Category: international

Mediterranean ‘becoming a cemetery for children and their futures’

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More than 11,600 unaccompanied children have crossed the Central Mediterranean to Italy so far this year the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, an increase of 60 per cent compared with last year.

More than 11,600 unaccompanied children have crossed the Central Mediterranean to Italy so far this year the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, an increase of 60 per cent compared with last year.

The number of arrivals peaked this month on the small island of Lampedusa off Italy’s southern coast, with 4,800 people arriving on a single day, the agency noted.

According to news reports, a migrant reception centre there was overwhelmed earlier this month, as aid and medical workers coped with transferring thousands of people to the mainland.

Many of the flimsy and crowded boats sink or capsize in the Mediterranean, leading to over 2,000 deaths so far this year, according to UN migration agency IOM.

The real figure is likely considerably higher due to boats that sink that without trace.

 

“Children who undertake these harrowing journeys alone are often placed in overcrowded inflatable dinghies or shoddy wooden fishing boats unsuitable for poor weather conditions. Some are placed in the hold of the ship, some on iron barges – particularly dangerous for navigation,” UNICEF stated.

According to the UN humanitarian agency, “the lack of regionwide, coordinated and adequate search and rescue capacities and cooperation at sea on disembarkation compound the dangers children face when crossing.”

War, conflict, violence and poverty are among the main factors, prompting children to flee their home countries alone.

UNICEF highlighted that “Evidence shows that unaccompanied children are at risk of exploitation and abuse on every step of their journeys, with girls and children from sub-Saharan Africa the most likely to suffer abuse.”

Nearly 1,000 dead on central route

It said between June and August this year, at least 990 people including children died or disappeared as they attempted to cross the Central Mediterranean, triple the number compared to the same period last summer when at least 334 people lost their lives.

Children who survive their journeys are first held in centres known as hotspots before being transferred to reception facilities that are often closed and limit movement.

More than 21,700 unaccompanied children across Italy are currently in such facilities, up from 17,700 a year ago.

‘Broken migration system’

“The Mediterranean Sea has become a cemetery for children and their futures. The devastating toll on children seeking asylum and safety in Europe is a result of policy choices and a broken migration system,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director, and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe.

“The adoption of a Europe-wide response to supporting children and families seeking asylum and safety and a sustained increase in international aid to support countries faced by multiple crises are desperately needed to prevent more children suffering.”

In line with international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF is calling on governments to provide safer and legal pathways for seeking asylum and ensure children are not held in closed facilities.

Boost protection

It’s also recommending strengthened national child protection systems and more coordination of search and rescue operations that lead to safe disembarkation.

The agency said the ongoing debate between the European Parliament and EU Member States on a new pact on migration and asylum presents an immediate opportunity to affirm and uphold key child protection principles.

 

