Priorities for eliminating disparities through global partnership at UNCTAD IX.

• Position: Ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Recognizing that disparities between and within nations could be eliminated only through a global partnership, member States of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) set priorities for policies and concrete action at the conclusion of the ninth session of the Conference (UNCTAD IX), held in Midrand, South Africa, from 27 April to 11 May.

Reaffirming their commitment to "partnership for development", the States adopted a political declaration and the Conference final text containing practical measures to help developing countries reap the benefits of globalization and development.

Noting that the impact of globalization and liberalization was uneven, the Declaration stated that the partnership for development must be based on a clear definition of roles, the establishment of common objectives, and the development of joint action. That called for stronger intergovernmental cooperation between developed and developing countries, as well as among developing nations, and effective coordination and complementarily of multilateral institutions. Further, it meant mobilization of resources through dialogue and common action between Governments and civil society, and partnership between the public and private sectors.

Focal point

The Declaration stated that UNCTAD's mandate remained relevant as the focal point for dealing with trade and related issues of development. It must build upon its comparative advantage and offer support to developing countries to ensure their participation in the world economy on an equitable basis. Its policy research and analytical work must illuminate the changes in the global economy as they related to trade, investment, technology, services and development, and must facilitate policy formulation as member States strove for development.

By its final text entitled "A Partnership for Growth and Development", the Conference provided the organization with new orientation for its activities, which would include new and emerging trade and development issues of particular interest to developing countries on which UNCTAD could have substantial impact. Those issues included a multilateral framework for investment, enterprise development, and technology and services infrastructures. The Conference also streamlined the organizational machinery of UNCTAD to reflect the new orientation and make it more responsive to the needs of a rapidly changing world economy.

The adoption of the final document of UNCTAD IX was the culmination of intergovernmental deliberations that started more than a year ago at the Trade and Development Board, the governing body of UNCTAD.

Negotiations were finalized at Midrand by a Committee of the whole, three drafting groups and several smaller groups which met throughout the Conference. The Conference, which is held once every four years, was attended by more than 2,500 delegates from 135 countries. The next one will be held in Thailand in the year...