Short courses on key issues on the international economic agenda for delegates from Permanent Missions in Geneva

Global supply chains: Opportunities and challenges for developing countries

Global supply/value chains have flourished in recent years because lower information technology- and trading costs have facilitated production combining high technology with cheap labour. Today, a substantial share of the production processes of global supply chains takes place in developing countries. Policymakers in many developing countries are interested in linking their enterprises to global supply chains because of the benefits in terms of employment, improvement in technology and skills, productive capacity upgrading and export diversification. However, participation in global supply chains could sometimes mean developing country enterprises are stuck in low value-added segments of the chain.   Developing countries would therefore need to identify and implement policies and measures to attract global supply chains, maximize the benefits and spillovers from participation in global supply chains by their enterprises and integrate such participation within their overall trade policies, including in terms of engaging in high value addition.

The course would cover three aspects of global supply chains and trade: (a) policy implications, (b) specific examples (i.e. from biodiversity-based sectors) on supporting the participation of developing countries in global supply chains and (c) some challenges for developing countries in regard to cross-border anticompetitive practices and global supply chains. It would be delivered by three speakers (to be designated) from the Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities on each aspect of the global supply chain.

Delivered by: Division on International Trade, and Commodities

The aim of the courses is to give delegates from Permanent Missions an opportunity to become better acquainted with topical issues and developments on the international economic agenda as they are reflected in UNCTAD's work.

The courses will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, French and Spanish.

The secretariat invites Permanent Missions to nominate delegates who follow matters pertaining to UNCTAD or the World Trade Organization in Geneva to attend these courses.

Course application can be done online at http://p166.unctad.org/mod/page/view.php?id=1503

Courses will begin promptly at 10 a.m. to allow sufficient time for debate after the presentations. ​