1 ecosoc 2010 general segment 20 july 2010 panel discussion: opportunities for small island...
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ECOSOC 2010 General Segment ECOSOC 2010 General Segment 20 July 201020 July 2010
Panel discussion:Panel discussion:Opportunities for Small Island Developing StatesOpportunities for Small Island Developing States
Pierre EncontrePierre Encontre
UNCTADUNCTAD
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InternationalInternationalservicesservices
Vulnerability, resilience-building, specialization, servicesVulnerability, resilience-building, specialization, services
Progressin
resilience-building
EnhancingEnhancingspecializationspecialization
StocktakingStocktaking
Progress madeProgress madein addressingin addressingvulnerabilitiesvulnerabilities
of SIDSof SIDS
SIDSSIDSdenominationdenomination
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Antigua and BarbudaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
250
500
Tourism Transport Offshore Insurance
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BahamasMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Tourism Offshoreserv.
Manuf.prod.
Organ.chem.
Sea prod. Transport Aragonite
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BarbadosMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
500
1000
Tourism Fin. serv. Offsh.serv.
Manuf.prod.
Rum Comm.serv.
Transp. Rawsugar
6
Cape VerdeMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
300
400
500
Tourism Transport Comm.serv.
Fresh fish Fin. serv. Clothing Footwear
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DominicaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
50
100
Tourism Offsh. serv. Manuf. prod. Bananas Transp. Raw mater.
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FijiMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
500
1000
Tourism Transp. Sugar Fish Mineralwater
Clothing Lumber
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GrenadaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
Tourism Offshoreservices
Transp. Fish Nutmeg
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JamaicaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
1000
2000
Tourism Alumina Transp. Comm.serv.
Rawsugar
Beverages Fruits &veg.
Fin.serv.
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MaldivesMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
500
1000
Tourism Fish Air transp. Freight services
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MauritiusMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
1000
2000
Tourism Apparel Offsh. services
Transp.serv.
Rawsugar
Comm.serv.
Fin. serv.
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Papua New GuineaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
1000
2000
Gold Copper Crude oil
Palmoil
Busin. services
Coffee Logs Cocoa
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St. Kitts and NevisMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
Tourism Offsh. serv. Transp. services Beverages
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St. LuciaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
300
400
500
Tourism Bananas Beer Busin.serv.
Transp.serv.
Manuf. prod.
Insur. serv.
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St. Vincent and the GrenadinesMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
50
100
Tourism Offsh.Services
Transp. serv.
Bananas Flour Rice Root crops
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SamoaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
Tourism Offsh.Services
Fresh fish Transport Other foodprod.
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Sao Tome & PrincipeMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
5
10
Cocoa beans Tourism Coconuts Coffee
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SeychellesMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
100
200
300
400
500
Tourism Canned tuna Transportservices
Comm.services
Offshoreservices
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Solomon IslandsMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
50
100
Logs Busin.serv.
Transp.serv.
Palmoil
Frozenfish
Cocoabeans
Copra Sawnwood
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TongaMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
5
10
15
20
Tourism Fin.serv.
Transp.serv.
Fish Squash Rootcrops
Kava
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Trinidad and TobagoMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Naturalgas
Crudepetr.
Ammonia Methanol Tourism Transp.serv.
Insur.serv.
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VanuatuMain exports of goods and services, 2008
$ m
0
50
100
150
200
Tourism Transp.serv.
Fin. &offsh.serv.
Copra Coconutoil
Kava Beef
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1. Services dominate economic specialization of most SIDS (22 out of 29)2. Two sectors dominate the international service economy of SIDS: tourism, offshore3. What matters to most SIDS policy makers:
* make existing international service sectors competitive, sustainable, beneficial to all* develop two viable export service pillars, besides one or two competitive merchandise export sectors ("optimum specialization" overall)
4. Sound tourism development: sine qua non for structural progress (UNCTAD axiom)Tourism development = catalyst for infrastructure and human resource development, spur to efficient air transport, with backward linkages as an avenue for poverty reduction
5. Sound offshore specialization: powerful engine for reversing the brain drain* 12 of the 16 developing countries that are offshore centres are SIDS* 3 key lessons: awareness of (negative) global mood and willingness to comply; sound choice of offshore product specialization; widening notion of offshore service (growing range of outsourced services). UNCTAD assisting Cape Verde.
6. In short: services = wealth of opportunities, but SIDS need to manage the "island paradox"
Services: salient points, lessonsServices: salient points, lessons
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The "island paradox"The "island paradox"
Highest vulnerabilityHighest vulnerabilityin the world (EVI)in the world (EVI)
Apparent prosperityApparent prosperity
LimitationsLimitations
SpecializationSpecializationin servicesin services
IPIP
• Resilience-building is costlyResilience-building is costly
• Concessionary treatmentConcessionary treatmentis no luxuryis no luxury
• Lesser (or denial of)Lesser (or denial of)concessionary treatmentconcessionary treatment
• Premature graduationPremature graduationfrom LDC statusfrom LDC status
OverestimationOverestimation
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Is the UN’s SIDS denomination useful ?Is the UN’s SIDS denomination useful ?
Need forNeed forpreferentialpreferentialtreatmenttreatment
Need forNeed fortechnicaltechnicalassistanceassistance
Need forNeed forconcessionaryconcessionary
financingfinancing
S&DT in the WTO:S&DT in the WTO:for LDCs onlyfor LDCs only
(“SVE” has not(“SVE” has notborne fruit)borne fruit)
No technical assistanceNo technical assistanceprogramme reservedprogramme reserved
for SIDSfor SIDS
SIDS status weighsSIDS status weighslittle in donors’little in donors’
decisionsdecisions
Commendable move by ECOSOC in 2009 (E/2009/17)Commendable move by ECOSOC in 2009 (E/2009/17)
WHATWHAT
TOTO
DO ?DO ?
ALLOW UN’SALLOW UN’S
SIDS WORKSIDS WORK
TO EVOLVETO EVOLVE
FROM A FROM A
NEBULOUS NEBULOUS
CONCEPTCONCEPT
TO ATO A
CREDIBLE CREDIBLE
DENOMINATIONDENOMINATION
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E/2009/17E/2009/17
ECOSOC noted that the UN’s SIDS designation ECOSOC noted that the UN’s SIDS designation is “is “a useful and important tool for recognizing a useful and important tool for recognizing
and responding to the particular vulnerabilities and responding to the particular vulnerabilities and characteristics of SIDS and for assisting and characteristics of SIDS and for assisting
them in their pursuit of sustainable them in their pursuit of sustainable developmentdevelopment”.”.
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Thank youP. Encontre
Chief, Special Programmes
Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries
and Special Programmes
UNCTAD