United Nations Radio

The 12th session of the UN body dealing with trade and development matters -UNCTAD, ended in Ghana Friday evening with the Accra Declaration.

The declaration notes that the outcome of the conference will make an important contribution towards equitable and inclusive access to the benefits of globalization arising from trade, finance, investment, technology and innovation and full and productive employment.

UN Radio's Donn Bobb has been in Accra over the past week and files this report.

"We're happy, very happy."

It was a buoyant UNCTAD chief Supachai Panitchpakdi who said the outcome of the conference had strengthened the mandate of the organization in areas such as commodities, energy prices, agricultural development and special productivity such as organic foods.

"I think this is a very clear mandate, actually much more than I have anticipated."

The Accra Declaration recognizes that many developing countries, especially African countries and least developed countries, remained on the margins of the globalization process and are lagging behind in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

And it promises "their development will remain a key priority of the international community".

The declaration calls for "the outcome of the Doha Round of trade negotiations" scheduled for Qatar later this year, to "ensure fair, balanced, equitable and market opening commitments, which can deliver major benefits for development."

In the context of AID for Trade, the declaration calls for stronger national action to build the productive capacities of developing countries to be more competitive in the export market.

It recognizes that mobilizing public and private financial resources for development is integral in the global partnership for development.

And the Accra Declaration expressed concern at the decline in the levels of Overseas Development Assistance in recent years.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio, Accra, Ghana.

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