BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a4cf6be71fff DTSTART:20241015T060000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241015T140000Z LOCATION:Moroni\, Comoros SUMMARY:National validation workshop on the vulnerability profile of the Co moros CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will host a two-day workshop for the validation of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros and the Stu dy on the Impact of the AfCFTA on the Prospects for Structural Transformat ion of the Comoros. BackgroundComoros was identified as pre-eligible for graduation from the least developed countries (LDC) category by the Commit tee for Development Policy (CPD) during its triennial review of the LDC ca tegory carried out in 2021. This eligibility was confirmed in 2024\, but t he recommendation for graduation was postponed by the CPD in order to give the country more time to face its vulnerabilities and address them. It is in this context that the workshop will take place.UNCTAD launched the pre paratory process of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros in line with the mandate conferred by the UN General Assembly Resolution of 20 December 2004. UNCTAD undertook an inception mission to the country from 18 to 22 July 2022\, and since then it has drafted a first version of the vulnerabi lity profile.It focuses on the Comoros’ vulnerabilities across three dim ensions of sustainable development: economy\, social development and the e nvironment. It examines the degree to which the economy is exposed to exte rnal shocks and the strengths and weaknesses of the country'\;s develo pment trajectory over time. Given the importance of accelerating sustainab le development\, the document identifies key areas that will require atten tion and opportunities that could be quickly capitalized on to ensure achi eving graduation with momentum in the medium term.Six key development chal lengesThe vulnerability profile has identified six key development challen ges: Unfavorable structural transformation\, export concentration\, instit utional weaknesses\, high dependence on remittances\, import dependence an d environmental vulnerabilities.Labor productivity remaining virtually sta gnant over the long termExport concentration: Three agricultural commoditi es – vanilla\, ylang-ylang (essential oil) and cloves – comprise more than 70% of merchandise exports.Dependence on remittances: From 2018 to 20 20\, Comoros ranked 4th in Africa and 18th globally in terms of the contri bution of remittances to GDP. Remittances rose to 19% of GDP for Comoros i n 2020. A total of 40% of Comorian households receive diaspora remittances \, but these are channeled towards household consumption\, with very limit ed developmental impact.In parallel to the vulnerability profile\, UNCTAD collaborated with the Economic Commission for Africa to examine how the co ntinental integration process can be used as a lever to accelerate the cou ntry'\;s sustainable development. The study focuses on specific econom ic sectors as potential catalysts to advance the structural economic trans formation of the Comoros.Workshop 0bjectivesThe National Validation Worksh op has the following objectives:Present the findings of the Vulnerability Profile and the StudyRaise awareness among the private sector of the impli cations of the vulnerabilities and opportunities presented by the implemen tation of the AfCFTA and the Comoros'\; accession to the World Trade O rganizationProvide an opportunity for a multi-stakeholder dialogue on an a dequate policy framework to address vulnerabilities and strengthen the cou ntry'\;s resiliencePromote a national consensus on policies for eventu al graduation with momentumDevelop a document outlining priorities for fol low-up activities for future technical assistance to the national Governme nt.<\;p>\;UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will host a two-day worksh op for the validation of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros and the Study on the Impact of the AfCFTA on the Prospects for Structural Transfor mation of the Comoros.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;strong>\; Background<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;Comoros was identified as pre-eligible for graduation from the least developed countries (LDC) ca tegory by the Committee for Development Policy (CPD) during its triennial review of the LDC category carried out in 2021. This eligibility was confi rmed in 2024\, but the recommendation for graduation was postponed by the CPD in order to give the country more time to face its vulnerabilities and address them. It is in this context that the workshop will take place.< \;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD launched the preparatory process of the Vulnera bility Profile of the Comoros in line with the mandate conferred by the UN General Assembly Resolution of 20 December 2004. UNCTAD undertook an ince ption mission to the country from 18 to 22 July 2022\, and since then it h as drafted a first version of the vulnerability profile.<\;/p>\;<\;p >\;It focuses on the Comoros’ vulnerabilities across three dimensions of sustainable development: economy\, social development and the environme nt. It examines the degree to which the economy is exposed to external sho cks and the strengths and weaknesses of the country'\;s development tr ajectory over time. Given the importance of accelerating sustainable devel opment\, the document identifies key areas that will require attention and opportunities that could be quickly capitalized on to ensure achieving gr aduation with momentum in the medium term.