English-Speaking
Developing Countries
ROA-1617 Programme on Statistics and Data 2016– Development
(A10) Account

ROA-1819 Leapfrogging skills development in e- 2018– Development

(N11) Commerce in South-East Asia in the Account
Framework of the 2030 Development
Agenda

ROA-2023 Transport and trade connectivity in the age 2020– Development

(X12) of pandemics Account

647. Development context. With a view to supporting the development of inclusive and
sustainable economic growth, the UNCTAD Train for Trade Programme proposes tailored
technical assistance to best meet countries’ needs in key areas pertinent to trade. The
programme aims to develop local capacities, knowledge and skills to empower countries to
reap the benefits of international trade. The programme promotes national ownership,
supports South–South and triangular cooperation and leads to poverty reduction.
Specifically, the programme helps developing countries in building sustainable networks of
knowledge, developing trade-oriented policies and promoting ICT solutions and innovative
thinking to enhance the capacities of international trade players and reduce poverty. In

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recent years, the Train for Trade programme has enlarged its scope in terms of geographic
coverage and themes. The programme comprises 3 main components:
(a) E-commerce, including issues such as the legal aspects of e-commerce,
digital identity for trade and development and e-commerce best practices;
(b) Trade statistics, including statistics on international trade in services (SITS)
and on international merchandise trade statistics (IMTS);
(c) Port Management Programme.
648. The Train for Trade programme with its extensive experience on blended learning
has contributed to a publication on “Blended learning methodologies for capacity
development” by the economic and social entities of the United Nations Secretariat and
supported the Development Account Management Team in the organization of a series of e-
learning webinars following the presentation of this publication to help the implementing
entities of United Nations Development Account adopt an online or hybrid approach for
technical cooperation. These innovative ways of delivery are particularly important for
implementing technical cooperation activities in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. The
Train for Trade team also contributed to many online events (such as webinars) organised
by different stakeholders in the fields of e-learning methodologies, port management, and
climate change effects on port activities.
649. The Train for Trade Port Management Programme (PMP) plays a vital role in
supporting port communities in developing countries in quest for efficient and competitive
port management. In many developing countries, ports play a key role in connecting them
to international trade. Furthermore, 80 per cent of international trade is channelled through
ports (this percentage is even higher in LDCs). Hence, the way the maritime sector is
organized has a profound impact on trade volumes and transport costs and is therefore
decisive for a country’s competitiveness. Since the trade and maritime transport sectors are
subject to constant regulatory changes, it is paramount that port officials are able to grasp
the growing complexities of port management.
650. The activities of the Train for Trade programme in 2020 have contributed to various
Sustainable Development Goals, including
(a) Goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) by
actively promoting women participation in all programme activities;
(b) Goal 6 (ensure availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all) by identifying best practices through research activities and promoting
behaviour changes. A case study in Johor Port Berhad (JPB), Malaysia delivers a rainwater
harvesting system which will reduce the demand on the potable water supply by more than
9 million litres annually and encourage a self-sufficient, sustainable management system.
Sustainable Development Goal6 indicator 6.4.1 calls for a change in water use efficiency
over time. This change is already happening in JPB. Implementing the recommendations
proposed is also having an impact on reducing CO 2 levels by providing sufficient irrigation
water for many thousands of plants and trees that absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
(c) Goal 8 (promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full
and productive employment and decent work for all) by providing sustainable and
comprehensive training, capacity-building and knowledge exchange programme. One
port terminal in the Philippines, Manila Port Harbour, has introduced automatic
spreaders to handle containers to increase productivity and improve the working
conditions of dockworkers. Figures show there has been a 90 per cent decrease in non -
fatal accidents involving workers caught in tackle and that productivity increased by
45 per cent on the container handling area. The improvement of the health and safety of
workers is a key target of Sustainable Development Goal 8 for “workers exposed to undue
risks”. Additionally, by providing specialist training for operatives, their skills and safety
consciousness will increase and thereby improve their opportunities to benefit from
better economic conditions along with the business.
(d) Goal 9 (build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation) by encouraging port communities to implement

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proposals for corrective actions and innovations contained in Port Management

