Did you know that one of the United Nations’ important agencies is facing some big challenges? 😮 The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, or UNCTAD for short, is having to cut back on its work. But what does that mean?
UNCTAD helps countries around the world, especially developing ones, to join the global economy. Imagine if you and your friends wanted to start a club, but you didn’t know how to join in with the bigger clubs at school. UNCTAD is like a helpful teacher who shows you the way!
But now, UNCTAD’s leader, Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, said they might have to cut 70 jobs out of 500. That’s like losing some important team players! 😢 She said, “This is painful… it will really constrain the organization and the things that we can do.”
Why is this happening? Well, funding from some countries has gone down. This includes less money from the United States. So UNCTAD might not be able to help countries as much, especially when they need advice about trade problems.
Right now, many countries are dealing with new taxes on goods, called tariffs, that affect trade. It’s like if suddenly there was a big fee for trading your lunch snacks with friends! 🍪➡️🍎 UNCTAD helps countries understand and navigate these changes.
The United Nations as a whole is also trying to save money. They are looking at ways to be more efficient, like leaving some buildings to cut costs. Grynspan is working with others to find the best ways to help, even with less money.
It’s a tough time for UNCTAD, but they’re trying their best to keep helping countries around the world! 🌍❤️
Reference(s):
UNCTAD says it faces 'painful' cuts as countries navigate tariffs
cgtn.com
