Multi-Year Expert Meeting on Transport, Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation, eleventh session

Maritime transport and logistics are currently at a turning point amid a fast-evolving operating landscape. Lying at the heart of international freight transportation systems that link supply chains and deliver globalized trade, the sector continues to navigate the post-COVID-19 pandemic world, while being increasingly shaken by disruption.

More than ever, the sector needs to respond and adapt to disruption and volatility driven by a confluence of factors. In addition to heightened geopolitical risks and climate-induced factors, the sector needs to address and navigate macroeconomic uncertainty, inward-looking policies and protectionist measures, shifts in supply- chain design and globalization patterns and new consumption and spending habits amid growing electronic commerce.

Maritime transport and logistics also need to integrate risk assessment and vulnerability reduction criteria, as well as take up digitalization and data driven business models. Furthermore, as the sector is under pressure to shift towards to a low and zero carbon path, it needs to accelerate its energy transition and adopt green technologies and cleaner alternative fuels.

In this context and against a backdrop of more frequent disruptions culminating in interconnected crises, the meeting will focus on key thematic areas relevant to advancing sustainability, low-carbon and resilient maritime transport and trade in a time of poly-crisis, while taking into account the outcome of relevant global key policy processes, including the Global Supply Chain Forum convened by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Government of Barbados, in Bridgetown, on 21-24 May 2024.

Bearing in mind ongoing UN Trade and Development work supporting the sustainability and resilience-building agenda in freight transport and logistics, the meeting will provide an opportunity to share experience and good practices and provide recommendations on the best way forward, and to identify priority actions to support maritime transport and logistics navigate disruptions, while building resilience and advancing the sustainability agenda, with a particular focus on developing countries, small island developing States, the least developed countries and landlocked developing countries.

Participation

Member States are requested to nominate experts in the relevant fields by 23 September 2024.

Experts, who will participate in the meeting in their personal capacities, are expected to have proven expertise in the subject areas and may be selected from governmental and non- governmental organizations, the private sector or academia.

Specialized agencies and intergovernmental bodies that wish to participate in the meeting, as well as non-governmental organizations in the general category and those in the special category that wish to participate as observers, are requested to register by the same date.

Registration

Online registration is mandatory.

Contributed papers

Experts are encouraged to prepare and submit brief papers (maximum 10 pages) related to their studies, findings and/or national experiences.

These papers will be made available at the meeting in the form and language in which they are received.

Logistics

The session will be held with physical participation, in room XXVI of the Palais des Nations.

Those who cannot attend the meeting in person will be able to listen to the live audio stream in the six official languages of the United Nations. 

The link to listen live will be sent to registered participants, at the email address used for registration, one day in advance of the start of the session.