Programme participants’ dissertations. Another case study in Johor Port Berhad,
Malaysia is a practical example showing how innovation and technology can drive
important environmental gains. Efficient transportation services are key drivers of
economic development and maritime transport is a critical enabler of trade. The volume
of seaborne trade in the seas around Johor and Singapore are increasing year-on-year.
Increasing the reliability of Vessel Traffic Systems (VTS) within the area controlled by
Johor Port Authority, Malaysia will ensure that the port has the technical infrastructure to
grow capacity in a safe and secure manner. The proposed state-of-the-art VTS which will
operate on 24 hours a day basis will help prevent vessel accidents at sea which result in
devastating damage to human and marine life.
(e) Goal 11 (make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and
sustainable) by developing city-port environmental policies). In the West Aceh area of
Sumatra, Indonesia lies the small port of Meulaboh. Here a project is in hand to use ships to
transport thousands of tonnes of produce currently moved by lorries. This has the potential
to significantly reduce green-house gas emissions in villages of the region. The particulates
from burning hydrocarbons are responsible for air pollution and damage the health of
citizens. Reducing diesel fumes from heavy goods vehicles will lead to an improved
environment and a better health outlook for citizens affected by airborne pollutants. There
is likely to be a significant decline in road injuries and fatalities as the number of lorries on
the roads is reduced substantially.
(f) Goal 13 (take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts); a case
study, “Reducing environmental impact by installing a photovoltaic plant in TDD”,
defended in October 2016 before an international jury of port experts. The objective of the
research was to implement a photovoltaic plant at the Don Diego Colón Terminal of the
Port of Sansoucí (Santo Domingo), to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly
manner with savings in energy consumption costs. The Sansoucí Ports Investment Board
approved the proposed installation of the photovoltaic plant in March 2017, with an
investment of around US$280,000. In April 2018, work began with the installation of the
solar panels and, since June 2018, the photovoltaic plant started to generate energy. Since
September 2018, the contribution of the photovoltaic plant to the improvement of the
quality of the services generated in the TDD, the injection of clean energy and an increase
of the efficiency of operating costs through the reduction of the energy consumption of the
terminal have been perceived. All these positive factors have achieved the port’s mission
objectives, including being aligned with the continuous improvement and preservation of
the environment.
(g) Goal 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development) by raising awareness of challenges for
sustainable ports, including circular economy, air quality, environmental impact, green
bank investment, decarbonization, climate change, and so on. In the port of Takoradi,
Ghana, a project is being implemented which will eliminate oil pollution in the soil and
waterways and recycle more than 40,000 litres of waste lubricating oil. Green port
policies are beneficial to climate action and in this case study the recommended actions
involve managing all waste lubricating oils from vessels and from port operations in
compliance with ISO Environmental Standards and regulations of the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The project includes
new steps to regulate the activities of licensed waste contractors. These actions will
result in 40,000 tonnes of hazardous waste oils being treated in accordance with best
international standards and remove the threat of any on this product entering the soil of
waterways and polluting them. It also means that properly treated product can be
recycled and reused for future generations. This will lead to a safer and cleaner marine
environment.
(h) Goal 16 (Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive
institutions at all levels); and
(i) Goal 17 (strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global
partnership for sustainable development) by building global partnership and consensus.

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651. Objective/features. The Train for Trade programme contributes to work for
development-led globalization, where the development paths are sustainable and inclusive,
by disseminating international trade-related knowledge and developing skills and
capacities. Train for Trade has proven to be very useful and instrumental in connecting
UNCTAD research and analysis with sustainable capacity-building activities in developing
and transition countries. Train for Trade activities help to facilitate South–South and North–
South collaboration and foster communication between trade and training experts. The
UNCTAD Train for Trade methodology includes training of trainers, coaching and blended
learning. It provides the countries with a public–private partnership model, sustainable
training and capacity-building, talent management scheme and systematic methodology
combining blended learning and digital technology.
652. The PMP brings together public, private and international entities to share expertise
and best practices. Talent management and leadership development is a crucial part of the
programme. The PMP operates through three language-based networks (English, French
and Spanish) in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. The programme
also hosts the high-end course on modern port management, which entails a powerful
scheme to induce value added solutions in port communities and performance measurement
indicators.
653. Partnerships have been established with European ports to share their knowledge
and expertise with ports in the South. Annual regional meetings bring together port officials
from different countries, promoting sharing of experiences and expertise. South-South
collaboration between port communities is promoted as it is crucial for knowledge sharing.
For example, exchange of participants is encouraged in order to increase participants’
exposure to different port set-ups, as well as to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.
Furthermore, the beneficiary ports of the Port Management Programme (Argentina, Benin,
Plurinational State of Bolivia, Cameroon, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Mauritania,
Malaysia, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Togo and the United Republic of Tanzania)
continued to contribute financially to the programme, including contributions to the Trust
Fund. This self-sustaining aspect indicates the level of commitment and interest from the
national port communities (public–private partnerships). Partnerships and synergies have
also been established with regional organizations, namely the Association of Caribbean
States (ACS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (UEMOA)); and with international organizations, including UNSD, UNCITRAL,
UNESCAP, UNECLAC and WTO. Moreover, the Train for Trade programme collaborates
with UNCTAD divisions/programmes according to the mandate/themes and requests from
beneficiaries.
654. The PMP also offers training-of-trainer courses and coaching sessions in order to
support capacity development of the port managers as instructors. The Modern Port
Management course targets middle and senior managers and consists of 240 hours of
training activities, which are divided into eight modules and delivered over a two-year span.
The eight modules of the Modern Port Management course are:
(a) International trade and transport;
(b) Organization of a port system;
(c) Functioning of a port system;
(d) Challenges of sustainable ports;
(e) Methods and tools of port management;
(f) Economic, commercial and financial management;
(g) Administrative and legal management;
(h) Technical management and human resources development.
655. To obtain the UNCTAD Certificate in Modern Port Management, participants must
complete each module and defend a dissertation. Many former participants in the Modern

