Report of the Trade and Development Commission on its second session

The Commission,

1. While noting the efforts to address the global financial and economic crises, expresses concern about the impact of these crises on sustainable development and the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Stresses the need for continued work by the international community on addressing the causes of the crises and the global imbalances through, inter alia, enhancing coherence between the international monetary financial and trading systems, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for international trade and expediting progress towards inclusive and sustainable development;
    
2. Also expresses concern that the financial and economic crisis has resulted, inter alia, in significant increases in unemployment globally and adversely affects remittances by migrants;
    
3. Notes that the various crisis mitigation strategies and counter-cyclical stimulus packages have contributed to the recent upturn in economic growth and trade. However, the recovery remains fragile and exit strategies should be carefully designed to continue supporting global growth, including in developing countries, especially least developed countries (LDCs), that do not have the financial capacity to undertake fiscal stimulus or contribute to trade financing. Also underlines the importance of ensuring appropriate international support for these countries, such as predictable and effective official development assistance;
    
4. Highlights the importance of social safety nets; structural transformation; upgrading infrastructure; productive capacity development linked with trade; commodity sector development, especially in agriculture; support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); human capital and technological development; climate-friendly trade and investment measures; South–South trade; and market-opening trade policies which create growth and jobs and alleviate poverty. In this regard, the role of the State is important, taking into account an appropriate balance between national policy space and international disciplines and commitments;
    
5. Recognizes the importance of an open, fair, equitable and rules-based multilateral trading system and the avoidance of protectionism. Stresses the need for an expeditious, successful and ambitious development-oriented conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda. Reiterates that all countries must honour their respective commitments on duty-free and quota-free market access to LDCs, as provided for in the Ministerial Declaration of the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. Also highlights the importance of Aid for Trade to help developing countries in general, and also of the Enhanced Integrated Framework for LDCs, in meeting their commitments and beneficially integrating into the multilateral trading system;
    
6. Recognizes the importance that concluding WTO accessions plays in integrating developing countries into and enhancing the multilateral trading system. Further recognizes that accession to WTO must be based on the WTO agreements as well as on trade considerations, and requests UNCTAD, in this regard and within its mandate contained in the Accra Accord, to strengthen its technical assistance programme for acceding developing countries, before, during and after the accession process;
    
7. Recognizes that services sectors, particularly infrastructure services, are important for competitiveness, employment creation, ensuring access to basic services and achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Appropriate policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks are important to ensure soundness and sustainability of services sectors. In this regard, requests UNCTAD to support developing countries, particularly LDCs, with technical assistance;
    
8. Also recognizes that improvements in transport and trade facilitation, including infrastructure, can assist all developing countries, with due regard to their specific needs, to trade competitively, in particular LDCs and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Requests the UNCTAD secretariat to continue its support in building capacities in developing countries, in particular LDCs and LLDCs, in accordance with their national priorities, in the area of transport, trade facilitation and infrastructure;
    
9. Stresses that tourism stimulates broad-based economic growth, attracts investment and fosters development. Emphasizes the need for tourism strategies for sustainable development, appropriate regulations and dedicated institutions to strengthen economic linkages, maximize the gains and minimize the negative environmental and social impacts. Attracting national, regional and international tourism is critical to encourage entrepreneurship, including SMEs, create employment and contribute to reduction of poverty, particularly in LDCs;
    
10. Requests UNCTAD, within existing resources and in cooperation with other relevant international organizations as appropriate, to continue to pursue its mandate on trade and development issues as contained in the Accra Accord, and reinforce assistance to developing countries, in particular LDCs, according to their national priorities.