UNODC, NISS, launch threat assessment of organized crime affecting Nigeria

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    The National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has launched an assessment report with the aim to bring to the fore the threat of organized crime as one of the main drivers of insecurity in Nigeria.
    The study titled: “Organized Crime in Nigeria: A Threat Assessment” presented on the occasion of the annual conference of the Heads of Drugs Law Enforcement Agency Africa organized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday in Abuja, portrays that the menace poses an acute threat to the nation, it’s economy and environment.
    The study aims to improve the collective understanding of illegal markets in Nigeria and the structures and modus operandi of criminal groups operating in and out of the country.
    The report, which contains seven thematic chapters, focuses on different aspects of organized crime that are present in Nigeria including: cultism, maritime crime, kidnapping, the manufacturing and trafficking of illicit drugs, wildlife and forestry crimes, the trafficking in persons, and the smuggling of migrants.
    According to the UNODC, the report reveals how Nigeria’s strategic location along global shipping routes between the Americas, Europe and Asia, its large-scale transport infrastructure and its porous borders make it an attractive target for criminal organizations that use the country as a base and transit point for their operations.
    Also, the study shows how youth unemployment and widespread multidimensional poverty provide a large pool of potential recruits for criminal organizations.
    The report provides specific policy recommendations to help policymakers, practitioners and international partners alike in forging a coherent approach to preventing organized crime, protecting the victims, pursuing and prosecuting the actors, and promoting partnerships and collaboration.
    “By dedicating our collective talent, energy and resources to this task, we can defeat the scourge of organized crime and give Nigeria the prosperous future it deserves,” noted Ayodele S. Adeleke, Head of the NISS, while presenting the report at the launch event.
    The report also sheds light on governance gaps combined with an abundance of natural resources often located in remote areas, offering strong incentives for engaging in criminal activities. On the other hand, overburdened law enforcement and security agencies pose limited risks to the operations and profits of criminal organizations.
    Consequently, the rapid evolution threats is cited in the report, revealing how over the last two decades, organized crime affecting Nigeria has evolved structurally, becoming both more violent and more sophisticated.
    “Drug markets have undergone multiple changes, with Nigeria no longer being only a transit country for cocaine and heroin but having also become a major market for drugs, in particular pharmaceutical opioids, and a producer of cannabis and methamphetamine.
    “Maritime criminals, often referred to as ‘pirates’, are adapting their tactics to evade law enforcement efforts and increase their illicit profits. From robberies of ship stores and crews property to the hijacking of oil tankers, they now attack ships with the purpose of kidnapping crew members for ransom.
    “Kidnapping, including both mass abductions and individual kidnapping, has become a serious driver of insecurity in Nigeria. The number of incidents doubled between 2019 and 2020, and doubled again between 2020 and 2021, with more than 400 documented incidents and 5200 victims,” a statement by the UNODC, on the heels of the NDLEA event read.
    The UNODC stated that in the span of just 10 years, Nigeria has become a hub and source for the illicit extraction and trafficking of wildlife and forestry products, in particular ivory, pangolin scales, and rosewood, mainly to Asian countries.
    “Trafficking in persons stands out for the physical and psychological toll it takes on its victims, most often Nigerian women and children. Today most victims are trafficked within Nigeria and the region for sexual exploitation, forced labour or domestic servitude. Victims of trafficking continue to be rescued in Europe and the Americas and, increasingly, the Middle East and Asia.
   “Though the number of Nigerians migrating to Europe fell significantly between 2019 and 2021, those who decide to make the journey often see no alternative to using a smuggler, due to a lack of access to travel documents or legal migration pathways. Nigerian nationals are involved in migrant smuggling at every stage of the journey: as recruiters in Nigeria, as smugglers who accompany the migrants, and as “receivers” in destination countries,’ the UNODC stated.
    The security report also explores in detail the nature of groups dominating these criminal markets. While organized crime groups operating in Nigeria were traditionally loosely constituted networks which formed for short periods of time around powerful individuals to exploit specific criminal opportunities, there is an increasing prevalence of hierarchically structured groups with clearly established membership that outlive individual leaders, most notably cult groups.
    The report claims that most cults were originally established to pursue objectives of social justice, yet some have evolved over time into powerful mafia-type secret societies that control criminal markets and engage in various illegal enterprises, including extortion and all forms of trafficking. Today cults no longer limit their operations to Nigeria but have come under the radar of law enforcement in various other countries, notably in Europe.

UNOCT, ECOWAS sign MoU on anti-terrorism

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The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

The MoU, signed on September 22, 2023 in New York, in the United States, establishes a framework for cooperation between both entities over the next five years on a range of security and counter-terrorism initiatives, including preventative efforts to counter terrorist travel, financing, access to weapons and misuse of information and communications technologies; border security and management; prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR), and the delivery of counter-terrorism training programmes in Africa.

The agreement also makes provisions for UNOCT support to ECOWAS and its Member States in the implementation of the ECOWAS 2020-2024 Action Plan on Eradicating Terrorism.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, during a bilateral meeting on the margins of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.

Under-Secretary-General Voronkov welcomed the signing noting that it marks a pivotal moment, as it establishes a comprehensive cooperation framework for the next 5 years.

Dr. Touray expressed ECOWAS commitment to the collaboration with the UN through UNOCT to address the multifaceted dimensions of terrorism, including the root causes such as youth empowerment, the fight against human rights violations and other governance deficits.