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Port Management programme become instructors and take more responsibility at the senior
management level, thereby multiplying the effects of the programme. Other indicators of
the effectiveness of the programme in the field are the validation of the quality of
participant’s dissertation by international and regional port experts, and the relevance of the
dissertations (about 150 each year) to improve services in the port community.
656. Outputs. Under the Port Management Programme, the key outputs of the French-,
English- and Spanish-speaking networks during the reporting period are highlighted below.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the international exchanges were conducted
online in 2020. Thanks to the Train for Trade strategy and experience with blended learning
and with the support of certified local trainers, the programme was able to deliver the
courses locally and to limit the impact of travel restriction on the programme.
657. With the support of the United Nations Development Account and following the
requests from port members of the Port Management Programme, a new special training
and capacity-building package called “Building Port Resilience Against Pandemics” (BPR)
was developed to build essential skills for port community managers to help protect people
and secure vital trade in ports. Twenty-one port experts took part in the design phase,
commonly called Design a Curriculum (DACUM) according to the Train for Trade
methodology, to brainstorm on the subject of the new course and to define the objectives,
content, target population and course outline. The three DACUM sessions were conducted
online. The new BPR package will be made available to port communities around the world
in English, French and Spanish. The project also included the exchange of best practices
and new safety standards, and a dedicated webpage on the Train for Trade platform was
developed to provide information on port responsiveness against the pandemic including
best practices, recommendations, crisis protocols and reference documents in English,
French and Spanish.
658. French-speaking network. In 2020, the French-speaking network of the Port
Management Programme was composed of the port communities of Benin, Cameroon, Côte
d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Mauritania, Senegal and Togo.
659. In the French-speaking network, 4 exchanges of port instructors were organized
(conducted online because of the pandemic) involving Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon,
Guinea and Togo, which contributed to South–South cooperation.
660. A Train for Trade mission was organized in Nantes, France, to meet with the new
Chief Executive Officer of the Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port Authority to discuss the workplan
of the French-speaking network activities.
661. Virtual meetings with focal points of the French-speaking network for the
organisation of online national deliveries and juries were organized for Senegal.
662. Benin and Senegal completed their 14th and 12th cycles, respectively, with panels of
port experts (in person and online). These events gathered a total of 38 experts from other
countries from the network to assess the final work (called dissertations) of participants and
to award the Port Certificate upon successful results. The dissertation jury took place in
Benin in February 2020, with representatives from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Haiti,
Mauritania, Senegal and Togo. A total of 22 staff (7 women) from the port community of
Cotonou were awarded the certificate. In Senegal, the juries for the 16 ports’ operators
(7 women) of the 12th cycle were organized fully online with strong participation from
other ports of the network. Twenty-three representatives were connected by
videoconference. The event spread over a period of two weeks, with two panels per day.
All candidates were awarded with the certificate. The participation of port experts from
beneficiary countries further contributed to the South–South exchange of knowledge and
expertise.
663. English-speaking network. The English-speaking network continued to benefit from
financial contributions of Irish Aid and the collaboration of Irish ports, namely Port of Cork
Company (PoCC), Dublin Port Company (DPC) and Belfast Harbour Commissioners
(BHC), as well as the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) in Spain.
664. Ghana. In cooperation with Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA),
20 middle managers (including 5 women) from the port communities of Ghana covering the

