UNCTAD BOARD RECOMMENDS STREAMLINING OF MACHINERY
Press Release
TAD/1808
UNCTAD BOARD RECOMMENDS STREAMLINING OF MACHINERY
19951219 GENEVA, 15 December (UNCTAD) -- The Trade and Development Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) today adopted a set of recommendations designed to streamline UNCTAD's intergovernmental structure. The recommendations will be submitted to UNCTAD IX, to be held in South Africa from 27 April to 11 May 1996. They are the outcome of a one-week review of the functioning of the organization since UNCTAD VIII was held in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) in 1992.The Board confirmed "the general validity of the direction taken" over the past four years but considered that there was scope for making the intergovernmental machinery "more responsive to the needs of a rapidly changing world economy". The recommendations arose out of an effort to streamline the intergovernmental structures, to establish clearly defined functions and decision-making, to ensure effective follow-up of actions agreed upon, to involve the business sector and non-governmental interests, and to better regulate the calendar of meetings.
The Board, which to date has held two regular two-week sessions a year (in spring and autumn), recommends that it be convened for only one such session in autumn for approximately 10 working days, with possibly a high-level segment. At that session, the Board would continue to deal with interdependence and global economic issues and review progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries and of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa.
In between its regular sessions, the Board could hold three executive sessions, normally for one day, to deal with policy as well as management and institutional matters, and urgent questions. The elected Bureau would deal with housekeeping business, including administrative and procedural matters.
The number of the subsidiary bodies of the Board would be reduced, but their policy functions would be enhanced.
The Board adopted those recommendations, recognizing that "UNCTAD provides the most appropriate focal point, within the United Nations proper, for the integrated treatment of development and interrelated issues in key areas including trade, finance, investment, services, technology and sustainable development". The final design of the intergovernmental
structures will be determined in the light of the decisions taken on the substantive programmes.
At the final plenary, the spokesmen for the Asian Group, Dilip Sinha (India), and for the African Group, Alaa Youssef (Egypt), both stressed that they had joined the consensus in a spirit of compromise and expressed hope that their flexibility would be reciprocated by other regional groups. The Asian Group added that the discussion at the regular session of the Board should take into account the annual UNCTAD Trade and Development report.
The negotiations were based on proposals put forward by the President of the Board, William Rossier (Switzerland), as a result of a series of informal consultations. On several occasions countries have stressed the need to enhance the participation of experts from developing countries, notably the least developed among them, in UNCTAD's meetings. At its current session the Board decided to request the President to initiate informal consultations on the issue.
Latvia today became a member of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board, bringing total membership to 141.
The Board will meet in executive session on 19 February 1996 to launch the substantive preparatory process for UNCTAD IX. A Committee of the Whole will meet from 20 to 23 February, 4 to 8 March and 18 to 21 March. A final executive session of the Board is scheduled for 22 March.
Regional ministerial meetings of the developing countries have been scheduled in preparation for UNCTAD IX. The Asian Group will meet in Amman (Jordan) from 6 to 11 January and the Latin America Group in Caracas from 16 to 18 January 1996. The African Group will meet in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) at a date yet to be decided.
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