Follwing the signing, ECOWAS and UNOCT will develop a joint plan of action to put the agreement into practice, building on existing coordination platforms, such as the AU-UN Technical Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and PCVE.

They will also explore opportunities to develop and undertake joint or collaborative activities with the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact. Moreover, jointly organize workshops, conferences, or other meetings and activities on topics and issues related to CT/PCVE, bringing together the relevant stakeholders at the global, regional, or national levels.

ECOWAS, a day earlier on September 21, participated in the Ministerial-Level meeting of African Member States on “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism in Africa” co-organized by Nigeria and UNOCT.

The meeting provided African Member States and regional organizations an opportunity to share their views on the prevailing terrorism threat scenarios in Africa and propose actionable and outcome-oriented recommendations for the African Counter-Terrorism Summit (“Abuja Summit”) co-organized by UNOCT and Nigeria, which will be held in Abuja on 23-24 April.

The Summit will seek to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa.

Trade facilitation: Countries make steady but uneven progress

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Despite geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, countries continue to improve the trading environment by simplifying and digitalizing trade processes.

According to the UN’s fifth global survey on digital and sustainable trade facilitation, an average of 68.6% — up by 6% since 2021 – of the general and digital trade facilitation measures outlined in the landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have been implemented by countries worldwide.

The survey analysed trade facilitation progress across 161 countries worldwide, as outlined in the “Digital and sustainable trade facilitation: Global report 2023” launched on 15 September.

It covers some 60 trade facilitation measures grouped under 11 categories.

These include transparency, formalities, institutional arrangement and cooperation, transit facilitation, cross-border paperless trade, trade facilitation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), agricultural trade facilitation, women in trade facilitation, trade finance and trade facilitation in times of crisis.

The biennial survey used to be conducted jointly by the UN’s five regional economic commissions.

UNCTAD, which contributed to past surveys, is now part of the core team of organizations conducting the survey.

Leveraging its network of national trade facilitation committees (NTFCs), UNCTAD has provided data from an additional 24 developing nations, including four least developed countries, for the 2023 survey.

“This new partnership significantly broadens the scope of the survey and strengthens its credibility as a comprehensive analysis of digital and sustainable trade facilitation measures,” said Shamika N. Sirimanne, UNCTAD’s director of technology and logistics.

How countries and categories fare

The survey shows that developed economies have implemented the most trade facilitation measures, leading the global pack with an overall rate of 85.3%.

In comparison, 54 out of 90, or 60% of developing countries with a GDP per capita below $10,000 have achieved implementation rates of over 50%.

The average implementation rates for least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states are similar, ranging between 53% and 61% — significantly below the global average.

This is in part due to persisting challenges related to weaker digital infrastructure and a lack of adequate legal framework to support cross-border data and documents exchanges.

The results reaffirm the need to step up technical assistance and capacity-building efforts to help these vulnerable economies bridge the existing implementation gap in trade facilitation.

On the different categories of measures, countries scored highest in efforts to enhance transparency, with an implementation rate of nearly 80%.

With digitalization on the rise, paperless trade has improved the most over the past two years, averaging globally at 68.8%.

Despite the low adoption of cross-border paperless trade measures, pegged at a global average of 45.43%, the survey highlights substantial improvements in areas such as e-transaction laws and electronic exchange of sanitary and phytosanitary certificates.

Need to shore up support for vulnerable groups

The survey also makes a case for more sustainable trade facilitation measures benefiting SMEs, agricultural sector entities and women traders.

Globally, SMEs on average have implemented 43.33% of trade facilitation measures. The average rate for agricultural entities is about 64%.

Meanwhile, reducing gender inequalities remains a challenge, as the global average implementation rate continues to hover below 40% for measures related to women in trade facilitation.

UNCTAD has called for greater SME participation in NTFCs, as well as access to one-stop, electronic “single window” platforms for trade-related information and procedures.

It also urged greater involvement of women in trade facilitation policymaking, for instance, by introducing gender focal points in national trade ministries, increasing women’s representation in NTFCs and creating programmes to support female traders.

“By placing an emphasis on inclusive policies, embracing digitalization and fostering stronger international collaboration, we can establish a trade landscape that benefits everyone and leaves no one behind,” Ms. Sirimanne concluded.

