UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : UNCTAD - Press Conference: Rebeca Grynspan on UNCTAD's 60th anniversary

OK, let's start. Good morning.

Welcome to the press briefing of the Information Service here in Geneva.

Today is Tuesday, ninth of April.

And as you know,

we are exceptionally starting a little bit earlier our press

briefing because we have the honour to have with us

the Secretary General of

Mrs Rebecca Greenspan for a prequel to the briefing. We will hear from her

until 1030

then we will continue with the regular press briefing.

So, Mrs Greenspan,

thank you very much for being with us with the journalist here in Geneva.

It's now a 60 year act that has been created and it's undergoing a total rebranding

in the

run up to the 60th anniversary.

So I'll give you the floor and then we will open the floor to questions, please.

Thank you very much. Thank you. All of you for for being here.

Good morning.

Uh

uh. Well, today

represents a milestone for uncut

marking not just the beginning of our 60th anniversary,

but also the presentation of our rebranding as UN trade and development.

This isn't

a simple change. Our new brand as UN trade and development represents a stronger

and renewed organisation committed to expanding our reach,

amplifying our voice as a firm advocate

for developing countries in the global economy,

we want our mission to be better understood

and our voice to be heard

in the global economic debates,

where decisions that affect developing countries are taken

today, the need for renewal couldn't be clearer.

We live in a world which is very different. From 1964

there have been significant shifts in the global economic landscape

and in 2024 cascading crisis geopolitics, climate change

are having a profound

and disruptive effect on global trade and the global

economy that have also geared towards

higher and increased inequalities.

Global debt has soared specially in developing countries

and key development indicators have regressed.

The Indicators on Poverty on Human Development index for the first time.

Uh, since the human development index have been launched

has

decreased

and trading services growth now outstrips trade growth

in goods and the digital economy is both an

opportunity and a major disruptor for trade and development.

The challenges we face

are complex and urgent

and at the same time they are both old and new.

It is essential

to stay true

to our founding principles and adapt to the demands of the present.

As secretary general of the UN trade and Development,

I am proud to represent today an organisation

that's not only rooted in history but is forward looking

and adapting to new challenges.

Looking ahead, I would like to announce that to mark our 60th anniversary,

we will convene a global leaders forum here in

Geneva between the 12th and 14th of June.

The UN secretary general will attend this forum

which will bring together heads of state and government

ministers, leading world econo

economies, private sector and civil society Nobel Laureates.

So they will debate a new course for development

and new economics for the rapidly changing world.

This Global Leaders forum will include thematic sessions looking at

the substance of key emerging issues in the global economy,

such as trade and the new

a search of industrial policy for development.

Reshaping foreign direct investment policies in the new economy,

development strategies in a world of cascading crisis,

data for development and digital revolution,

and finding new momentum for the development of Africa

least developed countries and small island developing states.

This forum will provide a platform for innovative solutions to emerge

with new economic thinking to help us address

the most pressing challenges of our time.

UN trade and development now more than ever remains a cornerstone of the

United Nations system.

Our commitment to promoting the interest of

developing countries in the global economy,

fostering dialogue and providing invaluable insights

and support remains the same.

I invite you to look through this video,

after which I will be happy to take your questions.

Thank you very much again. Thank you very much.

Secretary General, I have to ask my colleagues to put the video on

pouring

for

Thank you very much. I'll give the floor back to

the Secretary General.

Yeah, OK, let's open the floor to question then. First of all, I start with the room.

Yes, Jamie Keaton,

who is our correspondent of the Associated Press and also the president

of

a thank you.

I'm Associated Press correspondent in Geneva.

Not anyone's correspondent here.

The, um

thank you very much for coming to see us.

Could you give us a little bit more detail about what this is gonna involve?

I mean, I see it's a rebranding.

You're dropping the word conference. OK, Great. Um

what? What Is this actually gonna mean? Are you gonna

change? Um, the culture of the of the house. Are you going to dynamite it?

If that's a word,

if are you going to, um,

cut positions? Are you gonna make it leaner and meaner?

Tell me a little bit more about what this really means.

Thanks.

Uh, I I remember that in my address, Um,

to the, uh, trade and Development Board in February. I refer precisely to that.

