The Transnational Anti-Illegal Trade Coalition (TRACIT) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) demonstrate how progress in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been hampered by illegal trade in some of the world's most important economic sectors.

“From smuggling, forgery and tax evasion, to the illegal sale or possession of goods, services, humans and wildlife, illegal trade is jeopardizing the achievement of all 17 United Nations sustainable development goals,” said Gerif Hardy, Director-General of the NGO Tracit (Jeffrey Hardy) said. It is crowding out legitimate economic activities, depriving the government of investment income in important public services, and displacing millions of legitimate jobs, causing irreversible damage to ecosystems and human life.

TRACIT and UNCTAD held a meeting to help governments understand the challenges of illegal trade and consider policy measures that address the negative impact of illegal trade on sustainable development goals. During the meeting, TRACIT published a report depicting the impact of illegal trade on the Sustainable Development Goals, which compared 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals with: Agricultural Food, Alcohol, Fisheries, Forestry, Petroleum , pharmaceuticals, precious metals and precious stones, pesticides, tobacco, wildlife and various forms of forgery and piracy.

According to the report, all forms of illicit trade are directly tied to SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), undermining violence and breeding corruption, undermining trust in institutions and the rule of law, and generating huge illicit financial flows. “In addition, from the trafficking of human trafficking networks and tobacco smuggling, to the theft of drug trafficking groups, and the involvement of mafia and organized criminal groups in the trade of counterfeit products, the link between illegal trade and organized crime has been well established. Perhaps the most fearful Is the link to terrorist financing, which exacerbates threats to national and global security."

Oil and fuel theft and various forms of fuel fraud are forms of ongoing illegal trade that are directly linked to organized crime and terrorist organizations. It is estimated that $133 billion in fuel is illegally stolen, adulterated or defrauded from legitimate oil companies each year, causing the same significant losses to the government through abuse of subsidies and tax evasion. Illegal trade in oil can take many forms, such as transferring oil or refined products from pipelines, siphoning products from large ships to small barges, and unloading stolen or smuggled fuel onto another ship to cover up the source of imports, which will be cheaper. Untaxed or highly subsidized fuel is smuggled into the East Coast. She priced jurisdictions and adulteration by mixing low-cost additives with high-cost fuels.

The illegal trade in oil poses a major threat to SDG6 (clean water and sanitation). Although the legal oil industry has invested heavily in environmental management, criminals have little regard for the environment when stealing oil and stealing oil. Illegal mining, refueling and ship transfers increase the likelihood of oil spills and pipe bursts and can cause significant damage to clean water supplies, marine life and other natural resources vital to human well-being. For example, illegal refining and third-party interference are major sources of pollution in the Niger Delta, making once prosperous fisheries and agricultural occupations infeasible.

The illegal oil trade also has a negative impact on energy access. The kerosene subsidy is for families in the poorest countries who spend 10% of their income on kerosene to cook or drink on the water. The transfer of subsidized kerosene as an adulterer of expensive, non-affiliated motor fuels deprives the most vulnerable citizens of the right to kerosene as a cooking fuel and undermines government subsidies designed to provide economic, reliable, sustainable and modern energy. GY (SDG 7).

Human trafficking is prevalent in many sectors that are vulnerable to illicit trade, including fisheries, agriculture, manufacturing and mining. The US Department of Labor has identified 139 products from 75 countries that are produced by forced labor and child labor, including everything from diamonds and cotton to clothing and electronics. According to Articles 5, 8 and 16 of the Sustainable Development Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes three specific objectives to end human trafficking.

The report said that it is necessary to:

Focus on developing countries and least developed countries

Explain the interrelatedness of challenges

Promote joint responsibility

Prioritize policy response

Develop political will and leadership.