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ports of Tema and Takoradi enrolled in the cycle 5 of the UNCTAD Port Management
Programme took part in the Module 5, entitled “Methods and tools of Port Management”,
from 24 to 28 February 2020.
665. Philippines. In cooperation with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), 21 middle
managers (including 10 women) from the port communities of the Philippines enrolled in
the cycle 3 of UNCTAD Port Management Programme took part in the delivery of the
Module 8, entitled “Technical Management and Human resources Development”, from 3 to
7 February 2020. Mock juries for the participants were also organized in December 2020
and January 2021 to assess the preparation of their case studies related to port management
issues.
666. United Republic of Tanzania. As a former member of the UNCTAD Port
Management Programme from 2007 to 2013, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has
expressed the interest to return to the programme. Several meetings were organised with the
new management team to define the steps to be taken to resume the activities and rebuild a
pool of national instructors in the port community of Dar Es Salaam.
667. Discussions have been initiated with the Danube Commission regarding the Train
for Trade Port Management Programme English-speaking Network and future potential for
capacity-building activities related to the river ports of their 11 member States (Austria,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation,
Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine). Participation of selected representatives will be included
during future training of trainer’s events.
668. Spanish-speaking network. The Spanish-speaking network benefits from the
collaboration of ports of Spanish ports by means of a memorandum of understanding with
Puertos del Estado. The Port Authority of Valencia also gives financial and in-kind
contribution to the programme through a memorandum of understanding, and the Port
Authority of Gijon provides in-kind contribution.
669. The third cycle of the programme in Argentina was launched further to the official
mission of the Port Authority of Valencia and UNCTAD. The national capacities have been
strengthened with the incorporation of new port communities in the programme.
670. The national deliveries of the Modern Port Management course were organized
through hybrid mode. The senior and middle port managers of port communities in the
Plurinational State of Bolivia attended modules 4 to 8 of the second cycle; the Dominican
Republic delivered modules 5 to 8 the fourth cycle; the port communities in Peru
participated in modules 5 to 8 of the sixth cycle of the course, and port communities in
Argentina attended modules 1 and 2 of the third cycle. All the modules were delivered by
international experts and local instructors (certified by Train for Trade).
671. The International Coordination Meeting of the Spanish-speaking network was
organized online on 7 December 2020 with the participation of representatives of the
member countries, the Spanish Port Authorities of Valencia and Gijon and UNCTAD. The
purpose of the meeting was to assess the results of the cycles and to evaluate the scope of
strengthening and expanding the programme. The meeting highlighted the rapid response of
the programme to enable the continuation of the national activities through hybrid mode
during the pandemic crisis. Furthermore, the meeting acknowledged the positive impact of
the activities implemented for networking, exchange of information, experiences, and good
practices among others. Representatives of the Spanish Speaking network agreed on a draft
workplan for 2021 and to continue financing their membership. As from 2021, Dominican
Republic’s contribution will be made by two port entities.
672. The National Port Authority (APN) and the International Terminal of the South
(TISUR) organized the “Basic course of management of innovative ports” in online
modality through the Virtual Port Campus of the APN. The course was attended by
representatives of the port communities of the southern region of Peru, and it was delivered
by national instructors certified by UNCTAD.
673. In 2020, South–South cooperation was carried out with the participation of port
experts from the Spanish-speaking network. It allowed countries to share and develop

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knowledge, skills, best practices, awareness on different topics and to reinforce the
network’s capability to respond to common challenges.
674. The volume 8 of the UNCTAD Train for Trade Port Management Series (PMS) was
published featuring fifteen dissertations, which have been judged to be the best from the
recent cycles of the English-speaking network of the Port Management Programme. The
publication links the recommendations to directly relevant Sustainable Development Goals,
including their targets and indicators, and informs of their implementation status. Two
webinars were organized with 233 participants (83 women) for the official launch of the
PMS vol. 8 publication featuring best case studies and supporting messages from the Chief
Executive Officers of the ports in which the recommendations were implemented. The
Director of Irish Aid (main donor) also praised the success in implementation of the
programme in various port communities. The video recording of the online event was also
watched by more than 1,400 viewers.
675. The Train for Trade Port Performance Scorecard (PPS) was updated, and the
outcomes reflected in PPS’s newsletter No. 4. Selected results of the PPS were also
included in chapter 3 “Performance Indicators” of the UNCTAD Review of Maritime
Transport 2020. The main objective of PPS is to provide members of the programme with a
useful tool allowing performance benchmarking and port and regional comparison on a
yearly basis.
676. In addition to the Port Management Programme, TFT in collaboration with WTO,
UNSD and the Development Statistics and Information Branch of UNCTAD delivered two
online courses on statistics in English and French in 2020. Train for Trade has trained
2,234 statisticians (1,020 women) from 173 countries or areas. At the end of the courses,
statisticians said that these courses would improve the collection and the reporting of
statistics in many countries. Policymakers who followed the course said that now they had a
better understanding of the statistical reports, which would be taken into consideration in
decision-making process.
677. The French-speaking version of the course on Statistics on International Trade in
Services (SITS) was completed in February 2020, including the video recording and
multimedia elements.
678. The online course on SITS was delivered (from September to October 2020 in
English and French at the same time) for 769 participants (326 women). The course was
followed by three webinars (two in English and one in French to increase the outreach and
to accommodate for different time-zones) in December 2020 to identify best practices and
policy recommendations. The webinars were attended by 218 statisticians (93 women).
679. The online course on International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS) was
delivered in English from March to April 2020 with 948 participants (504 women) and in
French from June to July 2020 with 299 participants (97 women).
680. The publication Practice on E-commerce – Train for Trade case studies in South-
East Asia was launched through a webinar in June 2020. It showcases national case studies
in selected countries from South-East Asia and related policy recommendations. There was
a total of 123 registered participants (57 women) from 23 countries around the world. The
event was also streamed through the Facebook platform and had been viewed by about
1,500 people by 2 July 2020. The publication Digital Identity for Trade and Development
showcasing national case studies and relevant recommendations in selected countries in
South-East Asia was published in November 2020.
681. Results/impact. In 2020, the Train for Trade enhanced skills and abilities of about
2932 trade practitioners 84 (1264 women) from 177 countries and areas through various
courses and activities. It is summarized in the table below.