You know, I said that uh

uh, I don't believe in the tabula raza.

Uh, model, yes,

that you think that you go and you rebuild everything.

You what you do is really

you synergize. And you,

uh, take advantage of the good things that the organisation has done in the 60 years.

And I have to say that this organisation has a history that I respect,

uh, profoundly.

So,

uh, I what? I think, uh, that now we we we we have changed, in a way

is

uh, uh the way in which we address the problems.

Uh,

on on the one hand, we have been able

to again be an important voice in the UN system.

We have contributed to very key.

Um uh, a crisis and important issues today not only look at the past,

not only do an analysis exposed but be completely immersed

in

the, uh, solutions and the the discussions that are shaping today.

The world

that

was the case with the Global Crisis Response Group.

That was the case with the negotiations,

uh, for the Black Sea Grain Initiative

and the,

uh, evidence base and analysis on time

given by an A

was a very important part of the results that we saw in

this. For example, these these two examples that I that I gave you,

we We have a strengthen our statistical capacity, our evidence based analysis

and our forward looking

towards the new emerging issues that are affecting the world.

One example is the whole issue of climate change and environment. Yes,

that has not been in the past. A very central

Um uh you know,

uh, um uh, this C

in

in an

A.

So we have strengthened very,

very substantially our capacity in financing on

on the whole issue of climate change,

but also climate change and trade. How trade and environment are evolving.

Also, we have strengthened our capacities in specifics in the blue economy,

for example, in trade.

So

the whole, uh, it it the this new part of the economic thinking,

integrating environment into our economic thinking

and our development analysis has been strengthened

it in an important manner. Uh uh, during this

past two years, yes.

And I can give you more examples of that We

we have presented to the board very early on 10 points

of reform

in an NC A. And I have to say that we have accomplished that.

So this middle term

on my four year term, uh, in an NC

A

is really, Uh uh.

The rebranding is like a final step on that

reform that has been that has started since I came

That I

agreed with the board with the member states and

and that the I think that they are

reflected in in our proposal of of the of the branding. Yeah.

Thank you. Secretary General Paolo Dupras,

Geneva Solutions.

Yes. Good morning. Um, I, uh first of all, I wanted to to know what, uh,

the logo, um, represents, um

and then, uh, secondly, um,

uh,

who was it that you contracted to to actually do the the rebranding.

Was it somebody internal? External?

Um, what sort of costs were involved in, uh, in that rebranding? Um, move.

And, uh, just wanted to know how that compares how those costs compare with,

uh, cost cutting measures that you've introduced

at

T A.

Um it seems that, uh, staff has been requested to to move to,

um, the new building to to save in energy costs. Um,

some staff seem to be unhappy because there's there are issues with Internet, uh,

connection And the

open space, uh, seating, um, where they're not allowed to.

Um, they they can't really do. Um uh, conversations, Uh, phone calls, zoom calls.

Whatever.

So, uh, yeah,

thank you. I will.

I will give, uh, the floor also to Amalia to to go through the specifics,

but let me give you,

uh, uh,

some numbers. Yes, We we We hired an audit

on of our, uh, communication and brandy.

And the audit revealed a concerning level of fragmentation.

Uh uh,

in an

a

we had at at the moment of the audit, 31 different logos in circulation,

18 different types of visuals for meetings.

32 different designs for publications. 29 websites and

a little name recognition or understanding what an a

standard for. So these are only some numbers for

you to understand why we needed to, uh uh make this exercise, you know,

a meaningful one for the future.

Because,

uh, it's impossible really?

To establish yourself and to be visible with that kind of fragmentation.

And

let me say, uh, something that maybe is important, Uh, on on my thinking,

You know, this rebranding exercise of the communication task,

uh, and objectives that we have are part of our mandate is part of our delivery

is not a marketing exercise is not.

Marketing is the possibility that our voice will be visible and will be heard.

That is part of what we have to worry for. Yes, because if we do the analysis

and nobody knows about it, nobody understands it. There are no messaging there.

There is no impact. So we cannot,

uh, really fulfil our objective. And that's the core of what we are doing.

