Trade has a critical role to play in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) especially Goal 8 on sustainable growth, but immigration issues and xenophobia threaten to drown out the benefits of globalization, says UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi in this colorful video of the UNCTAD 14 conference.
Trade has a critical role to play in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) especially Goal 8 on sustainable growth, but immigration issues and xenophobia threaten to drown out the benefits of globalization, says UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi in this colorful video of the UNCTAD 14 conference, which took place in Nairobi, July 17-22, 2016.
With a tagline "From decisions to actions", the conference explored the ways in which the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals can be translated into meaningful action and fair, sustainable growth.
"Any model that takes some section of society or some region of the world ahead while other areas are going backwards is not a model that is viable for the long-term," Dr. Kituyi says.
"We are fashioning concrete discussions, commitments by leaders… also to counter the headwinds that have slowly been eating away at the spirit of multilateralism," he said.
Progress at the conference included the launch of a new e-trade initiative, the first UN statistical report on the SDG indicators, the launch of a multi-donor trust fund on trade and productive capacity, and the commitment of more than 90 countries for a roadmap on fisheries subsidies. The conference also highlighted the creative and commercial potential of Kenya's fashion industry, the launch of this year's Economic Development in Africa Report, and the highlighting of issues around non-tariff measures, debt, and illicit financial flows.
The video shows footage of Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta opening the conference in the presence of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, after traditional dancers and musicians had welcomed the top level guests, and a Kenyan fashion show to showcase Kenya's designers and the potential of creative industries.
For Dr. Kituyi and many others, UNCTAD's work remains more important than ever, supporting populations to seize the opportunities of globalization and protecting the same people from the downsides, by working on the inter-connected issues of trade, investment, technology, and finance.