Improving statistics on gender and trade in developing countries

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When it comes to understanding and fostering women’s economic empowerment, measuring the gender dimension of trade has emerged as an increasingly important endeavour.

But for a long time, the lack of data on gender equality in international trade has posed a bottleneck, hampering countries’ abilities to apply the gender lens needed to design policies that equally empower women and men.

To bridge this gap, UNCTAD in 2018 began developing a framework to help countries link existing national statistical data to assess gender in trade. The process, called “microdata linking”, offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to creating new one-off surveys.

The framework has been tested by half a dozen countries, and the methodology is now outlined in UNCTAD’s newly published guidelines for measurement of gender-in-trade statistics, aimed at helping national statistical offices enhance data to inform trade policy development.

“Today’s increasingly complex data needs require interoperable data systems to help derive new insights from the data we have,” said Anu Peltola, who leads statistics work at UNCTAD.

“This is especially important in developing countries where resources are scarce. We cannot afford to leave data unused,” Ms. Peltola added.

Pilots lay bare persisting gender gap in trade

The guidelines were developed as part of a joint project on data and statistics for more gender-responsive trade policies in Africa, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, in which UNCTAD collaborated with the UN’s regional economic commissions for Africa and Europe.

Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Senegal and Zimbabwe piloted UNCTAD’s microdata linking methodology and compiled a set of new experimental, sex-disaggregated indicators measuring employment, wages and business ownership.

The results in all six pilot countries reaffirmed gender gaps in favor of men but also revealed many differences across countries.

Georgia and Kenya presented their findings and lessons learned on 30 August at a session of the 9th UN Global Forum on Gender Statistics.

Georgia: Data-driven policymaking to bolster women traders

In Georgia, the results of microdata linking showed fewer women employed in trading enterprises compared to men, with women earning 30% to 35% less.

Meanwhile, the ownership analysis indicated that the number of men owning businesses was about nine times higher than women for businesses that import and export, five times higher for those who only import, and three times more for exporters.

“Gender aspects of trade statistics become very relevant to addressing issues related to welfare and equality. There’s high interest from state institutions, international partners and non-governmental organizations,” said Gogita Todradze, executive director of Georgia’s National Statistics Office.

Drawing on these insights, Georgia plans to include gender-in-trade data in the statistics it regularly produces. The aim is to help government officials design policies that encourage women entrepreneurship, as well as increase job opportunities and wages for women in trade.

Kenya: Government-wide cooperation is key to leveraging existing data

Kenya, another pilot country, credited microdata linking for saving resources, while underscoring the need for cooperation within the government. The statistical data needed for this methodology may come from several different agencies.

For example, Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) does not have access to trade microdata due to the country’s confidentiality policies.

Therefore, cooperation with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) was necessary to link data from the authority’s customs database to its administrative tax data.

Once the microdata linking was complete, the KRA – in keeping with data privacy protocols – anonymized the dataset before handing it over to KNBS for analysis.

Similar to the experience in Georgia, the pilot in Kenya provided insights into gender disparities in trade.

It found that across Kenyan trading companies, men employees accounted for about 65% of the total employees. And men on average were paid 21% to 27% more than women.

Additionally, men accounted for 72% of the total number of owners of trading companies.

“These indicators can inform gender-responsive policymaking by identifying challenges and opportunities to promote gender-inclusive value chains,” said Cynthia Chelimo, who works for Kenya’s State Department for Trade.

Angola: Unlocking the potential of creative industries

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Female street vendors, locally known as “zungueiras”, are a defining characteristic in many Angolan cities.

These informal traders – often carrying a large plastic bowl of goods on their heads, and a baby strapped to their backs – represent the resilience and perseverance of Angolans, who have navigated economic and political uncertainties since the country’s independence in 1975.

Drawing on this reality comes “Zungueira Run”, one of Angola’s top video games with more than 50,000 downloads so far.

Created by a group of young Angolan developers, the game’s success offers a glimpse of a more innovative economic future, says a new UNCTAD study released on 13 September, examining the country’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs).

