The UN Oceans Forum, organized by an UNCTAD-led coalition, called for sufficient and reliable long-term investment in a Blue Deal to conserve and use the ocean for sustainable development.

The Blue Connection film tells an inspiring story of unity, support, and multilateral collaboration between three countries - Barbados, Belize, and Costa Rica - and their collective efforts to sustainably develop their coastal communities in the wake of the global pandemic. The story shares an intimate perspective of the daily lives and challenges faced by people working in the blue economy through an UNCTAD  project.

Protecting our ocean and boosting its economic benefits demands a global trade, investment and innovation "Blue Deal" to create a sustainable and resilient ocean economy that benefits all.

Policymakers and leading experts will examine how science, technology and innovation can help the world recover better from the COVID-19 pandemic at the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development from 28 March to 1 April.

Four United Nations organizations have issued a joint statement calling for continued global collaboration to address the crew change crisis that, at times during the COVID-19 pandemic, has left more than 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.

After undergoing training provided by UNCTAD, Geraldo Basilua now runs a formally registered business providing agribusiness training and consulting that has increased his income 20-fold.

Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows showed a strong rebound in 2021, up 77%, according to UNCTAD’s Investment Trends Monitor.

A new Asia-Pacific free trade agreement set to enter into force on 1 January 2022 will create the world’s largest trading bloc by economic size, according to an UNCTAD study.

UNCTAD predicts that annual growth in maritime trade between 2022 and 2026 will slow to 2.4%, compared to 2.9% over the past two decades.

Promoting regional knowledge and South–South cooperation, UNCTAD’s TrainForTrade port management programme has created a network to help port communities reboot their economies.

UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report 2021 outlines reforms of the international financial system to get more climate adaptation funds flowing to developing countries. Released ahead of the COP26 climate summit, the report calls for a transformative approach to climate adaptation, with advanced economies ensuring that multilateral institutions can support developing countries to manage the changing climate. Estimates indicate that annual climate adaptation costs in developing countries could reach $300 billion in 2030, yet current funding is less than a quarter of that figure.

The data-driven digital economy is surging according to UNCTAD’s Digital Economy Report 2021. Yet, large power imbalances remain as major platforms reinforce their positions in the data value chain.

Developing productive capacities in least developed countries (LDCs) is necessary for boosting their response to and recover from crises such as COVID-19, according to a recent UNCTAD report.

Driven by the belief that young people possess the agency and power to shape their future, some Kenyan youth are tapping into the digital economy and taking their place at the negotiation table.

UNCTAD and Barbados call to photographers everywhere to document a strong narrative of trade and development issues and to share images that showcase trade’s positive impact.