84 If a person participated in more than one training programme in 2020, each participation is counted
separately.

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Number of trade practitioners who enhanced their skills and expertise through various courses and
activities in 2020

Area Total number Women

Port Management Programme 575 187

French-speaking network 166 58
English-speaking network 304 107
Spanish-speaking network 105 22
Statistics on International Trade in Services blended learning 987 419
course
eLearning course 769 326
English 596 280
French 173 46
Webinar 218 93
English 169 83
French 49 10
International Merchandise Trade Statistics online course 1247 601
English 948 504
French 299 97
E-commerce Best Practices Webinar 123 57

682. In 2020, the participants of the Port Management Programme prepared a total of
150 dissertations with proposals of improvements to the port communities, which were
positively evaluated by local and international subject matter experts. These proposals will
have big chance of being implemented by the port authorities.
683. The exchange of port network instructors is an excellent example of South-South
cooperation supported by the UNCTAD Train for Trade Port Management Programme.
These exchanges allow sharing of knowledge and port practices between countries of the
region, which often share common issues.
684. Based on the work initiated by the UNCTAD Advisory Group during its twelfth ad
hoc expert meeting on “Future Challenges for Port Managers”, held on 11–12 November
2019 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the development of the new Module 4 of the
Modern Port Management course has progressed during the year 2020. The new module 4
is entitled “Challenges of Sustainable Ports” and includes new themes in line with current
concerns and relevant Sustainable Development Goals (climate change and the
environment, safety, quality, security, corporate social integration and emerging trends and
future proofing).
685. Based on the balanced scorecard concept, 26 indicators were identified, collected
and classified into six main categories since 2010: finance, human resources, gender, vessel
operations, cargo operations and environment under the Train for Trade Port Performance
Scorecard. The global average is calculated based on a five-year rolling back average. The
resulting statistics are being used by port communities to help with strategic planning and
yearly based performance benchmarking on a regional and global scales.
686. The webinar-style launch of volume 8 of the Port Management Series organized in
June 2020 presented the best case studies from the English-speaking network of the Port
Management Programme. Port managers were encouraged to seek opportunities to
implement the case study material prepared by successful candidates from the Port

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Management Programme. More than 1,400 people have watched the recorded videos of the
two online sessions of the launch on the UNCTAD Facebook page.
687. Over 2900 participants benefited from training and capacity-building activities under
the banner of the Train for Trade programme relating to trade statistics, e-commerce and
port management. Thanks to the blended-learning strategy embedded in the programme
since its inception, the activities were not halted due to the pandemic in 2020. Thanks to the
sudden boost of digital tools and the fact that the majority of trade actors started to use
more and more new technologies to communicate (Teams, Zoom, WebEx, Social Apps,
etc.), the scope of the programme has been extended to cover a total of 177 countries or
areas across the globe. The Train for Trade platforms have been further developed to cater
for larger number of participants and to capture real-time statistics of the events and link
them up with the results- based management (RBM) indicators of the programme
(80 per cent success rate and 87 per cent satisfaction rate globally). New features have been
incorporated into the Learning and Content Management System (LMS) under Moodle
open source. The Train for Trade public website has also been improved, with contributions
to social media (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn @trainfortrade), and multimedia material
illustrating the impact of the programme in member states and providing them with
powerful tools and knowledge on trade policies to absorb the economic shock of the
pandemic and build back better.

