In mid to late November 2020, several vaccines being developed against COVID-19 have been reported to be 90% effective and in the final stage of clinical trials. However, even if vaccines become widespread, the effects of the pandemic economic crisis will be prolonged and the poor are likely to suffer the most serious damage. On November 19, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the report Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trade and Development: Transitioning to a New Normal, a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the economic crisis on world trade, investment, production, employment, and individuallivelihoods. The report also finds that the impact of the corona crisis has been assymetric and tilted towards the poorest and most vulnerable, who lack the resources necessary to respond to shocks.

The full report is available at:

UNCTAD. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trade and Development: Transitioning to a New Normal. https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/osg2020d1_en.pdf

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Research Strategy Office)