The study is a key component of the EU-UNCTAD Joint Programme for Angola: Train for Trade II funded by the European Union. It helps Angola diversify its economy and exports towards green and creative sectors and link to regional and global value chains through multisectoral assistance.

The study is also part of UNCTAD’s ongoing support to developing countries to map their creative economies and identify areas for improvement.

“A greater policy focus on innovation and creativity is critical for economic diversification, and hence for sustainable and inclusive growth in developing countries,” says Miho Shirotori, acting director of UNCTAD’s division of international trade and commodities.

Economic diversification gains fresh impetus in Angola

Angola boasts a rich cultural history of film, theatre, publishing and literature.

It also enjoys a bedrock of creative talent, start-ups and emerging innovation ecosystems hungry for opportunity in the CCIs – the most prominent areas being advertising, architecture and computer programming, according to the UNCTAD study.

But at the same time, Angola overly depends on crude oil, which represents 93% of its exports. Low productivity and meagre opportunities in other economic sectors have left a third of the population below the poverty line.

As Angola strives to exit the UN category of least developed countries, there’s a renewed sense of urgency to diversify its economy.

And a key route to this goal is leveraging the creative and cultural industries to help mitigate economic fluctuations attached to oil prices, employ more people in the formal economy, while tackling several structural constraints.

“We aim to promote vibrant CCIs in Angola, provide greater opportunities for entrepreneurs and creators, build on the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our country and strengthen trade relationships with more countries,” says Filipe Silva de Pina Zau, minister of culture and tourism in Angola.

Traditionally, China, the European Union and the United States are Angola’s main trading partners. With the creative economy on the rise, the country hopes to boost economic ties with other economies.

Gaps to bridge

Take gaming again for example. The UNCTAD study shows that on average, between 50 and 60 video games are developed in Angola each year.

But few are registered with Angola’s Institute of Intellectual Property, making it even harder to enforce copyrights and combat a culture of piracy.

Other concerns are related to high production costs, a shortage of skills, internet access quality and affordability, as well as hurdles in making and receiving international digital payments.

Additionally, the study flags the absence of a framework to effectively define and measure these industries, resulting in scattered and incomparable data. Such lack of data on job creation, GDP contribution and gross value-added limits the government’s ability to design effective policies and interventions.

To address this, the study emphasizes the need for improved data collection, measurement, and statistics to unlock the promise of the CCIs.

Ways to unleash the full potential

The study presents a roadmap for Angola to harness the CCIs’ economic power primarily through comprehensive policies, improved data collection and increased investment.

Noting that Angola’s cultural policy is currently fragmented across different ministries, UNCTAD calls for greater collaboration across the government – anchored by the culture and tourism ministry – and more inclusive policymaking.

“Angola needs a more cohesive and coordinated governance structure and classification system for the CCIs,” says Marisa Henderson, head of UNCTAD’s creative economy programme and lead author of the study.

“State intervention along with participation of the private sector and civil society will help Angola unlock the economic potential of the sector.”

Pointing to the CCIs’ struggle to access even microfinance, UNCTAD encourages efforts to offer creative workers access to loans while helping them build creditworthiness.

In addition to traditional private financing, other forms of support, such as tax incentives, social schemes and public funding are essential.

UNCTAD also calls for the empowerment of creative workers and artists through infrastructure development, training and education, as well as promotional campaigns to foster “a strong, saleable brand” nationally and globally for Angola’s cultural and creative industries.

Holistic approach

The EU-UNCTAD joint programme supports Angola to diversify its economy and exports by building productive capacities, operating across seven different economic policy areas simultaneously.

The programme was selected in 2022 as a global success story for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) good practices implementation.

UNCTAD’s holistic approach to development, first piloted in Angola, will feature as one of the 12 High Impact Initiatives on 17 September as part of the UN’s SDG Action Weekend, ahead of the SDG Summit and the high-level segment of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

UNCTAD’s initiative dubbed “Transforming4Trade” will provide political guidance for holistic, multisectoral and multi-year programmes to foster productive capacities and structural economic transformation.

Improving debt management in Mauritania

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Implemented as part of UNCTAD’s Debt Management and Financial Analysis System (DMFAS) programme, a recently concluded UNCTAD project has helped Mauritania improve its public debt management.

