Introduction

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues. The organization's goals are to "maximize the trade, investment and development opportunities of developing countries and assist them in their efforts to integrate into the world economy on an equitable basis."). The creation of the conference was based on concerns of developing countries over the international market, multi-national corporations, and great disparity between developed nations and developing nations. In the 1970s and 1980s, UNCTAD was closely associated with the idea of a New International Economic Order (NIEO). UNCTAD promotes the development-friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy. UNCTAD has progressively evolved into an authoritative knowledge-based institution whose work aims to help shape current policy debates and thinking on development, with a particular focus on ensuring that domestic policies and international action are mutually supportive in bringing about sustainable development. The organization works to fulfil this mandate by carrying out three key functions:

It functions as a forum for intergovernmental deliberations, supported by discussions with experts and exchanges of experience, aimed at consensus building. It undertakes research, policy analysis and data collection for the debates of government representatives and experts. It provides technical assistance tailored to the specific requirements of developing countries, with special attention to the needs of the least developed countries and of economies in transition. When appropriate, UNCTAD cooperates with other organizations and donor countries in the delivery of technical assistance.

The Secretary-General of UNCTAD is Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi(Thailand), who took office on 1 September 2005.

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In performing its functions, the secretariat works together with member Governments and interacts with organizations of the United Nations system and regional commissions, as well as with governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, including trade and industry associations, research institutes and universities worldwide. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 in order to provide a forum where the developing countries could discuss the problems relating to their economic development. UNCTAD grew from the view that existing institutions like GATT, WTO, IMF, and World Bank were not properly organized to handle the particular problems of developing countries. UNCTAD has 193 members.

A Brief History Foundation

In the early 1960s, growing concerns about the place of developing countries in international trade led many of these countries to call for the convening of a fullfledged conference specifically devoted to tackling these problems and identifying appropriate international actions. The first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was held in Geneva in 1964. Given the magnitude of the problems at stake and the need to address them, the conference was institutionalized to meet every four years, with intergovernmental bodies meeting between sessions and a permanent secretariat providing the necessary substantive and logistical support. Simultaneously, the developing countries established theGroup of 77 to voice their concerns. (Today, the G77 has 131 members.) The prominent Argentinian economist Ral Prebisch, who had headed the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, became the organization's first Secretary-General.

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Phase 1: The 1960s and 1970s

In its early decades of operation, UNCTAD gained authoritative standing:

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as an intergovernmental forum for North-South dialogue and negotiations on issues of interest to developing countries, including debates on the New International Economic Order. for its analytical research and policy advice on development issues.

Agreements launched by UNCTAD during this time include:

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the Generalized System of Preferences (1968), whereby developed economies grant improved market access to exports from developing countries. a number of International Commodities Agreements, which aimed at stabilizing the prices of export products crucial for developing countries. the Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences, which strengthened the ability of developing countries to maintain national merchant fleets. the adoption of a Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices. This work later evolved into what is today known as Trade and Competition Policies.

Furthermore, UNCTAD was a key contributor to:

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the definition of the target of 0.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) to be given as official development aid by developed countries to the poorest countries, as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1970. the identification of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as early as 1971, which drew attention to the particular needs of these poorest countries. UNCTAD became the focal point within the UN system for tackling LDC-related economic development issues.

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Phase 2: The 1980s

In the 1980s, UNCTAD was faced with a changing economic and political environment:
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There was a significant transformation in economic thinking. Development strategies became more market-oriented, focusing on trade liberalization and privatization of state enterprises. A number of developing countries were plunged into severe debt crises. Despite structural adjustment programs by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, most developing countries affected were not able to recover quickly. In many cases, they experienced negative growth and high rates of inflation. For this reason, the 1980s become known as the lost decade, particularly in Latin America. Economic interdependence in the world increased greatly.

In the light of these developments, UNCTAD multiplied efforts aimed at:

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Strengthening the analytical content of its intergovernmental debate, particularly regarding macroeconomic management and international financial and monetary issues. Broadening the scope of its activities to assist developing countries in their efforts to integrate into the world trading system. In this context,

The technical assistance provided by UNCTAD to developing countries was particularly important in the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations, which had begun under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1986. UNCTAD played a key role in supporting the negotiations for the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). UNCTADs work on trade efficiency (customs facilitation, multimodal transport) made an important contribution to enabling developing economies to reap greater gains from trade. UNCTAD assisted developing countries in the rescheduling of official debt in the Paris Club negotiations.

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Promoting South-South cooperation. In 1989, the Agreement on the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP) came into force. It provided for the granting of tariff as well as non-tariff preferences among its members. To date, the Agreement has been ratified by 44 countries. Addressing the concerns of the poorest nations by organizing the first UN Conference on Least Developed Countries in 1981. Since then, two other international conferences have been held at 10-year intervals.

