News

Ministerial roundtable meetings have discussed how to use the information society and scientific and technological advances to speed economic progress in developing countries.

Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi has provided parliamentarians with a review of key economic and trade issues affecting the Mediterranean region.

"The UNCTAD Public Forum is a great place for like-minded development and public-interest advocates to share analysis, debate policy, and map out new and creative methods for achieving our common goals." Deborah James

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told a joint Leaders’ Summit of the Global Services Forum (GSF) and the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) on Wednesday that services sectors around the world represent the most important opportunities for growth and economic “upgrading” sought by developing countries.​

 "This Public Symposium will tackle important questions including how trade, investment and technology policies can address the recent confluence of global crises (economic, financial, food, energy and climate), and how international rules can affect policy space in this area."   Sanya Reid Smith

Services and services trade hold the potential to unlock inclusive and sustainable development and to lift living standards in developing countries, Government Ministers and business leaders said at the Global Services Forum.

UNCTAD and the Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic met to strengthen COMPAL assistance on competition and consumer protection policies, to discuss the use of existing UNCTAD sectoral studies and areas for further studies.

At the sixth Astana Economic Forum and first World Anti-Crisis Conference, held on 23-24 May 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan, UNCTAD and the Government of Kazakhstan, through the Eurasian Economic Club of Scientists, co-organized a lunch event titled Fifty Years of Development: What Have We Learned.

The Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Mr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the President of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Mr. Viktor Khristenko, on the margins of the sixth Astana Economic Forum.

In his address to the opening ceremony, Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, noted that policymakers were facing a dual challenge at this point in time: restoring the world economy to sustained growth, and preventing a recurrence of the financial crisis.