Amalia will uh,

uh, answer on the on the process and and and the costing

the other thing that also Jamie asked on in terms of cost,

let me say this and that

has been cut

systematically for 10 years.

If you look at the numbers in terms of, uh uh uh uh, in in in in

constant prices, Yes, and taking inflation into account,

we have a budget that is significantly lower than before.

So the cuts have been done without I am. I'm intervening.

You know, we have had to adjust to a freeze

of, uh, since last year

in our, uh, hiring, uh, possibilities.

Yes,

because the freeze have been enacted since mid last year and have

continued this year because of the liquidity crisis in the UN.

So

I am proud to say that despite these facts

and that has been able to be better in terms of delivery, we have been a

much more,

uh, in time. We have, uh, given rapid support to countries and to the UN system.

We have been

to respond quickly, despite the cuts and despite the freeze.

uh, actually, I think that the the first time that we received,

uh uh, in the last decade and a half that we received new post for an

that was in 2020

three.

So not 24. And unfortunately, it won't be either 25.

But, uh uh, that that, uh, gives you,

uh, you know, uh, an an an idea

with respect to the move.

Uh,

look, the the the whole, uh, decision on the renovation decision of the pale

was taken many years ago.

And what is happening now

is that because of the delays in the in the project,

uh, in the liquidity crisis, a decision has been taken. Is not the the an.

A decision is a decision has been taken

to cut costs and to cut costs, we will have to move from the E building.

That is a huge disruption for us.

You know, we are in the middle of you. We have been

investing in the organisation, you know, for two years and a half.

And when we are taking off,

uh, we are having to deal with the situation, and,

uh well,

uh, you know, uh,

you have to do the best of it. And, uh,

we will try to do whatever we can to ease the pain

on our, uh, personnel. And I know that there is pain because I am feeling it.

You know, myself. I have to move in the

middle of all this. All that is happening for us and that is good news.

And the 60th anniversary and the conference next year?

Yes.

So obviously it's a disruption, but, uh,

you know, it's not

in. It's not something that, uh, uh,

we should allow to disrupt also our goals and our objectives.

And I think that we will have

a very successful 60th anniversary despite everything.

And I count with the commitment, uh uh, on the commitment of of of the of the anta

stuff that have been incredible. Really? Really.

Let me say something that I have said Always.

We need rebranding. We need to adapt. There are there is a new economy emerging.

But we do this with the

knowledge,

the experience and the capacity of an institution

that has a wonderful 60 years of history.

Amalia, would you like to add something on

to answer?

Yes. Just to

add not much more on what the Secretary general has said.

But regarding the rebranding,

it has been

really a manifestation of what the SG has

said that communication is part of mandate delivery.

So it's been a very deep two year exercise led by un

staff.

So while we did have an agency for the initial

audit of where we were

and also benchmarking against other organisations

who also speak in the global economic

field

and this agency was

Avis

with a long experience in working within

the UN and with other UN agencies,

it has essentially been a long two year exercise taken forward

by the in house graphic designers who are sitting with us here today. And

they're nadej

and

Gil la,

Magali and

DA at

the back of the room

and also with a lot of input from all staff who

through the history of

know

the DNA of the brand and understand its values. That's what

the rebranding is not.

It's a transition to make ourselves better understood to explain

a lot of things that the media already said.

They already said

the UN's trade and development body. That is how many of you talked about us anyway,

So it's been a listening exercise and it's been an exercise with the support of

ours on the initial audit of where we were

but taken forward essentially with the talent in house.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Robin Miller from the French news agency.

Thank you.

Have you had discussions with the other UN agencies about

these fields that you're looking to expand more into?

You mentioned particularly

climate change. If so, have those discussions gone? Secondly,

it still looks like it says

on the logo on the table. Are you keeping

as the short name?

And finally, the forum that you announced?

Are you hoping that that's going to become an annual thing? Or is it just a one off?

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Uh,

an

A will continue to be an A.

We continue to be a conference,

but obviously the recognition of what

an

A means and some for some people in in different languages is even harder. Yes,

and even difficult to pronounce.

So,

uh, we continue to be a conference, but it's good to have the name

fully trade and development. Yeah. So people know what what we are about,

uh, we have discussed with other agencies, not not that we're rebranding,

but we are in several multi agency task force, uh,

that we are participating that we didn't,

uh, participate before, uh, strongly. For example,

Uh, we are participating with the U NFC CC in the carbon market. Uh uh.

Discussion. Uh, we are participating in the

special minerals, the critical minerals for the energy transition

Interagency task Force that have been established from from New York.

We have with several, uh uh uh uh, groups of discussion with the UN

E

and,

uh, to to give an example

and with UN FFCCCA a AAA

big collaboration in all of the discussions that they have asked us to participate.

So, yes, we are doing this

in a very,

uh, um, inter agency way.

Now there is a special part that is ours. Yes,

because the trade

and environment issue will be an issue of increasing importance.

Yes, we are seeing already,

you know, a five fold increase in standard and norms that have to be,

uh, uh that have to, uh, that deal with environment in trade issues.

And, uh, you can imagine how difficult this is for the developing countries,

specially for the small and medium sized enterprises all around is

difficult for them to navigate that spaghetti bowl of standards and norms

that have been, you know,

been enacted with good intentions trying to bring environment into

into trade.

But that that we have to uh,

uh really discuss and make sure that trade is part of the solution,

but not an obstacle for development for the developing countries.

The other thing that we are doing that is very much us is maritime transport and

the whole issue of transport. You know, 80% of trade is maritime transport

and maritime transport. It represents 3% of total emissions

in the world.

And, well, one of the examples Jamie, for, uh, the The to go back to your question is,

that is is the rapid assessment that we did on

what was happening in the main arteries of maritime trade.

You know, we had the Black Sea disruptions. We have the the Red Sea and can,

uh, Swiss Canal disrupt

in the Panama Canal. We put it together and we we we we have been one of the most cited,

uh, you know, organisations in the analysis. So,

uh

and so we are working with the International Maritime Organisation precisely, uh,

on how to reduce emissions in maritime in maritime transport,

and that affects maritime trade, trying also

to shield the impact that that will have in the small island.

Developing States, for example, that have small ports

more difficult to adapt.

That will need resources to adapt to new fuels

and to new maritime technologies to reduce emissions.

So those are only examples are some examples, uh, on how we are, uh, looking at this.

And the four for the 60th anniversary is a one event.

Uh, our normal event is the conference and this every four years,

and we will have the conference in 2025.

And so,

uh,

there is there is no outcome document that

we are expecting from the 60th anniversary.

What we want is an open,

frank and forward looking conversation on the changes that the the world is, uh,

going through.

And the economy is going through that will give us, you know, the start

to think about the conference in 2025.

Uh, I'm sorry. Uh, we have time only for one more question. And Laurent SRO

on the line has been waiting for long, so I'll give uh uh, Laurent the floor.

Uh, the Swiss News Agency Secretary General

Laurent.

Thank you. Thank you. Um, yeah, quickly, uh, on the forum.

Uh, can you give us a flavour already of uh, the lineup, uh,

the the heads of states that have committed

to come And maybe can you give us the

an approximate number of participants and very briefly, as you mentioned it,

the green initiative.

Are are you still talking to Russian interlocutors

on the fertiliser part of of the deal?

Thank you.

Uh, you You will, uh

uh, you will understand that I won't give any names.

And, you know, especially because having been in government, I know

that, uh,

something happens in your country in the last five minutes before you take, uh,

the plane and and, you know, things change.

So but we expect around

58 heads of state, state and government to be with us. That

that is, uh, a very, uh, ambitious expectation. But, uh

uh, we will work towards it.

Uh, we are very optimistic in terms of the presence of,

uh, uh, ministers and,

uh, heads of state and government

to come to be with us.

and around how many participants are we?

500 around 500 participants.

So, uh, we expect this to be a very a very good event

and very successful,

uh, with respect to and Obviously, we are talking to the Swiss government,

and they are,

uh, fully supporting us. And, uh,

we are very happy to do this in Geneva.