The two-year project has helped improve the availability of the sub-Saharan African nation’s debt data.

It lead to the publication of the country’s debt statistics bulletin in line with international standards. The bulletin now provides more comprehensive information on Mauritania’s public debt in a timely manner, enhancing transparency to inform policymaking and debt restructuring negotiations.

While public debt can be vital for development, UN analysis highlights how it can become a heavy burden and divert government resources from essential services, such as education and health.

Idrissa Niang, director of the external debt department in the country’s finance ministry, expressed satisfaction with UNCTAD’s support, while urging global donors to continue supporting developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability.

Debt relief efforts have helped

In the early 2000s, Mauritania received debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) initiative and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative.

The country benefited from the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and signed a suspension agreement under this framework in June 2020.

It also conducted bilateral debt reorganization negotiations with some creditors, which helped significantly reduce its debt burden in 2021.

“With the HIPCs and debt restructuring processes, our debt structure has changed. Bilateral negotiations were successful for Mauritania,” Mr. Niang said.

Risk of debt distress downgraded to ‘moderate’

Mauritania’s ministry of finance has been using UNCTAD’s DMFAS software since 1996 to manage the country’s external debt, which is mainly concessional but highly exposed to exchange rate risks, since 85% of Mauritania’s public debt is denominated in foreign currencies.

If the country’s currency Ouguiya devalues, debt payments in foreign currency become more expensive, leaving less money for the government to invest in development spending – such as investing in roads, hospitals and education.

The main indicator of external debt sustainability – total external debt to export ratio – shows that the country’s capacity to pay its external debt in the medium and long- term has improved since 2015.

According to the World Bank, Mauritania’s debt to GDP ratio remained stable in 2022 at around 49%.

In January 2023, a joint assessment by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank suggested that the risk of overall and external public debt distress is moderate for Mauritania.

This is down from the “high” rating in previous debt sustainability assessments, thanks to recent debt restructuring and continued improvements in the country’s fiscal risk management.

Besides Mauritania, UNCTAD’s DMFAS software is currently used in over 80 institutions across 61 countries.

Piloting more effective debt management practices

To continue strengthening Mauritania’s capacity and knowledge on debt data quality and debt sustainability analysis, UNCTAD and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) held a national workshop in the country’s capital Nouakchott on 19 and 20 June.

The workshop was organized as part of UNCTAD and ESCWA’s joint project “Developing debt optimization strategies to enhance fiscal space”, of which Mauritania is a pilot country.

The project supports countries in the region to adopt effective debt optimization practices, including improving debt transparency and reporting.

© UNCTAD/Roula Katergi | Mauritanian government officials at a debt management workshop co-hosted by ESCWA and UNCTAD in Nouakchott, the country’s capital, on 19 and 20 June 2023.

Benin triples number of companies opened by youth in 2022

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Not everyone can turn the theft of a cell phone into a good experience. But then again, not everyone is Richard Odjrado. When this young Beninese entrepreneur’s phone was stolen – for a second time – he transformed calamity into ingenuity.

Mr. Odjrado, 34, has created a revolutionary anti-theft tracker for smartphones that alerts the owner if the phone is moved without their permission, enabling them to locate it if it’s lost or stolen. The tracker is also operated from a smart watch he’s designed.

He spent nearly two years researching and developing his anti-theft solution before launching his company AS World Tech, which also makes glasses and laptops.

Boom for registrations

Between 2019 and 2022 the number of young people opening new businesses in Benin skyrocketed, more than tripling from 7,416 registrations to 23,312.

“That’s growth of 212%,” says Laurent Gangbes, chief executive of the Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Exports (APIEx) in Benin, who’s behind an initiative to digitize government services and make it easier to do business in the West African nation.

The boom is powered by low-code software developed by UNCTAD, and “demonstrates a national demand for digital services that support entrepreneurial ambitions,” Mr. Gangbes added.

