Expert Meeting on the Ways and Means of Improving the Implementation of Priority Areas Agreed in the Istanbul Programme of Action

Productive capacities and doubling the share of the least developed countries in world exports

The objective of the meeting is to seek ways and means of improving the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action, with a view to fostering productive capacities, structural transformation and the diversification of exports in the least developed countries.

The meeting will also examine the respective roles of Governments and the private sector in building productive capacities and accelerating transformative development in the least developed countries, through discussions and exchanges of views on the role of the development and trade partners of the least developed countries, as well as on international trade in building productive capacities.

UNCTAD provides substantive analysis on the need to build productive capacities in the least developed countries, which has led to growing recognition that doing so is a key requirement for these countries to achieve sustainable economic growth and development under the Sustainable Development Goals.

The challenge is how to operationalize the analytical framework developed by UNCTAD in specific national circumstances. In this regard, the meeting will build on earlier work of the secretariat and will contribute to efforts to build consensus on ways and means of accelerating the building of productive capacities in the least developed countries.

Panel discussions and presentations at the meeting will be structured in four sessions involving discussions and exchanges of views on the following:

• Progress in the implementation and achievement of the goals of the Istanbul Programme of Action

• How to strengthen productive capacities in the least developed countries

• Mobilizing financial resources for productive capacity development in the least developed countries

• Ways and means to double the share of the least developed countries in global exports while enhancing their benefits from global trade

Contributions from Experts

Experts are requested to advise of their intention to submit papers and contributions to the UNCTAD secretariat by 15 September 2017.

Written papers and contributions must be submitted to the secretariat by Friday, 29 September.