FINANCING THE PARTICIPATION OF EXPERTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND COUNTRIES WITH ECONOMIES IN TRANSITION IN UNCTAD EXPERT MEETINGS

The Trade and Development Board,

Recalling the guidelines it adopted at its nineteenth special session on the Mid-term Review in May 2002, as well as the decisions on financing the participation of experts taken by the Working Party at its second resumed thirty-eighth session in May 2002, its thirty-ninth session in September 2002, and its resumed thirty-ninth session in November/December 2002, especially with regard to the need for a long-term solution for predictable financing of expert participation in expert meetings,

Noting that funding is to cover the participation of 10 experts at each of eight expert meetings per annum, with experts being selected on the basis of the principle of equitable geographical representation, beneficiary needs, in particular LDCs, and the expertise of the experts concerned;

1. Agrees that, on an experimental basis, participation of experts in UNCTAD expert meetings will be financed on the basis of extrabudgetary contributions;



2. Further agrees that there will be a reserve fund that will be used to finance participation at any expert meeting for which there are not sufficient extrabudgetary contributions;



3. Decides that:
   
   
   1. The funds currently available to finance participation in expert meetings should constitute the reserve fund;
   
   
   
   2. The process of obtaining extrabudgetary contributions for the expert meetings for 2003 (and future years) should begin immediately;
   
   
   
   3. Funding for each expert meeting should be secured not later than three months before the meeting takes place;
   
   
   
   4. If sufficient funding is not available for a meeting, use should be made of the reserve fund;
   
   
   
   5. It will discuss the working of the scheme, including if necessary the issue of the replenishment of the reserve fund, in late September 2003 and regularly thereafter on the basis of an evaluation provided by the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, in the light of the criteria established by the Board at its nineteenth special session.



4. Urges donors to proceed with extrabudgetary contributions for financing the participation of experts at the earliest possible date;



5. Requests the secretariat to report regularly to the consultations of the President of the Board on the resources available for financing the participation of experts;



6. Encourages the UNCTAD secretariat to continue to take the initiative with regard to enhancing coordination in the scheduling of meetings among intergovernmental organizations in Geneva.

4 February 2003