Young people drive new businesses in Benin

2019 2022 2019–2022
Total new businesses 27 379 56 579 +107%
Founded by women 8 936 18 764 +110%
Founded by age 18–30 7 460 23 312 +212%

Source: UNCTAD

UNCTAD developed the MonEntreprise.bj platform in 2020, using its ground-breaking software custom-built to help businesses launch efficiently online.

Benin is committed to establishing a digital business environment that delivers innovative services to the private sector and enables businesses to thrive. “Their story is one of an enabling environment realized,” says Frank Grozel, UNCTAD’s head of business facilitation.

The UNCTAD-Benin business facilitation project is supported by the Netherlands.

The software has been deployed in 10 other developing countries and counting, lowering barriers to entry into the business world in Argentina, Bhutan, Burundi, Cameroon, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iraq, Lesotho and Mali.

Digital-enabled growth

Mr. Odjrado’s company is now thriving because of the digital-first approach taken by Benin’s government. The MonEntreprise.bj platform saved him a lot of time and hassle, he said.

“I didn’t have to run around to different government offices to get the necessary documents. I was able to do everything online, from registering my business to obtaining my tax ID number.”

He registered AS World Tech in a few minutes in June 2021. Less than two years later, it exports to 56 countries including France and China. The company is about to build a new factory of 16,000 square metres in Benin that will employ 218 people.

“If you stay in the informal sector you are no one. You have no legitimacy and aren’t known. You can’t have any serious business relationships. So you need to formalize,” he advised.

https://youtu.be/MOQWsjrubDg

More women taking the entrepreneurial leap

More women than ever are using the MonEnterprise platform to open companies.

The number of women-founded companies doubled between 2019 (8,936) and 2022 (18,764), with women like Caludia Togbe taking full advantage of just how easy it is to do so.

“I didn’t believe the online business registration system would work as promised but it did,” Ms. Togbe said. “It’s every entrepreneur’s dream to be able to create a company from home. In other countries in the sub-region it takes three weeks to do the same thing.”

Women represented 33% of the 56,579 new businesses opened in Benin in 2022.

For Ms. Togbe, the formalization of her business helped change perceptions. When she started looking for work early in her career, she was told by would-be employers that she was too young for the job.

But she bypassed their opinions to launch Origine Terre, a natural product cosmetics company. “In only three to four clicks,” she added.

“I couldn’t wait for someone to hire me, so I decided to create my own job, and hire myself,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to be my own boss. But it wasn’t until I hit rock bottom that I decided to take the leap and start my own business.”

She began by making natural cosmetic products in her kitchen and selling them at local markets. As her business grew, she moved into a small workshop and began to hire employees.

Now Origine Terre is a popular phenomenon in Benin. Opened in 2020 on MonEnterprise, it has expanded to include skincare, haircare and body care products. Her products are sold in stores throughout France and online.

Origine Terre exports to Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo, and imports from China, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. Across Benin, its products are stocked at local supermarkets.

https://youtu.be/6Vuj-zeu-Ac

World Investment Forum to mobilize financing for climate, energy, health and food

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The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will hold the World Investment Forum 2023 to rally investments for climate action, clean energy, health care, food security and other development needs.

Heads of state, more than 50 government ministers, over 150 CEOs of leading companies and stock exchanges, and thousands of investment stakeholders – from sovereign wealth fund managers and investment treaty negotiators to heads of international organizations – will participate in more than 130 events co-organized with over 80 partners. See the full programme.

“As the world faces multiple crises, we urgently need investment stakeholders worldwide to ignite action, unlock more funds and channel them to vital sectors key to reducing the effects of these crises,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan said.

According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2023, overlapping crises such as the war in Ukraine, high food and energy prices and debt pressures led to a 12% decline in global foreign direct investment in 2022.

Opportunity to tackle interlocking issues

Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, minister of state for foreign trade in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said UNCTAD can play a major role in addressing and ultimately mitigating these interlocking issues.

“It is an undeniably challenging moment for the global economy, and for the economies of the Global South in particular. As we confront the triple shocks of inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and climate change, balancing prosperity and sustainability requires a combination of innovation, investment and, perhaps above all, will,” Dr. Al Zeyoudi said.

He added that the forum provides an opportune moment for the global investment community, supported by policymakers and institutions, to mobilize and direct capital to projects that can fast-track environmentally responsible and socially beneficial development.

