Chiefs of UN agencies have also asked the governments to refrain from any unjustified restraints on traffic and goods in transit to make sure that goods, medical equipment and basic goods and commodities, can depart from and reach the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) when needed, without delay or hinderance.
Issuing an urgent statement today, the heads of major UN agencies called for decisive action to help LLDCs not only to protect public health but also smooth transport facilitation to and from LDCs.
“LLDCs and neighbouring countries should make use of trade facilitation standards and digital technologies that limit physical checks in transit, physical contact at borders and protect the health of workers, such as electronic exchange of information, electronic tracking, automation of customs procedures and paperless solutions,” the statement reads, adding that the implementation of international conventions on trade and transport is of utmost importance. “The governments around the globe to respond to this pandemic not only by minimising disruptions to international transport but also by viewing the crisis as an opportunity to reorient international freight transport operations towards a more sustainable path.”
They also called for strengthening of global and regional cooperation on transport connectivity. The statement asserts the UN’s readiness to continue its support to LLDCs and their trading partners. “The Covid-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time,” it reads, adding that it is causing disruption and human suffering around the world. Its far-reaching social, economic and multidimensional impacts will be felt across all corners of the globe for some time to come. “The measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 have resulted in reduced demand, struggling service sectors, falling commodity prices and millions of jobs lost, pushing people into unemployment and poverty.”
Trade is expected to fall steeply in every region of the world and across all sectors of the economy, they claimed, adding that global freight transport volumes in 2020 could be reduced by more than a third compared with estimates foreseen without Covid-19.
Nowhere are the risks of this health crisis turning into a development crisis higher than in the most vulnerable countries in the world, which are ill equipped to deal with the fallout from this pandemic. The LLDCs are amongst the most vulnerable countries facing binding constraints to growth and development, including isolation from global markets, dependence on transit neighbours, small size, lack of productive capacities, structural challenges and vulnerability to external shocks.
While it may appear that LLDCs have been less exposed to Covid-19, it is important to remember that the situation is constantly evolving, with confirmed cases on an upward trajectory in many countries, the statement further reads, adding that low levels of health spending and low capacities present unique challenges to many LLDCs in effective testing, containment and eventual treatment. “At the same time, the economic and social conditions are deteriorating rapidly in many LLDCs, mostly as a result of the domestic lockdown measures and international restrictions on the movement of people and goods.”
Given already existing challenges, a large informal sector and limited safety net schemes, the socio-economic effects on LLDCs could be severe, they adds. “In some countries, infrastructure at inland border-crossing points is extremely precarious, not only posing additional challenges to the processes at borders, but also exposing staff to higher contagion risks.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has also already begun to generate negative impacts on imports from LLDCs, it adds, reinforcing that facilitating smooth movement of goods and keeping borders open for trade is fundamental. “We call on governments and organisations in the regions to collaborate to keep cross-border transport corridors and regional transport networks open as much as possible, while protecting public health.”
Calling that the global and regional cooperation on transport connectivity needs to be strengthened, they stressed on regional and global value chains and transport systems and services to and from LLDCs have to be sustainable, affordable and resilient to help them respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and future disruptions of similar nature. “In the spirit of solidarity and building on the progress achieved in line with the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs, strengthening of regional cooperation between LLDCs and transit countries, in particular on transit and transport along important corridors and promoting public and private partnerships is now more critical than ever.”
The UN system stands ready to continue its support to LLDCs and their trading partners by offering analytical and methodological tools and best practices, providing capacity building and, above all, supporting systematic global and regional dialogue on the challenges faced by LLDCs and opportunities for impactful actions, they added.
Issuing an urgent statement today, the heads of major UN agencies called for decisive action to help LLDCs not only to protect public health but also smooth transport facilitation to and from LDCs.
“LLDCs and neighbouring countries should make use of trade facilitation standards and digital technologies that limit physical checks in transit, physical contact at borders and protect the health of workers, such as electronic exchange of information, electronic tracking, automation of customs procedures and paperless solutions,” the statement reads, adding that the implementation of international conventions on trade and transport is of utmost importance. “The governments around the globe to respond to this pandemic not only by minimising disruptions to international transport but also by viewing the crisis as an opportunity to reorient international freight transport operations towards a more sustainable path.”
They also called for strengthening of global and regional cooperation on transport connectivity. The statement asserts the UN’s readiness to continue its support to LLDCs and their trading partners. “The Covid-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time,” it reads, adding that it is causing disruption and human suffering around the world. Its far-reaching social, economic and multidimensional impacts will be felt across all corners of the globe for some time to come. “The measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 have resulted in reduced demand, struggling service sectors, falling commodity prices and millions of jobs lost, pushing people into unemployment and poverty.”
Trade is expected to fall steeply in every region of the world and across all sectors of the economy, they claimed, adding that global freight transport volumes in 2020 could be reduced by more than a third compared with estimates foreseen without Covid-19.
Nowhere are the risks of this health crisis turning into a development crisis higher than in the most vulnerable countries in the world, which are ill equipped to deal with the fallout from this pandemic. The LLDCs are amongst the most vulnerable countries facing binding constraints to growth and development, including isolation from global markets, dependence on transit neighbours, small size, lack of productive capacities, structural challenges and vulnerability to external shocks.
While it may appear that LLDCs have been less exposed to Covid-19, it is important to remember that the situation is constantly evolving, with confirmed cases on an upward trajectory in many countries, the statement further reads, adding that low levels of health spending and low capacities present unique challenges to many LLDCs in effective testing, containment and eventual treatment. “At the same time, the economic and social conditions are deteriorating rapidly in many LLDCs, mostly as a result of the domestic lockdown measures and international restrictions on the movement of people and goods.”
Given already existing challenges, a large informal sector and limited safety net schemes, the socio-economic effects on LLDCs could be severe, they adds. “In some countries, infrastructure at inland border-crossing points is extremely precarious, not only posing additional challenges to the processes at borders, but also exposing staff to higher contagion risks.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has also already begun to generate negative impacts on imports from LLDCs, it adds, reinforcing that facilitating smooth movement of goods and keeping borders open for trade is fundamental. “We call on governments and organisations in the regions to collaborate to keep cross-border transport corridors and regional transport networks open as much as possible, while protecting public health.”
Calling that the global and regional cooperation on transport connectivity needs to be strengthened, they stressed on regional and global value chains and transport systems and services to and from LLDCs have to be sustainable, affordable and resilient to help them respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and future disruptions of similar nature. “In the spirit of solidarity and building on the progress achieved in line with the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs, strengthening of regional cooperation between LLDCs and transit countries, in particular on transit and transport along important corridors and promoting public and private partnerships is now more critical than ever.”
The UN system stands ready to continue its support to LLDCs and their trading partners by offering analytical and methodological tools and best practices, providing capacity building and, above all, supporting systematic global and regional dialogue on the challenges faced by LLDCs and opportunities for impactful actions, they added.
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