D99 Other

Table D99
Others

Period
Project number Short title covered Source of fund

Division on Globalization and Development Strategies

INT/0T/6AP Trust Fund for the UNCTAD Virtual 2006– Multi-donor

Institute on Trade and Development

Resource Management Service

INT/0T/1AK Financing of participation of Experts from 2001– Multi-donor

Developing Countries and Countries with
economies in transition in UNCTAD
Expert Group Meetings

1. Management and coordination

Financing of experts for UNCTAD expert meetings

688. The trust fund for the financing of experts attending UNCTAD expert meetings was
used to finance the travel of one expert from a developing country to participate in the
multi-year expert meeting held in Geneva in February 2020. Due to the pandemic, all other
multi-year expert meetings were held virtually, therefore the trust fund was not used to
finance the travel of experts to those meetings from March to December 2020.

2. Virtual Institute
689. Development context. The capacities of developing countries to undertake
economic analysis, formulate national policies and implement them to achieve their
development objectives is lacking in many respects. Universities and research centres can
play an essential role in building such capacities, as they educate future decision-makers
and can provide analytical inputs to inform their Governments’ economic policy decisions.
690. Objectives and features. The Virtual Institute is the UNCTAD programme of
support to academia. Its ultimate objective is to help developing countries design evidence-

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based policies that result in inclusive and sustainable development. To this end, the Virtual
Institute offers capacity-building opportunities to academics and researchers so that they
may prepare qualified decision-makers and provide analyses to underpin the formulation of
economic policies in their countries.
691. Outputs. 2020 has been a rather challenging year for everyone, including the
Virtual Institute. We have encountered some challenges on human resources, including the
departure of two of our consultants, both of which are responsible for web management,
due to financial constraints, hence could not really use the opportunity to use the web
platform to offer online classes or publish other capacity-building materials. However,
despite the challenges, the Virtual Institute continued to provide its member institutions
with services mainly in two areas: (a) professional development for academics and
(b) facilitation of cooperation among the members of its academic network and
dissemination of UNCTAD research to the academic community.
692. The Virtual Institute continued its capacity-building efforts in 2020. The Virtual
Institute organized two videoconferences for the Institute of Business Administration
(Pakistan), and one virtual study tour for the University of West Indies (Barbados).
Additionally, the Virtual Institute has organized a seminar for the School of International
Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran on post-COVID-19
trade policies, and sustainable development. In 2020, the Virtual Institute organized a
summer school titled “From the Transformation of Economics to Economic
Transformation: Pathways to a Better Future” during 15–23 August 2020. Due to COVID
circumstances, the school was offered virtually, and had more than 800 participants from all
over the world.
693. In 2021, we hope that we will have increased capacity in terms of staffing, and
hence will offer the online course on a Global Green New Deal through the Virtual Institute
platform along with other online classes and increase our capacity to disseminate the work
of UNCTAD and will have better outreach to our member states in terms of supporting
them in technical issues.
694. Results. The Virtual Institute contributed to enhanced teaching and research on
trade and development issues at member institutions and increased policy orientation of
their work by providing support for the development of both individual and institutional
capacities in this area. The multiplier effect of, videoconferences and study tours, as well as
the distribution of UNCTAD publications embedded the organization’s research and
perspective in graduate programmes at numerous universities in developing countries and
countries with economies in transition.

3. Course on key issues on the international economic agenda – paragraph 166

695. Development context. Paragraph 166 of the Bangkok Plan of Action was adopted at
the tenth session of the UNCTAD Ministerial Conference, in which it called on UNCTAD
to strengthen its capacity-building activities, particularly in providing training courses on
key trade and development matters to policymakers across developing countries. The
paragraph also underlines that these training courses would draw on the expertise and
policy analysis work of the UNCTAD secretariat. This mandate was renewed by the São
Paulo Consensus, the Accra Accord and the Doha Declaration, and reaffirmed in Nairobi in
2016 at UNCTAD XIV.
696. The UNCTAD paragraph 166 programme delivers the courses on economic
development and trade-related, matters. It delivers the short courses (half-day) for Geneva-
based delegates and regional courses for the five developing regions. The beneficiaries are
mainly mid-level government officials working at relevant public institutions; however,
academics at times are considered for participation. The programme also coordinates and
works closely with the permanent missions to the United Nation based in Geneva over the
processes involved for the short courses and regional courses. For instance, the UNCTAD
notifications for regional and short courses are communicated to all relevant permanent
missions in Geneva.
697. Furthermore, the current structure of regional courses is inducted in the UNCTAD
mandate and is cross-divisional in content. The curricula are designed and developed by

