In recent years, the topic of climate-smart connectivity has become increasingly relevant for United Nations Member States. This includes ECE programme countries. For example, amidst the twenty-first century crises disrupting supply chains and escalating logistics costs, the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) participating States adopted the Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, Using United Nations Legal Instruments and Standard at the 2023 SPECA Summit. This roadmap leverages United Nations legal instruments and standards, including the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention), the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Roads (CMR Convention) and the UN/CEFACT Package of Standards. The shift towards the digital exchange of data and documents can improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance transparency, enable better accessibility and data analysis, and in so doing, it has the potential to foster greener and more inclusive economies.
Building on recent developments in the ECE region and beyond, this policy dialogue will bring together policymakers, private sector representatives and the international community to explore the potential of the digital transition for regional and global connectivity. It will reflect on the role of international, regional and national initiatives, as well as ECE legal instruments and UN/CEFACT standards to enhance facilitation procedures along trade and transport corridors while also helping address the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions. Key takeaways of this policy dialogue will contribute to the discussions at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29), which will take place from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The discussion will be informed by findings and recommendations emerging from the 2023 edition of the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation as well as the ECE and SPECA regional reports on digital and sustainable trade facilitation.