Documents

Given their geographic situation, landlocked developing countries have been hit doubly hard by the cross-border processes implemented to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

This research provides a detailed explanation of the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the areas of international trade and transport adopted by the Governments of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and of Paraguay to limit the effects of the pandemic on trade operations and supply chains in their countries. It also provides a set of policy recommendations to preserve and improve trade facilitation and transport connectivity with transit countries in the framework of Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024.

Given their small size and geographic isolation, Caribbean countries are highly reliant on trade and tourism as important sources of income and employment. Lockdowns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have left islands closed, airports without flights, hotels shuttered, cruise ships docked in ports and economies in crisis.

This research provides a detailed explanation of the responses to COVID-19 in the areas of international trade and transport adopted by English-speaking countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to limit the effects of the pandemic on trade operations and supply chains in the region. It also provides a set of policy recommendations to preserve and improve trade and transport connectivity in the Caribbean basin.

UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Section has developed a Crisis Response Package which aims to assist countries to mitigate socio-economic impacts during periods of crisis. 

Impacts of the COVID-19 disruption on maritime trade flows, port calls, and liner shipping connectivity in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This report has been prepared in line with the ESCAP framework on socio-economic response to COVID-19 and as part of the activities of the UNDA project “Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics: contactless, seamless and collaborative UN solutions”.

The policy brief explores challenges and opportunities for sustainable railway transport connectivity in the times of COVID-19 pandemic. 

This FAL Bulletin continues the Reflections on Disruptive Technologies in Transport that ECLAC has been publishing through this medium. The present edition analyses the importance of the digital transformation of logistics, especially in the current circumstances where the need for fluid, safe and resilient logistics calls for additional actions on traceability and process facilitation.

This technical note aims to offer policy recommendations for policy responses using new technologies and smart road solutions to preserve the regional transport connectivity in the time of the pandemics and other similar disruptions.

The policy brief focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the shipping and port industry and the policy responses on COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific. 

The paper indicates that the SSWA countries have achieved remarkable progress in trade facilitation, especially as the COVID-19 crisis progressed. Although the policy responses in the initial months of the outbreak appeared to be fragmented and lacked coherence, countries in SSWA have shown convergence toward simplification of trade procedures, and enhanced transport and logistics and digital trade facilitation. While these measures have helped the SSWA countries secure supply of essential goods and services, some have simultaneously enforced stringent protection measures which represent a risk. The responses to the COVID-19 crisis suggest a greater scope of regional cooperation in the subregion. Digitalizing the trade processes in SSWA, including by signing on to the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, would be the next step toward the needed paperless trade environment.