Coronavirus: Let’s keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border trade flowing
Written by Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD
https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx…
Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD highlights the importance of the global maritime transport industry the coronavirus pandemic period.
Around 80% of global trade is transported by commercial shipping, which moves the world’s food, energy and raw materials, as well as manufactured goods and components, according to UNCTAD statistics. This includes vital medical supplies, which are sorely needed at this time, and items that are necessary for the preservation of many jobs in manufacturing – without which modern society cannot function.
In this time of global crisis, it is more important than ever to keep supply chains open and to allow maritime trade and cross-border transport to continue.
He also states that transit needs to be facilitated, too.
Landlocked countries need access to food and medical supplies through neighbouring countries’ seaports. …To ensure that vital goods reach consumers and hospitals in destination countries, responsible agencies should coordinate and cooperate within and among countries so that indispensable goods reach the populations in coastal and landlocked countries alike.
At the extraordinary G20 Leaders Summit on the COVID-19 pandemic, which meets virtually this week, world leaders should embrace the call made by the shipping industry to keep maritime trade moving by allowing continued access to ports worldwide and the rapid changeover of ships’ crews.
UNCTAD is monitoring the effects of the global pandemic on manufacturing, trade, foreign direct investment and economic growth.
https://unctad.org/en/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
UN-OHRLLS notes (http://unohrlls.org/covid-19/) that the pandemic threatens to impact the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS disproportionately with potentially devastating impacts on human health, including through social and economic effects of the virus and containment policies through the months and years to come.
It is mentioned that LLDCs are highly dependent on international trade and in particular, on commodities. A fall in commodity prices poses a balance of payment challenges and further marginalization of LLDCs in global trade.
A statement (http://unohrlls.org/…/high-representative-statement-on-cov…/) by the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, stresses that to avoid a truly devastating global tragedy, in the days, weeks and months ahead, it will be critical that the international community urgently support vulnerable countries to strengthen their health systems and their capacity to halt transmission.