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Growth with jobs for poverty reduction: What can Africa learn from other regions? (High-level segment)
The high-level segment will focus on the relationship between economic growth, jobs and poverty, and why higher growth rates in some African countries have not translated into substantial job creation and poverty reduction.
The objective of the session is to share experiences and draw policy lessons from successful countries and regions that could help to shed light on these areas and lead to greater employment generation and meaningful poverty reduction.
Interdependence: Coordinating stimulus for global growth
Deliberations will provide an opportunity to review how the performance of the world economy has evolved since 2011. Special attention will be given to the factors that are slowing down growth in different regions and which present a risk for the global economy. The Board will also consider the policy responses that developed, developing and transition economies should adopt to avert a global recession and set the basis for sustained and inclusive economic recovery.
For this item, the Board has as a background document for its deliberations, Chapter I of the Trade and Development Report, 2012, which reviews current trends in the world economy, the impact of current macroeconomic policies in several major economies, the implications of global economic interdependence for developing countries and the need for a more concerted response to global economic challenges.
UNCTAD’s contribution to the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action for LDCs: First progress report
The session will begin by the opening remarks of the Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD and the introduction of the two background documents by the director of the Division for Africa, LDCs and Special Programmes. Subsequently, regional coordinators and interested delegations will make formal statements.
The second half of the morning session will be devoted to a panel discussion, involving two Geneva based Ambassadors from African and Asian LDCs, with brief remarks by the Chairman of the Sessional committee Who will moderate the discussions.
Economic Development in Africa: Structural transformation and sustainable development in Africa
This item will discuss the topic explored in the 2012 edition of the Economic Development in Africa report series, namely "Structural Transformation and Sustainable Development in Africa".
The Report analyses one of the development dilemmas facing African economies. On the one hand, despite the relatively high rates of economic growth achieved in Africa over the last decade or so, Africa's economic structure has not remarkably improved. Economic structural transformation remains critical for Africa's long-term growth and broad-based improvement in standards of living. On the other hand, the process of structural transformation will necessarily heighten environmental pressures due to an increasing demand for natural resources and the expanding magnitude of waste and pollution.
The Report recommends that African countries pursue a strategy of sustainable structural transformation to resolve this dilemma.
Evolution of the international trading system and its trends from a development perspective
The session will address the theme of key issues arising of the international trading system and their impact on inclusive development. Such issues include the multilateral trading system and the stalemate in the Doha Round; regional trade agreements; services, trade and development potential; global supply chains; exchange rates; and trade and employment.
The session will also reflect on the outcomes of the recently concluded Rio+20 Summit and the implication for trade and development. These can include issues at the centre of a more sustainable and green economy that can enhance sustainable development goals; addressing possible introduction of stringent environmental and social standards that could restrict imports of many goods and thus act as non-tariff measures; and dealing with potential anti-competitive measures.
Development strategies in a globalized world: Reducing inequalities for balanced and sustainable development
Deliberations will focus on the linkages between income distribution, growth and development. Income inequality has increased significantly over the last decades in different regions and groups of countries. This has revived the tension between advocates of theories that rising inequality is a necessary condition for successful development, and the alternative contention that high or rising inequality is not only an obstacle to development, but also one of the root causes of the current global crisis.
Background to the deliberations of the Board under this item is contained in Chapters II-VI of the Trade and Development Report, 2012, which address the evolution of income inequality over the past decades, the reasons underpinning increasing inequality, the ways it is affecting economic growth, as well as proposals for inclusive development policies that would create the conditions for sustainable and rapid growth.
Investment for development: Towards a new generation of investment policies for inclusive growth and sustainable development
The session deals with investment for development, corresponds to the topic of the year's World Investment Report (WIR).
Following the discussions and outcome of the Round Table 2 of UNCTAD XIII (investment and enterprise development), WIR 2012 presents a comprehensive Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD). It consists of (1) a set of Core Principles for Investment Policymaking, (2) guidelines for national investment policies, and (3) options for designing international investment agreements (IIAs), accompanied by annotations to the IPFSD. The session will discuss IPFSD developed by UNCTAD. It will also provide an opportunity for a briefing by Secretariat on the latest developments on FDI trends and policies.
UNCTAD’s contribution to the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic and social fields
- Technical cooperation activities:
- Review of the technical cooperation activities of UNCTAD
- Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people
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