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Twenty-one proposals to strengthen UNCTAD´s development impact

21 June 2006

UNCTAD should be a "think tank on development issues firmly anchored in research, consensus building and technical cooperation", says a report out today. The report contains 21 proposals on how to enhance the organization´s development role and impact.

H.E. Mr. F. Cardoso, the chair of the Panel, presented the report to an audience of Geneva delegates and Secretariat staff. In his presentation, he elaborated on the approach and the process of work of the Panel and provided an overview of the Panel´s main findings. He called for an open-minded consideration by UNCTAD´s member States of the Panel´s report.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, stressed that although the Panel had been established at his own initiative he hoped that member States would consider it on the basis of its merits as one input into the ongoing effort to revitalize the organization, leading to UNCTAD XII.

In the subsequent discussion, member States welcomed the Secretary-General´s initiative and expressed their willingness to study the report carefully. They requested the Secretary-General to conduct consultations on the report´s recommendations.