In progress at UNHQ

TAD/1896

UNCTAD TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT 1999 TO BE RELEASED, 20 SEPTEMBER

17 September 1999


Press Release
TAD/1896


UNCTAD TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT 1999 TO BE RELEASED, 20 SEPTEMBER

19990917

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 17 September (UNCTAD) -- Neither the apparent return of stability to the Asian economies, nor the seeming containment of the impact of the Brazilian crisis elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean, should obscure the risk of the world economy taking a negative turn in the near future, warns the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its Trade and Development Report 1999, to be released here on 20 September.

Latin American countries were hit by the Asian crisis, as well as a series of meteorological disasters, leading to increased current account deficits and falling export values for the first time in 12 years.

José Antonio Ocampo, Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), will present the report, with special reference to events in the region, at 11.00 Chilean time (15.00 GMT) on Monday, 20 September, at the Commission’s Santiago headquarters. This release will be in parallel with the main launch in Geneva by Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of UNCTAD.

As well as examining the world’s economic performance in 1998, and prospects for 1999, the 175-page Report discusses the fragile recovery achieved so far and continuing risks. It provides figures on trade, finance and growth, and looks closely at matters such as the Asian financial crisis, the effects of this in Latin America and Eastern Europe and the launch of the Euro, Europe’s new currency.

For more information about UNCTAD, visit its Internet site,

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For information media. Not an official record.