Review of the technical cooperation activities of UNCTAD and their financing

The Trade and Development Board

1. Takes note with appreciation of the technical cooperation activitiescarried out by the UNCTAD secretariat in cooperation with the beneficiaries anddevelopment partners, and the reports prepared for the Working Party on theStrategic Framework and the Programme Budget;
   
   
2. Reaffirms the role of the Working Party on the Strategic Framework andthe Programme Budget as the main mechanism for consultations among memberStates on all issues regarding technical cooperation and for interactive debatebetween the secretariat, potential beneficiaries and donors, in accordance withparagraph 220 of the Accra Accord;
   
   
3. Expresses gratitude for the support provided by bilateral and multilateraldonors, and invites donors and potential donors in a position to do so to provideadequate funding for the technical cooperation activities of UNCTAD;
4. Takes note of the decrease of 8 per cent in total trust fund contributionsexperienced in 2008, while noting that 2007 was an exceptional year in terms ofcontributions;
   
   
5. Thanks the contributors to the UNCTAD Least Developed Countries(LDCs) Trust Fund, expresses concern that the fund never reached its intended level,and invites donors and potential donors in a position to do so to make financialcontributions to the LDC Trust Fund to ensure, inter alia, full and effectiveparticipation of the LDC representatives and their civil society actors in thepreparatory processes of the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least DevelopedCountries and at the conference itself. Also invites extrabudgetary contributionsfrom donors and potential donors in a position to do so to enable the UNCTADsecretariat to enhance its substantive and technical contributions to the preparatoryprocesses and to the conference;
   
   
6. Calls for the full implementation, by the Secretary-General of UNCTAD,of the previous decisions of the Working Party — especially paragraph 12 of theagreed conclusions of the Working Party on the Strategic Framework and theProgramme Budget at its resumed fifty-second session in June 2009 (TD/B/WP/210) — to strengthen the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries andSpecial Programmes to fully enable the division to discharge its mandatedresponsibilities, including the task of providing substantive and technical support tothe Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries;
   
   
7. Recalls paragraph 10 of the Accra Accord and requests UNCTAD todeliver its technical cooperation pursuant to the relevant paragraphs of the AccraAccord;
   
   
8. Notes with satisfaction the increase in total delivery of the technicalcooperation programmes of UNCTAD. As LDCs’ special needs require specialattention, urges donors, potential donors and the UNCTAD secretariat to furtherenhance their assistance to these countries;
   
   
9. Expresses concern regarding the decrease of the funds allocated to thetechnical assistance projects for developing countries acceding to the World TradeOrganization (WTO) and in particular LDCs. In this regard, invites donors andpotential donors in a position to do so to make contributions to the UNCTAD TrustFund for WTO accession for financing these projects and, in accordance withparagraph 90 of the Accra Accord, encourages UNCTAD to strengthen thosetechnical assistance projects and to explore new finance mechanisms for them;
   
   
10. Notes with appreciation the creation of the new UNCTAD project portalwebsite and its potential contribution to greater transparency and improvedmonitoring and reporting of projects, and requests the secretariat to continue toimprove the project portal website;
    
    
11. Requests the secretariat to enhance its activities at the regional andsubregional level, and ensure that the regional dimension is given adequate attentionin the delivery of technical cooperation. Also requests the secretariat to upgrade dataand analytical tools on South-South flows and cooperation, and promote South-South and triangular cooperation, in accordance with paragraph 43 of the AccraAccord;
    
    
12. Thanks the secretariat for the information provided regarding requests fortechnical cooperation and requests the secretariat to continue to provide thisinformation, with particular emphasis on their follow-up and funding status;
    
    
13. Recalls its decisions 492 (LIV) and 495 (LV), and paragraphs 215 (c),216 and 217 of the Accra Accord regarding the need for more coherence in theplanning and implementation of technical cooperation programmes, in particularthrough the establishment of thematic clusters;
    
    
14. Reaffirms that the establishment of thematic trust funds should aim atenhancing the effectiveness and impact of UNCTAD technical cooperation activitieswithout compromising the scope, content, delivery and quality of reporting. Theyshould also enhance the links between the operational activities and the analyticalwork of UNCTAD and the results of intergovernmental deliberations;
    
    
15. Notes that financial consolidation of projects is the necessary prerequisitefor the establishment of thematic trust funds and that financial consolidation ofprojects requires the commingling of contributions, entailing donors’ consent, andfurther notes with concern limited progress with respect to consolidation of projectsand establishment of thematic trust funds, thanks donors who have provided thesecretariat with the necessary instructions for making progress in that respect andinvites other donors to provide the secretariat with necessary instructions;
    
    
16. Requests the secretariat to organize a retreat, before the end of 2009, withthe participation of donors, beneficiaries and the secretariat, to address difficultiesand find solutions for the implementation of recommendations regarding theestablishment of thematic trust funds. Requests the secretariat to report back to theWorking Party on the progress made on the further consolidation of the trust funds;
    
    
17. Commends UNCTAD’s increased emphasis on results and encouragesfurther development towards results-based management with clear objectives,intended results and monitorable indicators for higher-level outcomes;
    
    
18. Takes note of the active involvement of UNCTAD in the inter-agencyprocesses related to the United Nations system-wide coherence process and itsleading role within the Chief Executives Board cluster on trade and productivecapacity, and would welcome any future intergovernmental decision in the GeneralAssembly on United Nations system-wide coherence reform;
    
    
19. Takes note of UNCTAD’s contribution to “programme country pilot”activities without prejudice to a future intergovernmental decision on UnitedNations system-wide coherence reform;
    
    
20. Invites the secretariat to explore the possibility of increasing partnershipswith the private sector in the implementation and funding of technical cooperationactivities.
    
    

 

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