FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE PREPARATORY PROCESS FOR THE UNLDC III

Distr. RESTRICTED TD//47/CRP.3 5 October 2000 Original: ENGLISH TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD Forty-seventh session Geneva, 9 October 2000 Item 4 () provisional agenda Review status preparatory process United Nations Conference Developed Countries FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE PREPARATORY PROCESS FOR THE CONFERENCE 1. present note responds request Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee LDC III updated statement financial situation preparatory process (/CONF.191/2, para. 125). 2. preparatory process involves series activities undertaken member States international organizations individual countries, regional level global level. interested parties stakeholders finance activities variety sources. note confined activities undertaken UNCTAD capacity secretariat Conference. 3. Activities undertaken UNCTAD regard report Secretary-General United Nations current session General Assembly (“Status preparatory process United Nations Conference Developed Countries” (/55/222)). document current session Trade Development Board agenda item 4(). TD//47/CRP.3 page 2 4. activities financed part programme budget United Nations part extrabudgetary resources UNCTAD purpose. 5. General Assembly, fifty-fourth session, agreed 2000-2001 United Nations programme budget additional resources preparatory process amount $616,400 section 11A (UNCTAD) $30,000 section 26 (public information). amount allocated UNCTAD, estimated , 4 October 2000, $365,000 spent / committed. 6. number member States organizations / pledged contributions UNCTAD LDC III preparatory process / developed countries assist country-level preparations. secretariat greatly appreciative contributions, Conference’ preparatory process undertaken. 7. member States voluntary contributions UNCTAD purposes facilitating aspects preparatory process Conference: Belgium ( contributions BF 10 million BF 15 million); Finland (2 million Finnish markkaa); France (FF 450,000); Holy (US$ 6,000); Italy ( contributions 200 million lire US$ 100,000); Norway (US$ 1 million); Sweden (3,978,750 Swedish kronor). contributions paid multidonor UNCTAD Trust Fund Developed Countries. 8. addition, Netherlands contribution 2,115,000 Netherlands guilders preparatory process. 9. Spain informed secretariat possibility contribution preparatory process. specific purpose contribution discussed Spanish authorities. Governments Germany Norway interest contributing organization interrelated preparatory events investment private sector development. 10. addition, European Commission informed secretariat developed country member African, Caribbean Pacific grouping States , wishes, utilize 80,000 euros national European Development Fund (EDF) allocations purposes facilitating preparations national level. Asian LDCs, European Commission support country-level preparatory process amount 1 million euros. 11. LDCs agreed UNDP utilize UNDP resources purposes country-level preparations: Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan, Yemen. 12. European Commission intention generous grant UNCTAD secretariat purposes : () enabling participation officials developed country Conference ; () finalizing preparations NGO TD//47/CRP.3 page 3 Forum, held association Conference ; Forum organized NGO Liaison Committee, full support UNCTAD secretariat United Nations -Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS); connection, European Commission NGLS 200,000 euros year 2000 initiate preparations NGO forum; () facilitating wide participation officials developed countries, including journalists, city mayors participants civil society events Conference. total contribution, include costs incurred European Commission host organization Conference , order 4.5 million euros. 13. question naturally arises sufficiency extrabudgetary resources presently secretariat complete preparatory process satisfactory manner. amounts mentioned paragraphs 7 8 , estimated , 2 October 2000, uncommitted funds pledges total slightly $2 million ( $1,995.000). preparatory activities undertaken Conference include organization, convening servicing : - Country-level preparations, including inter-agency coordination; - Regional expert-level meetings; - Intergovernmental preparatory meetings; noted connection additional formal session Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee requested Tenth Annual Ministerial Meeting LDCs ( York, 18 September 2000); - Thematic meetings gender issues, investment-related issues services; - Final meeting High-level Panel established Secretary-General UNCTAD; - Preparations NGO forum; - organization convening civil society events Conference. 14. estimated sufficient extrabudgetary resources pledged enable secretariat complete -mentioned preparatory activities, : - preparation organization thematic preparatory meeting gender, costs estimated $247,696; - Resources defray travel costs officials developed countries session Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee, estimated amount $589,000 required. 15. helpful recall background issue. resolution 54/258B 2000, General Assembly decided, paragraph 3, : “ precautionary measure, sufficient extrabudgetary resources immediately financing session Preparatory TD//47/CRP.3 page 4 Committee, , provisional basis, contingency fund, understanding contingency fund replenished extra budgetary resources ”. 16. travel officials developed countries session Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee Conference, held York July 2000, fact financed UNCTAD Trust Fund LDCs contributions referred paragraph 6 . announcement Norway matter time greatly appreciated. 17. paragraph 4 resolution, General Assembly decided “revert question financing session Preparatory Committee Conference fifty- session General Assembly”. 18. present assumptions, secretariat estimates sufficient extrabudgetary funds UNCTAD Trust Fund LDCs finance travel officials LDC session Preparatory Committee. efforts UNCTAD secretariat mobilize extrabudgetary funds preparation Conference guided provisions General Assembly resolution 54/235 (“Implementation Programme Action developed Countries 1990s”) Assembly decided, inter alia, meeting Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee held parts. proposed session required. Summary 19. UNCTAD secretariat wishes inform Trade Development Board extrabudgetary resources receivable purposes facilitating LDC III preparatory process sufficient meet costs remaining preparatory work. , insufficient resources cover costs thematic preparatory meeting women participation officials developed country session Intergovernmental Preparatory Committee. Additional resources order $836,696 required UNCTAD secretariat implement activities. 20. session Preparatory Committee, extrabudgetary contributions UNCTAD defray costs participation LDC officials session, matter referred General Assembly context -mentioned resolution.