UNCTAD sets new guide for technical cooperation

Accra, June 11, GNA - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has introduced a new guide of Technical Corporation that would provide trade-related assistance to developing countries. An information note, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency said the guide mentioned fields such as globalisation and development; international trade in goods, services and commodities; investment, technology and enterprise development; services infrastructure; and trade efficiency.

The main objectives are to enhance the human and institutional capacities of developing countries; to improve their understanding of global economic issues and trends and to find country-specific solutions to the challenges posed by developments in the international economy. Besides, it would enable developing countries to participate effectively in international trade and investment negotiations. The technical assistance would be provided in the form of policy advice; training and training of trainers; the provision of trade- and investment-related data; the development of computer-based technical cooperation packages; and through institution building. Government officials of developing countries would be the main beneficiaries, but many projects and programmes would also target businesses, academia, and relevant members of civil society. UNCTAD's interregional projects in all developing countries currently account for more than half of total expenditures on technical cooperation.

"Such projects provide assistance to all developing countries. Sub-regional and regional projects make up about 10 percent of expenditures and are designed to assist a group of countries or an economic cooperation grouping.

Country projects (34.2 per cent of expenditures) are developed in response to requests for assistance from individual countries, particularly least-developed countries (LDCs) and countries with pressing needs," it said.

Voluntary contributions from developed countries currently fund about 65% of UNCTAD's technical cooperation work, but the share of developing countries' contributions now at around 20 per cent, has been increasing.

Total voluntary contribution has increased significantly from an average of 22.8 million dollars in 2000-04 to 34.8 million dollars in 2005.