This virtual conference on the role of advanced technologies provides a platform for experts and interested parties to discuss how to overcome international supply chain and trade disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The conference is organized by the Advisory Group on Advanced Technologies of the UN/CEFACT - an intergovernmental body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Today we are facing serious disruption of social and business processes, caused by COVID-19 outbreak. International trade and logistics are one of the most affected sectors of the global economy by COVID-19. WTO predicts that world trade is set to plummet by between 13% and 32% in 2020 and nearly all regions will suffer double-digit declines in trade volumes in 2020.
In times of COVID-19 pandemic, these issues are even more exacerbated through the pressure put on international trade. Effective planning, forecasting risk management and communication between stakeholders as well as systems interoperability is more important than ever. Despite the expansion of advanced technologies recently, COVID-19 tested readiness of international supply chains and proves that available technologies are far from being exploited at range, which would facilitate trade, business and social processes efficiently.
Background Documents
The goal of the conference is to create a discussion platform for experts and interested parties to share their insights on interoperability, digital platforms and products to minimize COVID-19 trade disruptions. These three areas will be identified as solutions in the report of the Advisory Group on impact of COVID-19 outbreak on international trade and logistics and ways advanced technologies can help overcome such disruptions. During this conference, Advisory Group will invite speakers representing stakeholders in different position of international supply chain and eBusiness, ranging from international organizations, non governmental organizations, policy makers, private sector representatives, to discuss their advanced technology concepts, ongoing projects, existing use cases, together challenges and obstacles they face implementing such advanced technologies and transferable lessons learned overcoming them.
UNECE welcomes the following groups to participate in this conference:
Organizer
This event is organized by the Advisory Group on Advanced Technologies in Trade and Logistics. UN/CEFACT established an Advisory Group in order to support the UNECE secretariat and UN/CEFACT on advanced technologies in trade facilitation and electronic business. The technologies in question include Blockchain, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence – the most recent areas of rapid development in the international supply chain.
