IPED Student Basisipho Jack ‘s Shares Her Experience Working for the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries , Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS).
Over the summer I interned at the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS). The Office is split into three teams dedicated to providing supporting and advocating for issues facing the countries in the various groupings. I was part of a team of four, dealing directly with Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). The key function of our team was to coordinate and facilitate discussions, follow-up and monitor the progress made by LLDCs regarding the Vienna Programme of Action.
My responsibilities included assisting in organizing and writing reports on meetings with themes such as the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and role of technology in the development of LLDCs, climate change and the Law of the Sea as well as trade facilitation. These are all key issues as lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets and high transit costs are serious constraints on the overall socio-economic development of landlocked developing countries. The extensive amount of time and emphasis placed on research and report writing in Dr Bastiaens and Dr Schwalbenberg’s classes really helped prepare for this role. Additionally, I was able to use my data interpretation and analysis skills to contribute to the yearly factsheet published on the OHRLLS website.
