Economic development in Africa: Doubling aid - Making the<br>"Big Push" work

The Trade and Development Board,

1. Takes note of the report by the UNCTAD secretariat entitled Economic Development in Africa: Doubling Aid - Making the "Big Push" Work;
   
   
2. Encourages the secretariat to make the Africa report available early in advance of the Trade and Development Board´s session;
   
   
3. Notes with satisfaction the commitment of the international community to double aid to Africa by 2010;
   
   
4. Welcomes the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness but notes that problems persist relating to aid quality and effectiveness, such as the lack of predictability, coherence and transparency;
   
   
5. Welcomes the efforts made in the report in raising fundamental questions with regard to:
   
   
   1. Emphasizing the context of increased ownership for African countries, which have the main responsibility for their development, with regard to designing and implementing policies consonant with their specific development challenges and priorities,
      
      
   2. Good governance at all levels;
      
      
   3. The share and volume of multilateral aid;
      
      
   4. The multilateral structures and modalities for effective aid delivery;
      
      
   5. Positive aid experiences gained in different contexts;
   
   
   
6. Invites all Governments to give due consideration to the issues raised above with a view to further enhancing the impact and effectiveness of aid;
   
   
7. Emphasizes that UNCTAD, together with inter alia WTO, UNDP, OECD and the Bretton Woods institutions, has an important role to play by helping African countries to integrate trade policies with their national development strategies;
   
   
8. Agrees that UNCTAD should, within its mandate, continue to undertake critical and in-depth analysis, and provide policy advice, on African development, including attaining sustainable growth and development, with the objective of attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the implementation of NEPAD.