Regional Workshop on Least Developed Countries and leveraging trade as a means of implementation for 2030 Agenda

The Department of Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan in association with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) is co-organizing three days regional workshop on ‘least developed countries and leveraging trade as a means of implementation for 2030 Agenda,’ from 2-4 August 2017 at Hotel Ariya, Olakha, Thimphu.
While 2030 Agenda recognizes the importance of trade for sustainable development, the recent developments in the global environment in the form of a rise in protectionist rhetoric is seen as a threat that undermines the ability of countries, especially least developed ones, to harness trade potentials. This has led to emergence of several challenges ranging from rising popularity of protectionist rhetoric; weakening of multilateralism; confounding the impact of technology and trade; and erosion of effective preferences to least developed countries and developing countries.
In view of the above backdrop, the workshop is aimed at identifying relevant and feasible policy options that can help address the emerging global challenges that may impact utilization of trade as a means of implementation of the Agenda 2030. It is also intended to discuss future capacity development needs for putting in place relevant policy responses; and review the state of data availability with respect to the trade related targets and indicators.
The workshop is delivered by international experts and resource speakers from UNESCAP and CUT International, India, who will speak on various topics related to trade, investment, e-commerce, LDC graduation, etc. Given the importance of the workshop, fourteen foreign delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Nepal are attending the workshop in addition to twenty local officials from various agencies.