Tag Archives: prosperity

Safe seas key to global prosperity, Security Council told

Posted on by
Reply

Keeping sea routes safe today while also addressing emerging challenges was the focus of a debate in the UN Security Council on Monday which was convened by Panama, president for the month of August.

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), told the Council that last year, a workforce of just 1.9 million seafarers moved over 12.3 billion tonnes of goods, essentially “keeping global trade afloat”. 

Safety and security fundamental

He said the maritime sector has proved to be “remarkably resilient” in the face of geopolitical challenges.

“Yet resilience cannot breed complacency,” he warned.  

“The safety and security of the maritime sector is fundamental to economic stability, sustainable maritime development and to livelihoods.”

Multiple threats

The threats are numerous. Nearly 150 incidents of piracy and armed robbery were reported in 2024 alone. In some regions such as Southeast Asia, incidents are surging, according to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). 

Beyond piracy, international vessels plying the Red Sea have also come under attack against the backdrop of the war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, trafficking continues – including drugs, endangered wildlife and protected timber – and organized crime groups tap into criminal supply chains to move weapons, operatives and illicit goods to finance their operations.

Seafarers work in the engine room of a Chinese registered ship in the Port of Genoa in Italy. (file)

A ‘network’ under attack

Maritime routes were “the world’s first truly global network,” connecting distant shores for thousands of years, said Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL Secretary General.

“Today, and more than ever, that same network is exploited by criminals who threaten navigation, trade, communication – and with them, the global stability essential to sustainable development,” he told the Council.

He said the “poly-criminality at sea” is “making criminals more resilient, and enforcement more complex” as new and less visible dangers arise.

“As ports go digital – with automated vessel management, cargo tracking and logistics – vulnerabilities are emerging faster than they can be secured. Ports are facing a wave of cyber intrusions targeting the power, communication and logistics systems they rely on.” 

Furthermore, “cybercriminals can weaponise artificial intelligence to attack with greater speed, scale and precision.”

Global coordination, environmental action

In response to the situation, IMO has developed binding mandatory requirements, for example to address international ship and port security as well as cybersecurity threats.

The UN agency has also supported projects to boost regional capacity, including information sharing. This is in addition to establishing partnerships with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, regional entities and donor States, aimed at strengthening national capabilities and building trust.

“While addressing maritime security, we must not lose sight of our responsibility to protect the ocean,” said Mr. Dominguez.

“Maritime safety and security and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Support for countries to develop and enhance response capabilities for maritime pollution incidents including from oil spills is ongoing.”

A ship passes through the Panama Canal in Central America. (file)

Perspectives from the Panama Canal

The Council also heard from the agency responsible for the operation of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.

Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, CEO of the Panama Canal Authority, shared perspectives from “one of the most emblematic channels for human cooperation,” highlighting the strength of “principles-based neutrality.”

“The Panama Canal is governed by an international treaty which safeguards equal access to all nations in times of peace or war,” he said, speaking in Spanish.

“This promise, which is incorporated in our Constitution, has enabled a small country to contribute stability to global trade, shielding this infrastructure from geopolitical tensions that also too often stymied progress.”

His remarks also showcased how the Canal has been under Panamanian administration for the last 25 years – a period which saw the completion of a third set of locks in 2016. As a result, the cargo volume transiting its waters increased by 50 per cent, while maintaining the same annual transit of roughly 13,500.

Climate adaptation

Like the IMO chief, Mr. Vásquez Morales also emphasised the need to address climate change. The Panama Canal experienced a drought over the past two years and this “global wake-up call” sparked water conservation efforts, logistical adjustments and the building of an artificial lake.

“Today, the canal boasts technologies that strengthen climate resilience,” he said.

“It creates financial mechanisms and ensures water and environmental security, while at the same time implementing efficient governance to harness the rapid progress in artificial intelligence and collaborating to strengthen cyber security on our roads and our logistics systems.”

Commitment, peace and solidarity

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Vásquez Morales insisted that “the Panama Canal is living proof that global public goods can be administered with equity, responsibility and vision.”

“Through sustained cooperation, constant adaptation and steadfast commitment to the principles of international law, the Canal will remain a safe and efficient route ready to serve not only this generation, but also many more to come,” he said.

“We trust that by working together, we will be able to keep open, not only waterways, but also the channels of understanding peace and solidarity.” 

Source link

Africa’s ‘land-linked’ economies poised to drive continent’s prosperity

Posted on by
Reply

“We stand at a pivotal moment, one that marks a profound shift from viewing these nations as isolated and constrained by geography to recognizing them as dynamic land-linked economies at the heart of Africa’s socio-economic resurgence,” said Samuel Doe, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ethiopia.

A new UNDP position paper – Africa’s Land-Linked Economies: Pathways to Prosperity and Development – explores the new narrative for African LLDCs, “rewriting the story from one of geographic limitation to strategic advantage”.

Mr. Doe, speaking on behalf of UNDP in Africa, presented the paper at a news conference on the margins of the Third UN Conference on LLDCs (LLDC3), which has been under way since Tuesday in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

“For decades, Africa’s LLDCs have been defined by their lack of direct access to the sea, often perceived as a disadvantage that limits trade, growth and development,” he said.

“Today, Africa’s LLDCs are leveraging their strategic centrality and regional connectivity to become vital hubs of economic activity, trade and innovation.”

He cited, among others, Rwanda’s 130,000-hectare Kigali Logistics Platform – a bustling regional hub, connecting Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi with the coastal economies of Kenya and Tanzania.

In addition, Ethiopia facilitates crucial trade routes from South Sudan to Djibouti – including shortening freight transit by rail from 72 hours to 12 hours – and leverages its national airline, emerging as a vital global air transport connector that bridges Africa with international markets.

Meanwhile, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe anchor the pivotal North-South corridor, linking southern Africa to broader continental markets.

Globally, LLDCs account for seven per cent of the world’s population but contribute to only about 1.1 per cent of world trade.

UNDP notes that although African LLDCs’ contribution to global trade may be minimal, they supply regional and continental markets with strategic goods and services, including diamonds, copper, gold, coffee, sugar, as well as textiles and apparel.

‘Land-linked shifts the narrative’

A critical element of the shift taking place on the continent is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect in January 2021 and represents the world’s largest free-trade area with a market of 1.2 billion people.

Most African LLDCs are members of the AfCFTA, which is already reducing trade barriers, unlocking vast opportunities for LLDCs to actively participate in and benefit from intra-African and global trade, according to UNDP.

“Land-linked flips the narrative: inland countries become bridges, not barriers. With AfCFTA, LLDCs can turn geography into a competitive edge – moving goods, services, and data faster and more affordably across Africa and beyond,” said Mr. Doe.

The shift also requires coordinated policy reforms, as well as leveraging innovation, inclusive governance, resilience and financing to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

The paper also cites digital connectivity as a “transformative pathway” for African LLDCs to transcend geographic constraints and establish direct linkages with regional and global markets.

According to the 2024 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Facts and Figures, 39 per cent of the population in LLDCs is online, with internet access in African LLDCs reaching up to 20 per cent.

The current digital landscape, though challenging, demonstrates that African LLDCs are positioned to leverage innovative connectivity solutions that bypass traditional dependencies on coastal neighbouring countries, according to the UNDP paper. These notwithstanding, LLDCs continue to rely on neighbouring coastal countries for undersea cable access.

“We are also concerned that landlocked developing countries do not have easy access to submarine cables” Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, told reporters in Awaza.

“And for those that are doubly landlocked, it is a bigger challenge because you must have good relations with your neighbours for you to be able to communicate.”

Find all our coverage on LLDC3 here.

Source link