“As a consistent advocate for both equitable, inclusive growth and trade’s role in driving it, the UAE is eager to contribute to a solutions-oriented forum that can begin to write a positive new chapter for the world,” he said.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), said: “Abu Dhabi is taking a leading role in defining the new architecture for climate finance, through concrete actions including its recently released comprehensive regulatory framework for sustainable finance that rivals global standards.”

By setting stringent requirements for sustainability-focused products and services, he added, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi (ADGM) is putting in place a progressive framework that drives capital towards projects, advancing climate transition for a net-zero future.

Mr. Al Zaabi added: “We look forward to welcoming global leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives to the ‘Capital of Capital’, and we are confident that our collaboration will result in tangible outcomes that will benefit the global economy by supporting inclusive and advanced flow of trade and creating new opportunities for business owners and investors.”

$2.2 trillion annual gap for energy transition in developing countries

On climate action, this eighth edition of the World Investment Forum will highlight investment solutions that will feed into negotiations at the 28th UN climate change conference (COP28) scheduled for late November and December in Dubai.

Forum participants will agree on actions to boost clean energy investments in developing countries, which face an investment gap of $2.2 trillion annually for the transition to low-carbon energy, according to the World Investment Report 2023.

Financing a low-carbon future

The forum will also address how the sustainable finance market can help build a low-carbon future and increase investment in sustainable energy.

The value of the global sustainable finance market (bonds, funds and voluntary carbon markets) reached $5.8 trillion in 2022, despite the turbulent economic environment, including high inflation, rising interest rates, poor market returns and the looming risk of a recession that all affected the financial markets.

$450 billion needed annually for health and food

The forum will also explore opportunities to boost investment in health care. Developing countries alone need at least $100 billion in additional investment in health-care facilities and infrastructure each year.

They will also examine how to increase public and private sector investment in agrifood systems to reduce food insecurity, foster rural employment, particularly for women and youth, and increase incomes.

Countries need up to $350 billion annually for the next decade to transform agrifood systems, which can also help tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.

From commitments to actions

The forum will also offer countries a platform to translate their commitments on investment facilitation into tangible actions and reforms.

James Zhan, the UNCTAD director who leads the World Investment Forum, said: “This is a golden opportunity for developing countries to examine how they can bridge investment gaps through more efficient investment promotion and facilitation.”

Countries will explore how to make their investment facilitation services inclusive and address the specific needs of sectors and investor groups with a high development impact, such as social entrepreneurs and women, youth and rural investors.

Uncertainty over Niger’s delegation to UN General Assembly

News Editor

In late July, Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a military coup.

Abdourahamane Tiani, a general, was later declared as the country’s new head of state.

In response to the putsch in the country, ECOWAS, led by President Bola Tinubu, had threatened to deploy force, besides economic and financial sanctions, to reinstate the ousted leader, Mohamed Bazoum.

It was learnt that there are two delegations from the country seeking to participate at the General Debate.

The “General Debate” is the formal name for the speeches given at the General Assembly by Presidents, Prime Ministers and diplomats from hundreds of United Nations member states.

Niger is however scheduled to speak on Thursday, September 21.

The Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming while speaking to journalists clarified that the onus lies on the credentials committee to work on the recognition.

She said: “We believe that military coups are not the way to change power, but through democratic transitions which are free and fair elections.

“The UN is really making as much effort as it can, to try and push for democracy, and not to acknowledge takeovers of power that are not legitimate.

“For example. Niger Republic is trying to send two different delegations to the UN next week. Everybody wants to keep the UN to recognize them.

“There’s no delegation from the Taliban. If a country is not recognized by the UN, then you know, you’re going to have a hard time; also getting international aid is not going to be easy. We provide support to governments in transition and try to bolster democracies.

“There is a Credentials Committee which is made up of member states that is supposed to be meeting to make a decision on who can be represented.

“We have the same situation with Myanmar. The Credentials Committee hasn’t met yet, which is also as a result of the geopolitical plan tensions. So we’ll have to see in the coming days what the outcome will be. But so far, there’s no one recognized.”

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