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;str ong>\;Six key development challenges<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p >\;The vulnerability profile has identified six key development challeng es: Unfavorable structural transformation\, export concentration\, institu tional weaknesses\, high dependence on remittances\, import dependence and environmental vulnerabilities.<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\;<\;st rong>\;Labor productivity<\;/strong>\; remaining virtually stagnant over the long term<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Export concentr ation<\;/strong>\;: Three agricultural commodities – vanilla\, ylang -ylang (essential oil) and cloves – comprise more than 70% of merchandis e exports.<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Dependence on remittanc es<\;/strong>\;: From 2018 to 2020\, Comoros ranked 4th in Africa and 18th globally in terms of the contribution of remittances to GDP. Remittan ces rose to 19% of GDP for Comoros in 2020. A total of 40% of Comorian hou seholds receive diaspora remittances\, but these are channeled towards hou sehold consumption\, with very limited developmental impact.<\;/li>\;& lt\;/ul>\;<\;p>\;In parallel to the vulnerability profile\, UNCTAD c ollaborated with the Economic Commission for Africa to examine how the con tinental integration process can be used as a lever to accelerate the coun try'\;s sustainable development. The study focuses on specific economi c sectors as potential catalysts to advance the structural economic transf ormation of the Comoros.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;strong>\;Workshop 0 bjectives<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;The National Validation Workshop has the following objectives:<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\; Present the findings of the Vulnerability Profile and the Study<\;/li> \;<\;li>\;Raise awareness among the private sector of the implications of the vulnerabilities and opportunities presented by the implementation of the AfCFTA and the Comoros'\; accession to the World Trade Organiza tion<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Provide an opportunity for a multi-stakeholde r dialogue on an adequate policy framework to address vulnerabilities and strengthen the country'\;s resilience<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Promote a national consensus on policies for eventual graduation with momentum<\ ;/li>\;<\;li>\;Develop a document outlining priorities for follow-up activities for future technical assistance to the national Government.< \;/li>\;<\;/ul>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/ meeting/national-validation-workshop-vulnerability-profile-comoros DTSTAMP:20260707T125318Z END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a4cf6be7206e DTSTART:20241016T060000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20241016T140000Z LOCATION:Moroni\, Comoros SUMMARY:National validation workshop on the vulnerability profile of the Co moros CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will host a two-day workshop for the validation of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros and the Stu dy on the Impact of the AfCFTA on the Prospects for Structural Transformat ion of the Comoros. BackgroundComoros was identified as pre-eligible for graduation from the least developed countries (LDC) category by the Commit tee for Development Policy (CPD) during its triennial review of the LDC ca tegory carried out in 2021. This eligibility was confirmed in 2024\, but t he recommendation for graduation was postponed by the CPD in order to give the country more time to face its vulnerabilities and address them. It is in this context that the workshop will take place.UNCTAD launched the pre paratory process of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros in line with the mandate conferred by the UN General Assembly Resolution of 20 December 2004. UNCTAD undertook an inception mission to the country from 18 to 22 July 2022\, and since then it has drafted a first version of the vulnerabi lity profile.It focuses on the Comoros’ vulnerabilities across three dim ensions of sustainable development: economy\, social development and the e nvironment. It examines the degree to which the economy is exposed to exte rnal shocks and the strengths and weaknesses of the country'\;s develo pment trajectory over time. Given the importance of accelerating sustainab le development\, the document identifies key areas that will require atten tion and opportunities that could be quickly capitalized on to ensure achi eving graduation with momentum in the medium term.Six key development chal lengesThe vulnerability profile has identified six key development challen ges: Unfavorable structural transformation\, export concentration\, instit utional weaknesses\, high dependence on remittances\, import dependence an d environmental vulnerabilities.Labor productivity remaining virtually sta gnant over the long termExport concentration: Three agricultural commoditi es – vanilla\, ylang-ylang (essential oil) and cloves – comprise more than 70% of merchandise exports.Dependence on remittances: From 2018 to 20 20\, Comoros ranked 4th in Africa and 18th globally in terms of the contri bution of remittances to GDP. Remittances rose to 19% of GDP for Comoros i n 2020. A total of 40% of Comorian households receive diaspora remittances \, but these are channeled towards household consumption\, with very limit ed developmental impact.In parallel to the vulnerability profile\, UNCTAD collaborated