That in international, you know,

with the whole participation of international Geneva,

uh, with respect to the,

uh, consultations with the Russia, Yes, we are continuing,

uh, to have consultations is, uh,

uh,

uh uh The Secretary general has said very clearly that we will continue

to do whatever is in our hands to facilitate exports of food and fertilisers

from Ukraine and the Russian Federation,

because that is important for the world. And we have proven

that part of precluding a

wide humanitarian crisis has been

to establish trade

and to re-establish the possibilities of trade taking uh uh uh, taking

a part with the

lowest transaction cost because also, the transaction costs

affect prices and then affect the access of people to food

and of farm

to fertilisers.

And so we will continue to do that and whatever is in our hands, uh, to try

to, uh, um, ease the, uh uh, any obstacles for food and fertilisers? Uh,

coming from Russia and from Ukraine?

Uh, the Secretary General agrees to one more question.

I'll give the floor to Reuters. Paula. Sorry, You had your chance.

But afterwards, as Maria just said,

the secretary general will be available for media request later.

So Reuters Gabriel.

Secretary General, um,

there apparently was a UN led agreement that was technically ready to be signed,

Uh, late last month regarding navigational safety in the Black Sea.

Uh, not only just a grain deal,

uh, but rather focusing on safety, taking in town,

taking into account concerns from different parties

and the different shortcomings of this deal. Uh, why was this deal not signed?

Thank you.

Refer to the specifics. But it it it is true

that, uh, as the secretary general have said,

we are trying to establish a free navigation

agreement in the Black Sea that will be important for everybody.

Yes, because it will allow, As I said, transaction cost to come down and,

uh, you know, a normalisation of

in the Black Sea, specially you know, in the in the framework of what we are seeing.

As as I said before, you know, the disruptions in very,

uh, important arteries for for a maritime transport.

So,

uh, the Secretary general is, uh, effectively, uh, trying to, uh, get, uh,

um

uh

an an agreement on on on the possibility of

a free navigation in the free navigation in the Black

Sea.

I I It is not only the safety you you you have, uh,

made like the word safety is not necessarily the right word.

Yes, it it will be.

You know, the the the the natural evolve, Uh, the development of the

gra, uh, Black Sea Grain initiative and the MOU with the Russian Federation.

Uh,

that was signed in in in Istanbul,

Uh, and ended in July last year.

Uh, the natural evolution will be to go

into a free navigation agreement.

Thank you very much to everyone.

I ask the indulgence of those who were waiting,

but I think we have to unfortunately stop here.

As I said. I mean, Amalia will take later on your questions if there is any.

I know, but she had a chance.

Can you Can you take a follow up from Paula

Paula, follow up quickly, please. The

mic, please.

Yeah. Um, just, uh, for mrs uh, Navarro.

If, um, if it's possible to, uh, to specify exactly how much additional costs, Uh

you may have had for this this rebranding.

You mentioned this, this organisation in Ava.

I I'm not familiar with it. It's a

vs

or Ava.

It's Ava.

It's one of the largest, um, agencies in the world. In rebranding.

I'm happy to provide the cost. It's not an additional cost. It was part of the budget

that we had that we decided

to

invest it strategically in this.

And yes, it was under 100,000.

So way below what it normally costs, because I stress that

it was an in house project for three quarters or even more.

So I want to underline that because it wasn't

something that was not done without the talent that

has without the staff

and also without, as the secretary general

underlined, without two years of long discussions internally and work. So

the agency was

ours. It was an audit

we needed to benchmark where we wanted to go and where we were,

but the creative work and

happy to share with you.

The 100 pages of the brand book was done in house,

with the focus also of communicating better.

Complex macroeconomic data

and statistics

is

not only known for its analysis,

but it really is a statistical powerhouse and data powerhouse.

So a lot of work has gone into

making that understandable. And

so the impact of the organisation is multiplied.

So

that would be my answer.

Thank you very much. We have to unfortunately stop here, please.

The journalists stay on the line and in the room we go.

We cut for a few minutes and then we will continue with the regular press briefing.

I'd like to thank very much the Secretary General of

Ant and

Amalia and having worked for 20 years in

a This is really a particular pleasure

to see this great organisation going forward. Thank you very much.

Stay on the line, please. We will start with Sudan in a few minutes. Thank you.

UNCTAD - Press Conference: Rebeca Grynspan on UNCTAD's 60th anniversary - 09 April 2024