UNCTAD launched its 2019 Trade and Development report, focusing on the global financial crisis in relation with the battle against climate change, arguing that the struggle to create jobs is real, the environmental breakdown being a serious threat, adding that these challenges have resulted to new targets and goals to ensure a sustainable and safe future.
In spite of a clear decline in certain fish populations, many fisheries subsidies still promote illegal fishing, overfishing and overcapacity, according to UNCTAD, adding that their removal is a priority. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 33% of the world’s fish resources are overfished, while around 60% are fished at maximum biologically sustainable levels.
UK-based maritime and freight transport consultancy MDS Transmodal announced the launch of its Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (Port LSCI) web application, developed jointly with UNCTAD, which allows subscribers to understand the factors that affect a port’s rating on the index.
UNCTAD issued a study concerning the alleged no-deal Brexit, highlighting that the UK as a member of the EU, participates in approximately 40 agreements along with market access to about 70 countries, which may stop having access to after the no-deal Brexit. The UNCTAD research notes that if these agreements are not concluded by exit day, it would cost the U.K. economy almost $2 billion in exports.
UNCTAD placed the Shanghai port first in 2019 ranking of the world’s best-connected ports, that was published on August 7. The Shanghai port garnered a connectivity score of 134 points, followed by the ports of Singapore (124.63 points), Pusan (114.45 points) in Korea and Ningbo (114.35 points), also in China.
Efforts by UNCTAD and TradeMark East Africa to facilitate trade in East Africa are going from strength to strength. In fact, on 4 July the two organizations signed a US$3.1 million agreement for the second phase of a project aiming to ease trade in the region. The first phase of the project was applied between 2016 and 2018 with a budget of $3.4 million.
TRACIT and UNCTAD examined how illicit trade impedes the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, noting that despite the recognition of international trade as an important means to achieve the SDGs, insufficient attention has been given to the substantial impact that illicit trade has on holding back progress.
UNCTAD published its liner shipping connectivity index for 2019, showing countries that have improved or worsened their positions in maritime transport networks. Namely, China has retained its lead as the country best connected to others by sea, with its LSCI increasing by 51% since 2006.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), one of the continents free trade area, enlisted UNCTAD to enable its goods transportation in the region, as less borders mean that African businesses and consumers could save billions.
UNCTAD informed that it now acknowledges PortCDM as an enabler for improved performance in short sea shipping based on a study made on the role of enhanced collaboration and data sharing between ports for better performance in short sea shipping. This study chooses to focus on short sea shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean for port calls made in Port of Limassol, Cyprus, and was published in the Sustainability Journal.