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PCBS/P166, in collaboration with the experts from various divisions. During the design
phase, collaboration is also sought with the regional economic commissions of the United
Nations and with national experts to ensure coherence among the various themes of the
economic policy framework. Ranging from economic theories to trade policy, FDI, among
other topics, the programme focuses on sustainable development as a central theme.
In illustrating how economic policies have an impact, the curricula are integrated and
showcase the various models of development.
698. Additionally, the curricula for regional courses in 2020 continued to illustrate the
formulation of development policies and strategies, placing them within the context of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. It was
further developed to incorporate resilience in response to multiple economic shocks. To
mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the overall framework for
development policies with resilience is viewed as an essential component for policymakers
to design the overall framework for development policies. The training includes a number
of lectures on economic, trade and finance theories and their relevance to policy
development, the role of investment and technology, along with detailed case studies and
lessons learned from previous policy decisions. It is designed to promote critical thinking,
with emphasis placed on policy design, coherence, coordination, implementation and
measurement. Central to the course are simulation exercises, examinations, and critiques of
best practices in policy development, group work and debates.
699. Objectives and features. The overall curricula of the regional course include three
modules: a fully integrated and interrelated approach for several substantive topics
developed in the research work of UNCTAD. Additionally, it is adapted to each developing
region and contributes to enhancing the knowledge and understanding of contemporary
economic issues among trade policy officials, finance and investment experts and
academics who work in these areas. The curriculum generated for each region focuses on
the development of appropriate trade, finance, investment, innovation, and technology
policies that are critical to achieve economic gains, which in parallel meets the
development objectives of participating countries.
700. Achieving macroeconomic stability, with a sound monetary and fiscal regime, is
significant in the design of and support for development objectives. Policymakers are
encouraged to consider sound fiscal policies to support such initiatives in a changing global
environment. The need to stimulate productive investment, develop local markets and
promote diversification will require adopting relevant industrial policies. This also suggests
that public investment itself should target increasing human capital and providing
infrastructure for development and vice versa. At the same time, developing countries must
have sufficient policy space in which they can manoeuvre and advocate for their interests,
from a national policy prism. This space should be safeguarded, ensuring that ‘no one is left
behind’ while taking part in the global economy.
701. Towards achieving development objectives, the importance of developing a relevant
industrial policy is key to the concept of developing and implementing policies for
economic growth. For example, the curricula illustrate science and technology impact
innovation in agriculture, energy and other areas and their role in providing value added to
products that have domestic and international appeal. Remaining competitive, whether in
promoting domestic activity or in export-oriented sectors, for example, is crucial to
ensuring long-term economic growth. The curricula also focus on the importance of
logistics to facilitate trade, to ensure sustainable exports and imports. Trade negotiations,
whether at the multilateral, regional or bilateral levels, generate benefits for trade and
investment and produce development gains. This area is also an essential part of the course.
702. In 2020, face-to-face and distance learning has been delivered as part of UNCTAD
regional and short courses. An e-learning module on the history of UNCTAD continued to
be utilized to prepare selected participants ahead of the regional course. The module is
divided into four parts, covering comprehensive knowledge on UNCTAD history, its three
pillars of work and structure, the role of UNCTAD and other international organizations,
and UNCTAD achievements and contributions. The module includes quizzes and a final
assessment. Selected participants must successfully complete the final assessment as a
prerequisite to the face-to-face sessions scheduled at a later stage in respective host

