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UNCTAD:
TRADE AND
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
CONCLUDES 54th SESSION
: 12/10/2007 (MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network /
- 12 October 2007 -- The
Trade and Development Board completed its 54th session this
afternoon, having focused for much of two weeks on the challenge of ensuring
that current strong global economic growth extends its benefits to all countries
and the world’s many poor, the topic of UNCTAD's upcoming quadrennial
conference.
UNCTAD
Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi said in closing remarks that the board
had made "good progress on the road to UNCTAD XII," which will be held
from 20-25 April in
Accra
,
Ghana
.
He
also cited timeliness of the Board's debate on globalization and inclusiveness.
The
Board --UNCTAD's governing body -- set the stage for UNCTAD XII.
A
preparatory committee composed of UNCTAD's 151 member States will begin meetings
Oct. 15 to arrange the details.
Negotiations
on a draft text for the outcome will begin in November, with a first reading by
member countries scheduled for 26-30 November.
Joe
Baidoe-Ansah, Minister of Trade, Industry and Private Sector Development &
President's Special Initiatives of Ghana reported to the Board on 1 Oct. that
preparations for the conference were well advanced, and showed a video on the
country's culture, capital city, and conference facilities.
The
theme adopted by the Board for UNCTAD XII was “addressing the opportunities
and challenges of globalization for development” -- and the subject of making
the world economy work for everyone was also addressed from numerous angles
during the 54th session.
The
high-level debate that opened the meeting on 1 October was on
"globalization and inclusive development."
Discussion
of agenda items on least developed countries (LDCs) and
Africa
reflected concern that while economic growth has improved in such nations
recently, it hasn't spread to all, and more has to be done to turn this expanded
trade into significant poverty reduction.
It
was noted repeatedly that the current rate of progress will not be enough to
meet the targets set in the Millennium Development Goals, including the halving
of extreme poverty by 2015.
Member
States, in their agreed conclusions on LDCs, said it was critical that LDCs
improve their productive capacities through capital accumulation, technological
progress, structural change, and good governance.
Such
steps were vital for reducing poverty and creating more jobs, they said,
endorsing the findings of UNCTAD's Least-Developed
Countries Report 2007.
To
accomplish these goals, the Board called for national and international action
to promote business formation and upgrade the core competences and technological
capabilities of domestic firms in LDCs.
On
Africa, member States agreed with the conclusion of the UNCTAD Economic Development in Africa report that, while the support of
their development partners is important and appreciated, African countries need
to take steps to mobilize their domestic financial resources to reduce their
dependence on external resources in the medium to long term.
The
Board stressed the need to learn from the experiences of successful developing
economies which have pursued economic growth, development, and poverty
reduction, while keeping in mind the specific situations of African countries.
They
called on international institutions such as UNCTAD, the World Trade
Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund to play a
strong role in helping African countries boost internal economic growth to
complement external links to the world economy.
During
its two weeks of meetings, the Board also discussed the implications for
developing countries of the ongoing World Trade Organization Doha round of trade
negotiations.
It
debated "interdependence and global economic issues from a trade and
development perspective: regional cooperation for development -- which included
review of the UNCTAD Trade and Development
Report 2007.
It
considered UNCTAD's 2007 Report on
Assistance to the Palestinian People.
And, on 2 October, it held its annual hearing with civil society
organizations.
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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