Ukraine is at war. Image from House of Commons Library
ICSM Business News: printing and allied trades in a time of uncertainty – Gaza, Palestine, Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela and Greenland
By Harry Mottram: It seems the old-world order is falling apart with another war, conflict or disorder breaking out every week this year – that’s assuming the old-world order set up since 1945 ever existed. What ever the causes of war in Ukraine or the civil war in Sudan or the destruction in Gaza one thing is certain and that is normal commercial and manufacturing activities have been disrupted or even halted. Russia’s economy is on a war footing as is Ukraine’s with the result that workers normally engaged in print shops, sign-making studios, graphic design, packaging and promotion and marketing have been largely drafted into the war effort. Before Russia invade Ukraine there were more than 100,000 workers in the sector in Ukraine – that number has shrunk since the first Russian tanks crossed the border.
Over in Poland the Warsaw Government has been building up its armed forces in case Russia decides to expand its aggression while also printing millions of booklets warning it citizens of a potential emergency. The 54-page Safety Guide is a euphemism for what to do if Russian tanks cross the border in a repeat of what happened in 1939 when the Soviets and Nazis carved up the country.
Venezuela is officially not at war with the USA after American special forces kidnapped their dictator president on drugs charges, but the South American nation is effectively in a stand-off with Washington – a situation not good for business. In the last few years the Venezuelan printing industry has been hit by hyperinflation, chronic shortages, and economic instability largely caused by the mismanagement and corruption of the Chávez and Maduro administrations. However, like most South American countries Venezuela has seen the same changes in the printing and allied trades that the UK has experienced with declines in traditional newspapers, increases in packaging and label printing as well as a move to electronic signage systems – despite the near strangulation of its economy.
Poland's Government has printed millions of booklets with advice for citizens if war comes. Image Print Week
Like Venezuela Sudan should be a modern emerging economy but a civil war has split the country in half by two rival armies. The official army holding the eastern half – and the more prosperous half east of the River Nile and including the capital Khartoum while the Rapid Support Force or RSF holding the rest. Most of the manufacturing which includes cotton, cement, printing and publishing, food processing, electronics and logistics are in the western areas close to the Ethiopian border and the Red Sea. All sectors including agriculture and oil extraction have been hit by the fighting with a drop in production and employment in all sectors. In Khartoum many of the major businesses utilise all the modern technologies associated with Europe to maintain trade and despite the conflict would not look out of place in most European trading estates.
Palestinians at work in a West Bank factory. Image: BBC
Israel is when it comes to manufacturing and the service industries case a modern western economy – but there the parallels end. It’s embroilment and meddling in the politics of Palestine has given it what some may describe as a ‘forever war.’ There is no end in sight in The West Bank’s problems and those of Gaza. It is a tragedy as both parts of Palestine should be manufacturing and business hubs with agriculture a major source of revenue. In Gaza since the war with Israel began its GDP has collapsed with only around 10% or the economy intact with infrastructure all but destroyed. With no port or airport, the strip of land is cut off from the rest of the world by Israel who controls the borders. Whether Donald Trump’s plans to convert the Mediterranean country into a ‘Florida of the East’ remains to be seen – but work cannot begin soon enough.
Nuuk in Greeland looks like any city (bar the snow) Image: Greenland Government
In stark contrast Greenland is for now a place of peace. It may have a small population and a vast interior of icy mountains, but the coastal towns and cities enjoy a standard of living residents of Gaza can only dream about. As a self-governing territory that is part of Denmark it enjoys the Scandinavian nation’s welfare system and modern economic infrastructure. The island is covered by ice and glaciers meaning only about 10% of the land is inhabitable – but in the capital Nuk you’ll find all the usual businesses found in any European city albeit on a smaller scale as its population of around 55,000 is roughly the same size as Dorchester – the county town of Dorset. With more interest in the country and pledges of help from the EU and nearby Canada expect the Greenland economy to grow fast – and I’ve not even mentioned those rare earth minerals the USA is so interested in.
Across into Syria which neighbours Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Türkiye it appears finally after more than a decade of civil war manufacturing is growing. Much of the country was destroyed in the fighting but Damascus in the south and the coastal area to the north are now seeing major investment as the post Assad Government seeks to rebuild the country – despite the continued infighting and unrest in the northern areas where rival authorities still rule. It does show that the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world – Damascus – which dates back 8,000 or more years as a settlement of some size – can come back from the brink and see business once again thrive.
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