The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Press Conferences | UNCTAD
UNCTAD – Rebeca Grynspan key messages: Trade and Development Report 2023
Key messages delivered by Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD Secretary-General (UN Conference on Trade and Development) this morning Wednesday 4th of October at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on the occasion of the publication of the Trade and Development Report 2023.
Key messages delivered by Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD Secretary-General (UN Conference on Trade and Development) this morning Wednesday 4th of October at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on the occasion of the publication of the Trade and Development report 2023.
"There are five messages that we want to emphasize from the Trade and Development report of this year. The first message is that the global economy is slowing down. This, despite the good news of the unexpected soft landing of the U.S. economy this year. But the perspectives of accelerating growth in the coming years are very slim.
The second message is that debt is a problem and that a lot of the developing countries are in a debt and development crisis. And debt has to be part of the discussion at the international level to be able to find the right solutions for restructuring debt in many developing countries, including middle income countries.
The third message is that investment is weak and credit is going down. So, the question of where the new sources of growth will come from has to be addressed.
And the fourth message is that we are worried about the market concentration, lack of competition in financialization of trade in very important markets, meaning energy, food, pharmaceuticals and digital are some examples.
So, the important thing is what are the policy recommendations?
On the one hand, we think that we need the policy mix, we have been calling for this. We think that interest rates should not be the only instrument use. And we have called for a revision of the inflation target of 2%, that could mean a collateral damage if not revised, especially for the developing countries, but also for the long term financial stability in the developed world.
The second recommendation is the reform of the international financial system. It would be the instruments to face the liquidity problems, the investment scale that is needed from the multilateral development banks, and, as I said before, a permanent mechanism to deal with the debt problem in the developing countries."
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WMO , UNHCR , WHO , ILO
WMO: Greenhouse Gas Bulletin; UNHCR: As attacks intensify UNHCR urges support for war ravaged Ukrainians; WHO: Clinical trials in DRC: vaccines and beyond; ILO: New global and regional estimates on domestic work, informality and working conditions
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UN WOMEN , WFP , WHO
UN WOMEN: Sudan Women and girls one year after the fall of El Fasher; increasing drone attacks across the country; WFP: DRC - Ebola spreads to eighth DRC province as WFP delivers food, builds treatment centres and keeps supplies moving; WHO - Update on Ebola (Bundibugyo Virus Disease)
1
12
1
1
Press Conferences , Images | UNOG
Closing Press Conference following the Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan
2
17
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | OCHA , WMO
Two UN agencies teamed up on Wednesday to issue an appeal for immediate assistance to help communities already being impacted by the strongest El Niño on record.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | CITES
Wildlife trade and conservation policy discussions at the 81st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC81)
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNCTAD , WMO , OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
UNHCR Hungary’s 1956 Refugee Crisis: 70 Years On, UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2026, Doha, WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin and Climate Update for COP31, OCHA Afghanistan: Malnutrition, Girls’ Education and Recovery, UNICEF Yemen: Child Malnutrition and Unsafe Water in Taiz, WHO Inequalities in Noncommunicable Diseases and Risk Factors
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR
End of UNHCR's 77th Annual Executive Committee (ExCom) meeting week
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNICEF , IOM , UNHCR
UN Special Assistant to the Personal Envoy Office (SUDAN): Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan; UNICEF: Dire situation of children in Gaza; IOM: Damaged Homes and Energy Attacks Risk Displacing Ukrainians for this winter; UNHCR: update on EXCOM week
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , UNDRR
UN stresses importance of household preparedness for disaster risk reduction.
1
1
1
Statements , Press Conferences | OHCHR
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNHCR , UNICEF , IFRC , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , IOM , OCHA , WHO
UNHCR – ExCom Meeting, UNICEF – Nepal Recovery, IFRC – Flash Floods, WHO – Mental Health, IOM – South Sudan Floods, OCHA – DRC Humanitarian aid, UNHCR – Sahel Displacement, UNICEF – Yemen Update, IOM – Gaza Shelter, UN Women – Gaza Women, OHCHR – Arrests and detentions of Syrians by Israeli force