with the Economic Commission for Africa to examine how the co ntinental integration process can be used as a lever to accelerate the cou ntry'\;s sustainable development. The study focuses on specific econom ic sectors as potential catalysts to advance the structural economic trans formation of the Comoros.Workshop 0bjectivesThe National Validation Worksh op has the following objectives:Present the findings of the Vulnerability Profile and the StudyRaise awareness among the private sector of the impli cations of the vulnerabilities and opportunities presented by the implemen tation of the AfCFTA and the Comoros'\; accession to the World Trade O rganizationProvide an opportunity for a multi-stakeholder dialogue on an a dequate policy framework to address vulnerabilities and strengthen the cou ntry'\;s resiliencePromote a national consensus on policies for eventu al graduation with momentumDevelop a document outlining priorities for fol low-up activities for future technical assistance to the national Governme nt.<\;p>\;UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will host a two-day worksh op for the validation of the Vulnerability Profile of the Comoros and the Study on the Impact of the AfCFTA on the Prospects for Structural Transfor mation of the Comoros.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;strong>\; Background<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;Comoros was identified as pre-eligible for graduation from the least developed countries (LDC) ca tegory by the Committee for Development Policy (CPD) during its triennial review of the LDC category carried out in 2021. This eligibility was confi rmed in 2024\, but the recommendation for graduation was postponed by the CPD in order to give the country more time to face its vulnerabilities and address them. It is in this context that the workshop will take place.< \;/p>\;<\;p>\;UNCTAD launched the preparatory process of the Vulnera bility Profile of the Comoros in line with the mandate conferred by the UN General Assembly Resolution of 20 December 2004. UNCTAD undertook an ince ption mission to the country from 18 to 22 July 2022\, and since then it h as drafted a first version of the vulnerability profile.<\;/p>\;<\;p >\;It focuses on the Comoros’ vulnerabilities across three dimensions of sustainable development: economy\, social development and the environme nt. It examines the degree to which the economy is exposed to external sho cks and the strengths and weaknesses of the country'\;s development tr ajectory over time. Given the importance of accelerating sustainable devel opment\, the document identifies key areas that will require attention and opportunities that could be quickly capitalized on to ensure achieving gr aduation with momentum in the medium term.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;str ong>\;Six key development challenges<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p >\;The vulnerability profile has identified six key development challeng es: Unfavorable structural transformation\, export concentration\, institu tional weaknesses\, high dependence on remittances\, import dependence and environmental vulnerabilities.<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\;<\;st rong>\;Labor productivity<\;/strong>\; remaining virtually stagnant over the long term<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Export concentr ation<\;/strong>\;: Three agricultural commodities – vanilla\, ylang -ylang (essential oil) and cloves – comprise more than 70% of merchandis e exports.<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Dependence on remittanc es<\;/strong>\;: From 2018 to 2020\, Comoros ranked 4th in Africa and 18th globally in terms of the contribution of remittances to GDP. Remittan ces rose to 19% of GDP for Comoros in 2020. A total of 40% of Comorian hou seholds receive diaspora remittances\, but these are channeled towards hou sehold consumption\, with very limited developmental impact.<\;/li>\;& lt\;/ul>\;<\;p>\;In parallel to the vulnerability profile\, UNCTAD c ollaborated with the Economic Commission for Africa to examine how the con tinental integration process can be used as a lever to accelerate the coun try'\;s sustainable development. The study focuses on specific economi c sectors as potential catalysts to advance the structural economic transf ormation of the Comoros.<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;<\;strong>\;Workshop 0 bjectives<\;/strong>\;<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;The National Validation Workshop has the following objectives:<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\; Present the findings of the Vulnerability Profile and the Study<\;/li> \;<\;li>\;Raise awareness among the private sector of the implications of the vulnerabilities and opportunities presented by the implementation of the AfCFTA and the Comoros'\; accession to the World Trade Organiza tion<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Provide an opportunity for a multi-stakeholde r dialogue on an adequate policy framework to address vulnerabilities and strengthen the country'\;s resilience<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Promote a national consensus on policies for eventual graduation with momentum<\ ;/li>\;<\;li>\;Develop a document outlining priorities for follow-up activities for future technical assistance to the national Government.< \;/li>\;<\;/ul>\;\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/ meeting/national-validation-workshop-vulnerability-profile-comoros DTSTAMP:20260707T125318Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR