Transforming economies, fostering sustainable development

Abstract

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires building productive capacity and transforming economies by shifting resources to more productive and sustainable sectors and enhancing their competitiveness. Investment, trade and technology are important channels for achieving economic diversification and structural transformation. Trade and trade-related investment, combined with technology upgrading, could enable countries to improve productivity, develop productive capacities and climb regional and global value chains. UNCTAD technical cooperation helps developing countries attract foreign direct investment (FDI) towards sectors that could lead to structural transformation and better integration into regional and global value chains, and foster the nexus between trade, productive capacity and employment, while integrating sustainable development objectives at all levels. It also supports countries in formulating services-driven development strategies, developing national green sectors and electronic commerce (e-commerce) and leveraging science, technology and innovation for productive capacity-building. TRANSFORMING ECONOMIES, FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT