As usual at this time of year, UNCTAD's member States will meet from 3-5 September to review UNCTAD technical cooperation activities and their financing.
The review takes place against a background of sustained expenditures in 2011 for a total amount of US$ 39.1 million. Contributions to UNCTAD trust funds amounted to $ 44.3 million in 2011, an increase of 44 per cent over the previous year.
Contributions from developed countries slightly increased to $14.4 million and represent 32 per cent of total contributions to UNCTAD trust funds.
Contributions from developing countries, for activities in their own countries, increased by 60 per cent over the previous year and reached $ 15.1 million. They represent the largest share, 34 per cent, of contributions to UNCTAD trust funds.
Among the multilateral donors, the European Commission continued to be the single largest contributor accounting for 14.6 per cent of total contributions equivalent to $ 6.6 million.
Resources under the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation - section 22 and 34 of the United Nations Programme Budget - also increased, representing 6.2 per cent of total expenditures.
Activities in support of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) account for 36 per cent of total expenditures.
Two UNCTAD technical cooperation programmes, namely ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) and DMFAS (Debt Management and Financial Analysis System), account for almost 50 per cent of UNCTAD's total technical cooperation expenditures.
UNCTAD continues to actively participate in the UN system-wide coherence process through its leading role as coordinator of the inter-agency Cluster of Trade and Productive Capacity which has a membership of 15 agencies. The Cluster is a dynamic mechanism to formulate and deliver joint programmes at the country level.
