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Trade: A catalyst for accomplishing the 2030 Agenda

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Trade: A catalyst for accomplishing the 2030 Agenda

Trade: A catalyst for accomplishing the 2030 Agenda
Photo credit: IFAD

Trade should support economic growth and be made socially and environmentally sustainable, with benefits spread across all segments of society.

The ninth session of the Trade and Development Commission will be held from 27 November to 1 December 2017. The substantive topic for the ninth session of the Trade and Development Commission is entitled “From decisions to actions: Trade as a catalyst for accomplishing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

The Commission will provide an opportunity for member States and other stakeholders to discuss key trade and development issues related to more resilient, sustainable and inclusive development.

In addition, the Commission will review and adopt the reports of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy and the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, along with the reports of the following expert meetings:

  • Multi-year Expert Meeting on Transport, Trade Logistics and Trade Facilitation

  • Multi-year Expert Meeting on Commodities and Development

  • Multi-year Expert Meeting on Trade, Services and Development

  • Multi-year Expert Meeting on Enhancing the Enabling Economic Environment at All Levels in Support of Inclusive and Sustainable Development, and the Promotion of Economic Integration and Cooperation

  • Expert Meeting on the Ways and Means of Improving the Implementation of Priority Areas Agreed in the Istanbul Programme of Action

The Commission will also discuss the outcomes of the progress report on promoting and strengthening synergies among the three pillars of UNCTAD work, and devote a session meeting to discussing the role of trade for accomplishing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the context of ongoing preparatory processes towards the forthcoming Eleventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, the ninth session of the Trade and Development Commission will consider trends in international trade and development; contribution of the international trading system to the Sustainable Development Goals; developments in the Doha Round and preparations for the Eleventh Ministerial Conference; non-tariff measures and voluntary sustainability standards; trade, environment and sustainable development; relevance of trade and gender issues for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals; and relevance of trade logistics for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The ninth session of the Commission will aim at producing outcomes that are more action-oriented and identify practical solutions to trade and development problems.


Statement by H.E. Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail Elamin, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sudan

on behalf of the African Group

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. The Group fully associates itself to the statement delivered by the distinguished Ambassador of Tanzania on behalf of G.77 and China.

Allow me Ms. President to congratulate you and the members of the bureau on your election. The African Group is full assured that your able leadership will contribute to the success of this Trade and Development Commission Session. The African Group would like to thank Ms. Isabelle Durant, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD for her opening remarks.

The African Group would like to thank UNCTAD for the its technical assistance and capacity building programs provided to the member states specially in the field of trade facilitation which assisted the beneficiary countries in establishing and organizing National Trade Facilitation Committees as well as supporting the countries through the ASYCUDA program and the UNCTAD Trade Portal initiative. The Group encourages UNCTAD to continue its effort in collaboration with other international organization to deliver efficient and coordinated technical assistance and capacity building programs for the benefit of the developing countries.

The African Group acknowledges UNCTAD’s assistance on preparing trade policy frameworks and Services Policy Reviews for some African Countries. These countries have now embarked on implementation of these policies and will further need UNCTAD’s financial and technical support. Trade policy can help African countries to achieve Sustainable Development Goals although much more needed to be done especially in addressing the supply bottlenecks. Linking trade policy and productive capacity and structural transformation is very crucial for the achievement of SDGs.

The African Group would like to thank UNCTAD for its support to the African Member States through the African Union Commission in the negotiations of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). This support contributed to the final adoption of Modalities for goods and services liberalization in June this year by African Ministers of Trade. UNCTAD is encouraged to continue its support to the CFTA negotiations.

The African Group expresses its deep concerns that Africa’s share in the International Trade eroded to 2.2%. In absolute terms for example, Africa’s total exports fell by nearly half from $639.7 billion in 2012 to $348.5 billion in 2016. To simply recover from this loss, and develop resilience in future, Africa will need to invest more in the development of robust supply capacity to trade in upgraded products especially services and manufactured goods because they are less vulnerable to external shocks. In this regard UNCTAD’s support to Africa must be strengthened and put in the context of the continent’s participation in international trade.

In conclusion, the Group looks forward to the constructive and fruitful discussions.

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