Welcome to the United Nations
This document provides input from the International Trade Centre (ITC) to the 2018 High Level Political Forum following the main headings requested by the President of ECOSOC in her letter dated 27 November 2017.
This input is from the perspective of ITC as the joint agency of the UN and the World Trade Organization (WTO) dedicated to supporting the internationalization of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. ITC’s mandate combines a focus on expanding trade opportunities that contribute to sustainable and inclusive development.
a.Assessment of the situation regarding the principle of “ensuring that no one is left behind” at the global level
Trade is explicitly recognised as one of the means to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as an engine for inclusive economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction. The 2030 Agenda also recognises the role of the private sector “as a partner in development, and a major driver of productivity, inclusive economic growth and job creation.”
ITC research indicates that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent more than 90% of all enterprises and over 70% of jobs. MSMEs tend to employ people in the most vulnerable segments of society, including women and youth. MSMEs integrated into global markets are more productive than those that do not participate in international trade. Lifting MSME competitiveness is a precondition for higher wages and better working conditions in the firms that collectively employ most workers in any economy, and thus for inclusive growth. Therefore, together, international trade and improved MSME competitiveness, are important preconditions for “ensuring that no one is left behind”.
According to the WTO, trade has contributed to lifting one billion people out of poverty since 1990. After years of weak growth, world trade showed signs of recovery in 2017. Global merchandise exports expanded by an estimated 4.7% in 2017, compared to a lacklustre 1.3% in 2016. Including services boosted global export growth to 5.0%, which still falls short of the 25-year average of 5.6% (all figures in volume terms).
Despite the uptick in trade, significant risks, including a rise in protectionist sentiments and policies, threaten this important means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)...
