UNCTAD is the focal point in the United Nations system for the integrated treatment of trade and development and the interrelated issues of finance, investment, technology, and sustainable development.
These themes take centre stage in the work of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Second Committee as the main body mandated to consider and provide policy guidance on agenda items related to financial, economic, and sustainable development themes, including the Financing for Development and 2030 Agenda.
At the request of the Group of 77 (G77) and China, New York Chapter, UNCTAD NYO has been organizing briefings provided by our experts in Geneva to the group's negotiators, including coordinators of Second Committee resolutions, to prepare for upcoming GA negotiation sessions.
Objectives and expected outcomes
The briefing will provide New York Delegates the opportunity to garner first-hand cutting-edge substantive information from UNCTAD Geneva experts, which they can utilize in support of the process of drafting and negotiating resolutions as well as coordinating across resolutions.
The expected outcomes are Delegates' deeper and enhanced understanding of thematic areas within UNCTAD's mandate and the linkages among these areas, which in turn can strengthen the UNGA Second Committee intergovernmental outcomes and alignment with Geneva's latest findings. As the briefing is open to both New York- and Geneva-based delegates of the G77 and China, it can also serve to strengthen links between the Second Committee in New York and the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board in Geneva. In this context, the Chair of the G77 & China in Geneva will also offer opening remarks on the first day of the meeting.
Organization
Building on previous experience, the briefings will be hosted by the UNCTAD New York office with remote participation for those that cannot attend in person. The briefing is targeted at the group's negotiators, including coordinators and facilitators, but it is open or attendance to all Delegates of the G77 & China, including in Geneva.
Programme
Session 1: 6 September 2022
(09:00-11:40 hrs. NY time / 15:00-17:40 hrs. GVA time)
Chair: Chantal Line Carpentier, Chief UNCTAD New York Office
- Welcome and introductory remarks by the E. Mr. Munir Akram, PR of Pakistan, Chair of the G77 & China (7 minutes[1])
- Introductory remarks by E. Mr. Chad Blackman, PR of Barbados, Chair of G77 & China in Geneva (7 minutes)
- Introductory remarks by Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD Secretary-General (7 minutes)
Presentations followed by interactive dialogue:
- Division on Investment and Enterprise Development
- Promoting investments for sustainable development, Joerg Weber (30 minutes)
- Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development, Richard Bolwijn (30 minutes)
- Division on Globalization and Development Policies
- External debt sustainability and development, Stephanie Blankenburg (30 minutes)
- Illicit financial flows, Anu Peltola (30 minutes)
- International financial system and development, UNCTAD official TBC (10 minutes)
- Financing for Development, UNCTAD official TBC (10 minutes)
Session 2: 7 September 2022
(09:00-12:00 hrs. NY time / 15:00-18:00 hrs. GVA time.)
Chair: Imran Khan, Counsellor, Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York
Presentations followed by interactive dialogue:
- Division on Technology and Logistics
- Information Communication technology (ICT) for sustainable development – Angel Gonzalez Sanz (30 minutes)
- Division on International Trade and Commodities
- International trade and development, Miho Shirotori (30 minutes)
- Creative Economy for sustainable development, Marisa Henderson (30 minutes)
- Division on Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes
- LDCs, Rolf Traeger (20 minutes)
- LLDCs, Mussie Delelegn (20 minutes)
- SIDS, Pierre Encontre (20 minutes)
- Office of the Secretary-General
- South-South Cooperation, Anida Yupari (20 minutes)
- UNCTAD Closing remarks (5 minutes)
- G77 & China Closing remarks (5 minutes)
