{"id":7435,"date":"2025-08-06T06:56:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T10:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdgnews.com\/?p=7435"},"modified":"2025-08-06T07:18:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T11:18:00","slug":"landlocked-to-landlinked-innovating-in-cross-border-trade-pamela-coke-hamilton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sdgnews.com\/fr\/landlocked-to-landlinked-innovating-in-cross-border-trade-pamela-coke-hamilton\/","title":{"rendered":"Landlocked to landlinked: Innovating in cross-border trade – Pamela Coke-Hamilton"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Pamela Coke-Hamilton<\/a>, Executive Director, International Trade Centre (ITC)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it may not be obvious at first glance, Mongolia, Paraguay, Switzerland, and Zambia share more than the colour red in their flags: They have all dealt with \u2013 or are still dealing with \u2013 red tape and trade bottlenecks as landlocked countries. Bordered by countries on all sides with no direct access to an ocean or sea, landlocked countries deal with unique challenges to trade, especially when it comes to transport and logistics. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to innovate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Switzerland \u2013 headquarters of the International Trade Centre (ITC) \u2013 has topped innovation lists and is well known for its strong research and development culture, well-connected transport system and tradition of entrepreneurship, including support of small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the case for most landlocked countries, in particular for developing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The logistics performance of landlocked developing countries on average last year was 17% lower than the global average, according to the World Bank. Beyond limited physical infrastructure \u2013 such as roads and railways \u2013 other reasons for this lower performance include disjointed national reforms along trade routes, lack of tech-enabled border procedures and lack of coordination along trade corridors, to name a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Content: Unlocking Opportunities: Sustainable Industrialization in LLDCs \u2013 Gerd M\u00fcller<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, we at ITC have been working with landlocked developing countries on trade facilitation through customized interventions. Let me share a few examples of best practices we\u2019ve learned through our 60 years in operation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As countries, border agencies and international organizations strengthen collaboration to make cross-border trade faster, easier and less costly \u2013 especially for small businesses \u2013 landlocked-ness can be turned into landlinked-ness, setting countries on a path towards sustainable and inclusive development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n