Phase 3: From the 1990s until today

Key developments in the international context:

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The conclusion of the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations under the GATT resulted in the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995, which led to a strengthening of the legal framework governing international trade. A spectacular increase in international financial flows led to increasing financial instability and volatility. Against this background, UNCTADs analysis gave early warning concerning the risks and the destructive impact of financial crises on development. Consequently, UNCTAD emphasized the need for a more development-oriented international financial architecture. Foreign direct investment flows became a major component of globalization. UNCTAD highlighted the need for a differentiated approach to the problems of developing countries. Its tenth conference, held in Bangkok in February 2000, adopted a political declaration The Spirit of Bangkok as a strategy to address the development agenda in a globalizing world.

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In recent years, UNCTAD has

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Further focused its analytical research on the linkages between trade, investment, technology and enterprise development. Put forward a positive agenda for developing countries in international trade negotiations, designed to assist developing countries in better the Expanded work on international investment issues, following the merger into UNCTAD of
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expanded and diversified its technical assistance, which today covers a wide range of areas, including training trade negotiators and addressing traderelated issues; debt management, investment policy reviews and the promotion of entrepreneurship; commodities; competition law and policy; and trade and environment.

Objective:
The primary objective of the UNCTAD is to formulate policies relating to all aspects of development including trade, aid, transport, finance and technology. The Conference ordinarily meets once in four years. The first conference took place in Geneva in 1964, second in New Delhi in 1968, the third in Santiago in 1972, fourth in Nairobi in 1976, the fifth in Manila in 1979, the sixth in Belgrade in 1983, the seventh in Geneva in 1987, the eighth in Cartagena in 1992 and the ninth at Johannesburg (South Africa)in 1996. The Conference has its permanent secretariat in Geneva. The highest decision-making body of UNCTAD is the quadrennial conference, at which member States make assessments of current trade and development issues, discuss policy options and formulate global policy responses. The conference also sets the organizations mandate and work priorities.

The conference is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations General Assembly. The conferences serve an important political function: they allow intergovernmental consensus building regarding the state of the world economy and development policies, and they play a key role in identifying the role of the United Nations and UNCTAD in addressing economic development problems.

One of the principal achievements of UNCTAD has been to conceive and implement the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). It was argued in UNCTAD, that in order to promote exports of manufactured goods from developing countries, it would be necessary to offer special tariff concessions to such exports. Accepting this argument, the developed countries formulated the GSP Scheme under which manufacturers' exports and some agricultural goods from the developing countries enter duty-free or at reduced rates in the developed countries. Since imports of such items from other developed countries are subject to the normal rates of duties, imports of the same items from developing countries would enjoy a competitive advantage.Currently, UNCTAD has 193 member States and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The inter-governmental work is done at 5 levels of meetings.
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UNCTAD Conferences

The highest decision-making body of UNCTAD is the quadrennial conference, at which member States make assessments of current trade and development issues, discuss policy options and formulate global policy responses. The conference also sets the organizations mandate and work priorities.

The conference is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations General Assembly. The conferences serve an important political function: they allow intergovernmental consensus building regarding the state of the world economy and development policies, and they play a key role in identifying the role of the United Nations and UNCTAD in addressing economic development problems.

The UNCTAD Conference held every 4 years:

UNCTAD XIII will be held in Doha, Qatar in 2012 UNCTAD XII was held in Accra, Ghana in 2125 April 2008 [1] UNCTAD XI was held in So Paulo, Brazil in 1318 June 2004 [2] UNCTAD X was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1219 February 2000 [3] UNCTAD IX was held in Midrand, South Africa in 27 April 11 May 1996 UNCTAD VIII was held in Cartagena, Colombia in 825 February 1992

The UNCTAD Trade and Development Board the Board manages the work of UNCTAD in between two Conferences and meets up to three times every year; Four UNCTAD Commissions and one Working Party these meet more often than the Board in order to take up policy, programme and budgetary issues; Expert Meetings the Commissions will convene expert meetings on selected topics in order to provide substantive and expert input for Commission policy discussions.

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Geneva, 1964
In response to developing country (Least Developed Country, LDC) anxiety at their worsening position in world trade, the United Nations General Assembly voted for a 'one off' conference. These early discussions paved the way for new IMF facilities to provide finance for shortfalls in commodity earnings, and for the Generalised Preference Schemes which increased access to Northern markets for manufactured imports from the South. At Geneva, the Idcs were successful in their proposal for the conference with its Secretariat to become a permanent organ of the UN, with meetings every four years.

New Delhi, 1968

The New Delhi Conference, held in February and March 1968, was a forum that allowed developing countries to reach agreement on basic principles of their development policies. While the first conference was held in Geneva in 1964, the second conference in New Delhi was an opportunity for schemes to be finally approved. The conference provided a major impetus in persuading the North to follow up UNCTAD I resolutions, in establishing generalised preferences. The target for private and official flows to LDCs was raised to 1% of the North's GNP, but the developed countries failed to commit themselves to achieving the target by a specific date. This has proven a continuing point of debate at UNCTAD conferences. The conference also led to the International Sugar Agreement, which seeks to stabilise world sugar prices.

Santiago, 1972
The Santiago Conference, April 15, 1972, was the third occasion on which the developing countries have confronted the rich with the need to use trade and aid measures more effectively to improve living standards in the developing world. Discussion centred on the international monetary system, and specifically on the South's proposal that a higher proportion of new special drawing rights (SDRs) should be allocated to LDCs as a form of aid (the socalled 'link'). In Santiago, substantial disagreements arose within the Group of 77 (G77) despite preconference meetings. There was disagreement both over the SDR proposal and between those within G77 who wanted fundamental changes such as a change in the voting allocations in the South's favour at the IMF, and those (mainly the Latin American countries) who wanted much milder reforms. This internal dissent seriously weakened the Group's negotiating position, and led to a final agreed motion which recommended that the IMF should examine the link and that further research be conducted into general reforms. This avoided firm commitments to act on the 'link' or general reform, and the motion was passed by conference.

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Nairobi, 1976 and Manila, 1979

UNCTAD IV held in Nairobi May 1976, showed relative success compared to its predecessors. An Overseas Development Institute briefing paper of April 1979 highlights one reason for success as being down to the 1973 Oil Crisis and the encouragement of LDCs to make gains through producers of other commodities. The principal result of the conference was the adoption of the Integrated Programme for Commodities. The programme covered the principal commodity exports and its objectives aside from the stabilisation of commodity prices were: 'Just and remunerative pricing, taking into account world inflation', the expansion of processing, distribution and control of technology by LDCs and improved access to markets. [8][9] UNCTAD V in the wake of the Nairobi Conference, held in Manila 1979 focused on the key issues of: protectionism in developing countries and the need for structural change, trade in commodities and manufactures aid and international monetary reform,technology, shipping, and economic co-operation among developing countries. An Overseas Development Institute briefing paper written in 1979 focuses its attention on the key issues regarding the LDCs` role as the Group of 77 in the international community.[10]

Belgrade, 1983
The sixth UN conference on trade and development in Belgrade, 630 June 1983 was held against the background of earlier UNCTADs which have substantially failed to resolve many of the disagreements between the developed and developing countries, and of a world economy in its worst recession since the early 1930s. The key issues of the time were finance and adjustment, commodity price stabilisation and trade.[11] Meeting: Date: Location: Ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD IX) 27 April 11 May 1996 Midrand (South Africa)

Only through a global partnership for development can the international community eliminate disparities between and within nations. The Conference has set clear priorities and policies for action. These priorities stem from the recognition that only through a global partnership for development can the international community eliminate disparities between and within nations. Member States adopted theMidrand Declaration and A Partnership for Growth and Development"(circulated in TD/377).

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The Midrand Declaration

The Midrand Declaration gives strong political boost to international cooperation for development and to UNCTAD as the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated treatment of development and inter-related isuses in the areas of trade, finance, technology,investment and sustainable development. The Declaration calls for greater partnership between developed, developing countries and the least developed countries. It also emphasized the benefit of involving the civil society in the work of the organization. Meeting: Date: Location: Tenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X) 1219 February 2000 Bangkok (Thailand)

The States members of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, between 12 and 19 February 2000, for the tenth session of the Conference, and deliberated on developmental strategies in an increasingly interdependent world and on how to make globalization an effective instrument for development. In the context of the opportunities created by the technological revolution, the opening of markets and globalization, the paramount objectives of UNCTAD have been the promotion of growth and sustainable development, the quest for equity and participation by all, translating broadly agreed concepts into effective action, and effective co-operation and co-ordination in dealing with global interdependence and development. Member States agreed on theBangkok Declaration and Plan of Action.

Intergovernmental meetings
Meeting: Date: Location: Eleventh session of the Conference (UNCTAD XI) 1318 June 2004 So Paulo (Brazil)

UNCTADs eleventh session ended with the adoption of the So Paulo Consensus, which once again places UNCTAD at the centre of the trade and development debate.

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The official conference theme was "Enhancing coherence between national development strategies and global economic processes towards economic growth and development, particularly of developing countries". This focus on coherence was examined from the following four angles, each one corresponding to a subtheme: development strategies in a globalizing world economy; building productive capacity and international competitiveness; assuring development gains from the international trading system and trade negotiations; and partnership for developmen Meeting: Date: Location: Twelfth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XII) 2025 April 2008 Accra (Ghana)

Against the backdrop of surging food prices and global economic uncertainties, UNCTAD XII ended with adoption of comprehensive conclusions aimed at reinforcing international efforts to extend gains from globalization to the millions being left behind. UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi hailed the Accra Accord and its accompanying political declaration for embodying the shared commitment of the developing and developed world to work toward making globalization a powerful means to achieve poverty eradication. Quoting Ghanaian President John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, whose country hosted the conference, Dr. Supachai referred to a new mood of development solidarity around the objective of narrowing gaps between countries and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which include halving extreme poverty by 2015.

Meeting: Date: Location:

Thirteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) 2126 April 2012 Doha (Qatar)

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Reports
UNCTAD produces a number of topical reports, including:

The Trade and Development Reports The Trade and Environment Review The World Investment Report The Economic Development in Africa Report The Least Developed Countries Report UNCTAD Statistics The Information Economy Report The Review of Maritime Transport The International Accounting and Reporting Issues Annual Review.

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