Welcome to today's press briefing from Barbados, our third day of the 15th Conference of the United Nation Conference on Trade and Development on Ted 15.
Here we provide you with brief daily briefings on the conference debate, state of the negotiation as well as who participate and events that are opening on the margin of the event.
With regard to the negotiations, Minister Husband of Barbados yesterday provided us an update on negotiation taking place in Geneva, also the site for ONCAT 15.
She told us that negotiation are advancing nicely among Member State to reach consensus on the outcome document of this conference, which will guide the United Nation Conference on Trade and Development Work for the next 4 years.
We will have Minister Husband with us this afternoon to update us on the negotiation.
Yesterday, Ontad and Barbados signed an agreement worth $2.5 million to facilitate trade to the implementation of an electronic single window system with the assistance of Ontad's flagship technical assistance programme, the Automated System for Custom Data, Asikuda.
Asikuda is 1 of Ontad's largest corporation programme used by around 100 countries and territories around the world to improve customs and the efficiencies with which government collect revenues here goods for release and generate statistical trade data to improve international trade flows.
The single window will make it easier and cheaper for small, medium and large enterprises in Barbados to import and export good by using an electronic one stop shop to comply with the requirement of Barbados customs and other government agencies.
A news article is placed on the ONTAD website for further information.
In terms of today's agenda, well first yesterday's agenda.
Yesterday, the World Leaders dialogue continued with the Prime Minister of Barbados, PM Motley, Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, the United Nations **** Commissioner for Human Right and the the Executive Director of Oxfam International be called for the recognition of COVID-19 vaccine as a public good.
For urging support for the Secretary General's call for a global vaccination plan to ensure vaccine reached 70% of the world's population by the first half of 2022, which imply sharing health expertise, data, knowledge, treatment and flexibility in trade agreements to ensure policy space in keeping with the right to help and sharing the benefit of scientific progress.
After which Ontad Secretary General Rebecca Greenspan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, the President of the Republic of Kenya, Kenyatta, the President of Guyana, the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, the Executive Secretary of the United Nation Commission for Africa, the executive director of the Joint United Nation Programme on HIV and AIDS, and the president of the Inter American Development Bank, Mauricio Clevercarron discussed the current multilateral system and international cooperation.
They agreed the world need a stronger, more networked multilateralism that delivers for all countries equally, regardless of their size.
All leaders made a strong call against the unequal access to vaccine in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and stress the urgent need to address debt relief and climate finance.
Today, three Minister Young roundtables are scheduled, one on scaling up financing for development, a second one on reshaping global and regional value chain in light of the COVID-19 and disruption in trade, and a second one on reshaping global and regional value.
And the final one, I'm so sorry, on regional integration for resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.
The Secretary General of Ontad Greenspan will offer opening remarks for each ministerial roundtables.
The first ministerial debate starting at 8 Barbados time and 2:00 PM Geneva will address financing for development and the Secretary General will be joined by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment of Barbados, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affair and Digital Transformation of Spain, Miss Nadia Calvino, the Minister of Economy of Argentina, Mr.
Martin Guzman and Professor at Columbia University and Nobel Laureate, Mr Joseph Stiglitz.
He will debate the key issues on debt financing for development in global economic architecture or who makes decision on these issues.
This will be followed by the 2nd Ministerial Roundtable starting at 10 Barbados time, 16 Geneva time and which will address, as I said, reshaping global and regional value chain for recovery.
And we will hear intervention from Minister of State for Industry of Republic of Uganda, Mr.
David Bahati, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, United Arab Emirates, Mr Muhammad Ali Al Sharafa Al Ahmadi, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany, Miss Elizabeth Winkenmaier Baker and Secretary General of International Chamber of Commerce, Mr.
Finally, the third Ministerial round table of today starting at 12:00 PM Barbados and 6:00 PM Geneva time will address the uneven recoveries from the COVID-19 pandemic and how regional economic integration has become more critical than ever to help developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable, bounce back stronger, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable.
Here in this third Minister roundtable, we will hear from the Minister of Economic Affair and Investment of Barbados, Miss Marsha Caddo, Vice Minister, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India, Mr S Kishore, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Miss Patricia Scotland, the Commissioner for Economic development, Trade, Industry and Mining, African Union Commission, Mr Albert Muchanga and the Walter G the Renberg Professor of Trade Regulation, New York University School of Law, Miss Eleanor Fox.
As we can see, we will have an insightful day.
We invite you to follow these debate today.
I remind media that content is uploaded every day on the official on Ted White 15 website, which we invite you to visit and register to address question directly to speakers as these debate take place.
And the next media briefing will take place at 1:30 Barbados time 730 Geneva time today in the presence of Minister Sandra Husband, Minister of Foreign Affair of Barbados, who I said as I said earlier will update us in the on the negotiation ongoing in Geneva.
Thank you and have a good day.
