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Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Apr24/02) Penang, 12 Apr (Kanaga Raja) — Commemorating its 60th anniversary this year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) announced on 9 April its re-branding as “UN Trade and Development”. According to a news release posted on its website, the newly-re-branded UN Trade and Development said this strategic move underscores the organization’s commitment to greater impact, with a new, clearer visual identity aiming to better reflect its work and values and to amplify its global voice on behalf of developing countries. According to UN Trade and Development, the re-branding of UNCTAD marks a pivotal moment. It said that it’s the first-ever comprehensive review of UNCTAD’s global communication footprint and a bold forward-looking strategy to communicate its work and values. At a media briefing at the United Nations Office at Geneva on 9 April, Ms Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, said today (9 April) represents “a milestone for marking not just the beginning of our 60th anniversary, but also the presentation of our re-branding as UN Trade and Development.” According to Ms Grynspan, it isn’t a simple change. “Our new brand as UN Trade and Development represents a stronger and renewed organisation committed to expanding our reach, amplifying our voice as a firm advocate for developing countries in the global economy.” “We want our mission to be better understood and our voice to be heard in the global economic debates, where decisions that affect developing countries are taken today,” Ms Grynspan underlined. The Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development pointed out that the need for renewal couldn’t be clearer. “We live in a world which is very different from 1964. There have been significant shifts in the global economic landscape and in 2024, cascading crisis, geopolitics, and climate change are having a profound and disruptive effect on global trade and the global economy that have also geared towards higher and increased inequalities.” Global debt has soared especially in developing countries and key development indicators have regressed, she said. The indicators on poverty in the Human Development Index for the first time since the Index has been launched has decreased, Ms Grynspan noted. She also said trade in services growth now outstrips trade growth in goods, and the digital economy is both an opportunity and a major disruptor for trade and development. “The challenges we face are complex and urgent and at the same time they are both old and new,” she added. “It is essential to stay true to our founding principles and adapt to the demands of the present.” “As secretary-general of the UN Trade and Development, I am proud to represent today an organisation that’s not only rooted in history but is forward looking and adapting to new challenges,” said the Secretary-General. Looking ahead, Ms Grynspan said that she would like to announce that “to mark our 60th anniversary, we will convene a Global Leaders Forum here in Geneva between the 12th and 14th of June.” According to UN Trade and Development, under the theme “Charting a new development course in a changing world”, the forum will emphasize the organization’s integrated approach to trade and development, addressing finance, technology, investment and sustainable development, with a specific focus on the needs of developing countries, and UNCTAD’s work in Africa, the least developed countries, small island developing states (SIDS) and landlocked developing countries. At the media briefing on 9 April, Ms Grynspan said that the UN secretary-general will attend this forum which will bring together heads of state and government ministers, leading world economists, private sector and civil society Nobel Laureates. She said that they will debate a new course for development and new economics for the rapidly changing world. The Global Leaders Forum will include thematic sessions looking at the substance of key emerging issues in the global economy, such as trade and industrial policy for development, reshaping foreign direct investment policies in the new economy, development strategies in a world of cascading crisis, data for development and digital revolution, and finding new momentum for the development of Africa, least developed countries and small island developing states, she added. “This forum will provide a platform for innovative solutions to emerge with new economic thinking to help us address the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Ms Grynspan. UN Trade and Development now more than ever remains a cornerstone of the United Nations system, she added. “Our commitment to promoting the interest of developing countries in the global economy, fostering dialogue and providing invaluable insights and support remains the same,” she emphasized. +
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