November 22, 2022 -

Countries with high environmental credentials like Bhutan should be supported to trade with an automatic recognition and prioritization of their exports as clean and green. This will be a big boost to build productive capacity and help increase climate and trade ambition.

November 08, 2022 -

While leveraging AFT to mobilize climate finance is an imperative for LDCs, this cannot be achieved without improved government-wide coordination, policy reforms to improve business environments, capacity building to attract and retain investment as well as contribution of resources and expertise to mobilize additional funding. Such an approach, while facilitating collective engagement to unleash the power of partnership, can make a difference to ensure that climate change adaptation and mitigation needs of LDCs are adequately funded.

October 18, 2022 -

As LDCs currently face multiple crises, a services-led approach to development can help countries leapfrog and transform their economies. It is time to step up our efforts to help small firms both provide and access connected services. By working with actors at enterprise, business support ecosystem and government levels, we can weave a tapestry of support to take small businesses online and into the global trading system.

August 09, 2022 -

Building evidence does not only happen through research and analysis; it also comes from sharing experiences. For example, EIF support has been directed to sectors in which women are predominantly engaged, so female-owned businesses can expand and access new regional and global markets. Responses to the M&E exercise indicate a wide recognition that these efforts result in strengthening women’s economic and financial independence.

July 26, 2022 -

Trade continues to play an important driving force not just of economic growth, but also poverty alleviation. Recognizing the role that trade can play in development, the WTO Aid-for-Trade Initiative seeks to mobilize resources to address trade-related constraints identified by developing and least-developed countries. But against the backdrop of multiple crises affecting the world economy, this task is challenging.

July 12, 2022 -

The Aid for Trade initiative could also become an important platform to encourage collaboration between donor and recipient countries on shared circular economy trade related opportunities and challenges going forward.

June 21, 2022 -

Global Value Chains have helped make the world more prosperous. Making them more efficient will make the global economy more resilient to future shocks.

June 07, 2022 -

LDCs have to deal with millions of tonnes of plastic products imported each year, including products with embedded plastics and with associated plastic packaging.

April 27, 2022 -

The EIF recognises that our contribution to creating a thriving e-commerce ecosystem in LDCs is part and parcel of a bigger effort bringing together the expertise and skills of many others. While some are working together with the private sector, including small businesses, others are working with governments. While some invest in building digital infrastructure, others impart knowledge to build digital skills and yet others provide support to prepare and implement e-commerce policies.

February 15, 2022 -

The World Bank warned that recovery will be slower in low-income countries, especially small, fragile and conflict-affected states. This is due to lower vaccination rates, tighter fiscal and monetary policies, and more persistent scarring from the pandemic.

January 25, 2022 -

A better access to trade finance in least developed countries (LDCs) could allow businesses to have the financial tools to participate in national, regional or global trade.

January 11, 2022 -

Guided by its Gross National Happiness, Bhutan has considerably improved its economic, environmental, social and governance situation in the past four decades.

November 09, 2021 -

Alexander Kasterine explores how climate change concerns are changing market requirements for developing country food exporters

August 24, 2021 -

Originally published on Devex on 3 August 2021

June 29, 2021 -

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

April 08, 2021 -

Getting organic certification for shea can be a journey

March 09, 2021 -

Adopting such standards in LDC production offers promise, but work remains

November 24, 2020 -

The government of Uganda put containment measures in place to tackle COVID-19. These included quarantines; bans on public gatherings and weekly markets; closures of schools, borders and nonessential retail outlets; and the suspension of international flights.

November 05, 2020 -

Myanmar was already moving to get its businesses online. With COVID-19, they were able to speed things up.

October 15, 2020 -

Medicine retail and logistics in Africa are a highly fragmented business.

October 01, 2020 -

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

September 14, 2020 -

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

September 02, 2020 -

Originally published by THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION NEWS on 18 August 2020

August 19, 2020 -

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

August 05, 2020 -

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

July 31, 2020 -

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

July 21, 2020 -

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

July 14, 2020 -

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

July 07, 2020 -

Originally published by UNIDO in May 2020

June 30, 2020 -

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

June 15, 2020 -

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

June 03, 2020 -

Originally published by UNCTAD on 7 May 2020

May 19, 2020 -

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

May 13, 2020 -

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

May 04, 2020 -

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

April 28, 2020 -

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

April 22, 2020 -

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

April 14, 2020 -

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

April 07, 2020 -

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

March 26, 2020 -

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

March 16, 2020 -

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

March 10, 2020 -

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

February 27, 2020 -

Originally published in World Economic Forum Agenda on 10 February 2020

February 13, 2020 -

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

February 06, 2020 -

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

January 07, 2020 -

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

December 16, 2019 -

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

December 04, 2019 -

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

November 05, 2019 -

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

October 31, 2019 -

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

September 18, 2019 -

Originally published by Thomson Reuters Foundation News on 11 September 2019

August 22, 2019 -

Originally published by Devex on 5 July 2019

July 01, 2019 -

Originally published by World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 June 2019

August 10, 2018 -

Originally published by Devex on 5 July 2018

May 01, 2018 -

Originally published in Bridges Africa

November 11, 2017 -

Originally published in Bridges Africa

July 07, 2017 -

Originally published on 7 July 2017 in the World Economic Forum Agenda