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countries. This module enhances participants’ knowledge on UNCTAD and its mandate,
including contributions and achievements, preparing the participants for the course work.
703. Outputs. In 2020, 25 participants were selected to take part in a regional course for
Eastern Europe and other developing countries. Despite the challenges posed by the
pandemic, they all completed the e-learning module on the history of UNCTAD. A total
25 policymakers and academics completed the online course, representing 10 countries,
namely Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Russian
Federation, Serbia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Among participants, 52 per cent are women.
704. The multi-year venue continued to be an innovative way of raising support, gaining
experiences from various economies, and enhancing bilateral cooperation at the country
level. The contribution of national experts in shedding light on the national and regional
experience is of significance to the programme’s curricula in enhancing knowledge and
boosting human capital among policymakers. In 2019, three proposals were submitted from
Eastern European economies for hosting the course from 2020 to 2024. As a result, the
Advisory Body of P166 met on 14 January 2020 and established the Saints Cyril and
Methodius University in Skopje as the multi-venue for Eastern Europe’s economies: 2020,
2022 and 2024. Due to the global pandemic, the new timetable is 2021, 2023 and 2025. The
number of proposals submitted by member states showcase their support to P166/PCBS,
UNCTAD flagship programme, both in terms of finance and human resources.
705. The short courses continued to update Geneva-based delegates on recent UNCTAD
research on development, economic and trade matters. In cooperation with several
UNCTAD divisions, three short editions were offered in the fall of 2020 on the following:
(a) Investing in the Sustainable Development Goals: the role of diplomats
(18 September 2020);
(b) New instruments, approaches and frameworks in trade policy towards gender
equality and women’s economic empowerment (13 October 2020);
(c) Competition and consumer protection policies for inclusive and sustainable
development (13 November 2020).
706. A total of 64 delegates from 48 permanent missions participated in these editions.
Out of the total number, 48 per cent or 31 participants were women, which is a 5 per cent
increase in female representation from the previous year.
707. For the first short course on 18 September, 24 delegates attended, representing
Algeria, Bahrain, Cabo Verde, the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ecuador, Haiti, Jordan,
Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Portugal, the Russian
Federation, Sierra Leone and the Syrian Arab Republic.
708. For the second short course on 13 October, 14 delegates attended, representing
Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, Finland, Haiti, Kenya, Morocco, Panama, the Russian
Federation and the State of Palestine.
709. For the third, and last, short course on 13 November, 26 delegates attended,
representing Ethiopia, Finland, Haiti, Hungary, Jordan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar,
Malawi, Morocco, Myanmar, Panama, Turkmenistan and the State of Palestine.
710. The short courses provide a platform where UNCTAD experts are given the
opportunity to present their recent research to delegates, while the comments and questions
from delegates provide relevant input and potential research topics to UNCTAD work. This
informed dialogue between UNCTAD researchers and Geneva-based representatives of
member States bridges the knowledge gap and ensures information-sharing. These sessions
are on average well attended and provide a forum for delegates and UNCTAD research
experts to debate and exchange views. In 2020, the impact of the global pandemic was
incorporated in all the themes addressed in the UNCTAD short courses, whether held in
hybrid, face-to-face or remote format.
711. Results and impacts. Following the completion of the short courses and earlier
regional courses, most delegates and participants indicated improved knowledge on
development and the related issues addressed during the courses. For previous regional
courses, they have noted a deepened understanding of the importance of the role of
international trade in improving economic development, including the links between

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international economic, social and financial issues. The approach to link theory, policy and
practice in economic policy development was highly rated. Its approach to trade,
development and investment at the regional and international levels was also useful for the
participants.
712. The post evaluations of the regional courses continued to illustrate that participants
and their sending departments appreciated the debates on development-related topics and
the integrated approach of the programme to ensuring that economic gains benefit
development. This is inherent in the design of the curriculum, which treats development
from the multiple perspectives of trade, finance, investment and technology. It highlights
that the debates and design and implementation of appropriate economic policies can
contribute to growth and the development process in general.
713. The Director General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
of Papua New Guinea who participated in the forty-third regional course held in Singapore
indicated: “The UNCTAD P166 course was structured, and the modules were presented by
professionals, who have studied and worked on issues and challenges of countries across
the globe. The modules presented on issues relating to macro-economic issues, trade policy
and trade facilitation are very important to a developing economy. The knowledge learned
will be used to share with other young officers to be aware of some of these issues and
challenges. I thank UNCTAD for the opportunity to attend and participate in this course.”
714. To recapitulate, most participants praised the lessons learned from the experiences
of other countries and how economic gains can be achieved. Most participants expressed
that the curricula had surpassed their expectations, as the courses provide overall
knowledge on economic issues and development matters. They also stated that they learned
about global economic issues, why economic changes take place and how economies are
impacted. Equally important, they indicated they understood how to tackle economic
related issues through policy.
715. Following courses held previously, and in an aftermath assessment, several
participants in 2020 reported that they were already using the knowledge and tools acquired
in their daily work, such as, improvement of economic policy, trade negotiations, policy
formulation, strategic planning, attracting FDI, employment creation as well as providing
advisory services. Additionally, many noted that the knowledge gained helped them
achieve a better understanding of contemporary economic issues, including the essential
role of trade agreements in trade negotiations, and how to cope with the challenges of the
new multilateral trading system. Several participants indicated their ability to employ
analytical tools in the decision-making process in pursuit of relevant development policies
to address economic challenges. Many also mentioned the linkages among international
trade, finance, investment, technology, and innovation as key pillars of the development
strategy. Overall, participants complimented the curricula’s ability to promote debate and
highlighted the policy development role-playing exercises as an example of how knowledge
could be shared among policymakers, both at the national and regional levels.

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