Barbados’ hosting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) first Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF) in May is one of the follow-up recommendations coming from UNCTAD 15, which was held here in October 2021.
The GSCF, themed: Transport, Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Trade-driven Development, is being co-hosted with the UNCTAD Secretariat from May 21 to 24, 2024.
Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organisations, Matthew Wilson, noted that the Forum will address another fundamental recommendation coming from the conclusion of UNCTAD 15, which is for the organisation to do more for small island developing states (SIDS) “in a comprehensive, clear and concise way”.
Ambassador Wilson pointed out the two recommendations on Wednesday while speaking virtually from Geneva, during a press conference to launch the GSCF.
“So, these two priorities addressing global supply chains, and focusing on small island developing states, have come together beautifully in this Forum. The facts are clear, small countries do not control the supply chains, and we are the most vulnerable to many of the issues that actually disrupt supply chains…. The reality is that we are often price takers; product takers; and policy takers. This places us in incredibly vulnerable situations,” Mr. Wilson stated.
He, however, stressed that the event must be about more than just lamenting concerns, but also about “finding … scalable and workable solutions”.
“Now we will not solve all of our problems in May in Barbados, but we will go a long way in spotlighting what we need, where we need to go and how we may be able to get there through partnerships and shared advocacy, through this incredible relationship and collaboration with UNCTAD and the United Nations family,” the Ambassador Wilson.
UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pedro Manuel Moreno, underscored that the GSCF will offer a platform to discuss the multifaceted challenges of global supply chains and identify concrete actions to improve their functioning and sustainability.
“This Forum aims precisely at finding sustainable solutions to these challenges and identifying opportunities…. This requires dialogue, engagement and collaborations of all critical partners along supply chains, including Member States, governmental bodies, the private sector and international organisations,” he outlined.
He said that UNCTAD has been collaborating with the International Maritime Organization on understanding how economic measures, such as a levy, could support developing countries, especially SIDS.
On that note, Ambassador Wilson disclosed that a step is being taken by UNCTAD to address financing for SIDS because of Barbados’ advocacy, led by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, as outlined in the Bridgetown Initiative.
He said UNCTAD is in the process of establishing a dedicated SIDS programme and platform, including a trust fund, and thanked UNCTAD’s Secretary General Rebecca Greenspan, for being a “great pilot” for the initiative.
The agenda of the Forum will seek to cover a wide number of topics related to global supply chains that are of importance to SIDS, including Unlocking Sustainable Financing: Innovations for Global Supply Chains; Digital Solutions for Supply Chains; Leading the way to sustainable ports through energy transition; Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience Building and Disaster Risk Reduction for Ports; Efficient and Competitive Port Management; and The Nexus between Transportation, Energy and Food Security.