A/RES/60/184 GA

United Nations A/RES/60/184 General Assembly Distr.: General 31 January 2006 Sixtieth session Agenda item 50 (a) 05-49864 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22 December 2005 [on the report of the Second Committee (A/60/486/Add.1)] 60/184. International trade and development The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 56/178 of 21 December 2001, 57/235 of 20 December 2002, 58/197 of 23 December 2003 and 59/221 of 22 December 2004 on international trade and development, Recalling also the provisions of the United Nations Millennium Declaration1 pertaining to trade and related development issues, as well as the outcomes of the International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Monterrey, Mexico, from 18 to 22 March 2002, 2 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September 2002,3 Recalling further the Ministerial Declaration and decisions adopted at the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, held in Doha from 9 to 14 November 2001,4 the decision of 1 August 2004 of the General Council of the World Trade Organization5 and the full commitment of all members of the World Trade Organization to give effect to them, and the importance of the successful conclusion of the Doha work programme,4 Recalling that trade is in many cases the single most important external source of development financing, and in this context reiterating the important role that enhanced market access, balanced rules, appropriate adjustment facility and well- targeted, sustainably financed technical assistance and capacity-building programmes can play in the economic development of developing countries, especially the least developed countries, _______________ 1 See resolution 55/2. 2 Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development, Monterrey, Mexico, 18– 22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex. 3 Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August– 4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 1, annex, and resolution 2, annex. 4 A/C.2/56/7, annex. 5 World Trade Organization, document WT/L/579. Available from http://docsonline.wto.org. A/RES/60/184 2 Bearing in mind the special needs of the least developed countries, the small island developing States and the landlocked developing countries, within a new global framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries, as identified, respectively, in the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001–2010,6 the Barbados Programme of Action7 and the Almaty Programme of Action,8 Stressing the need to address adequately the vulnerabilities faced by developing countries, as a result of external shocks, particularly natural disasters, which can damage the social and economic infrastructure and have long-term consequences, especially hampering the achievement of their sustainable development, Recalling its resolutions 57/250 of 20 December 2002 and 57/270 B of 23 June 2003, in which it invited the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, as well as the Trade and Development Board, to contribute, within its mandate, to the implementation and the review of the progress made in the implementation of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits and invited the President of the Trade and Development Board to present the outcomes of such reviews to the Economic and Social Council, Recalling also the São Paulo Consensus, adopted at the eleventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, held in São Paulo, Brazil, from 13 to 18 June 2004,9 and reaffirming its commitment to its full and effective implementation, Taking note of the review undertaken by the Trade and Development Board at its fifty-second session 10 of developments and issues in the post-Doha work programme of particular concern to developing countries, and its contribution to an understanding of the actions required to forge consensus and help developing countries integrate, in a beneficial and meaningful manner, into the multilateral trading system and the global economy and to achieve a balanced, development- oriented and successful conclusion of the Doha negotiations, Reaffirming the urgency, subject to national legislation, of recognizing the rights of local and indigenous communities that are holders of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices and, with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices, of developing and implementing benefit-sharing mechanisms on mutually agreed terms for the use of such knowledge, innovations and practices, Reaffirming also the role of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development as the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated treatment of trade and development and the interrelated issues in the areas of _______________ 6 A/CONF.191/13, chap. II. 7 Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April–6 May 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II. 8 Report of the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 28 and 29 August 2003 (A/CONF.202/3), annex I. 9 TD/412, part II. 10 Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixtieth Session, Supplement No. 15 (A/60/15), part four, chap. II.C. A/RES/60/184 3 finance, technology, investment and sustainable development as reaffirmed by the São Paulo Consensus, Noting the significant contribution of the multilateral trading system to economic growth, development and employment and the importance of maintaining the process of reform and liberalization of trade policies, as well as the importance of rejecting the use of protectionism, so that the system plays its full part in promoting recovery, growth and development, in particular of developing countries, bearing in mind paragraph 10 of its resolution 55/182 of 20 December 2000, Taking note of the report of the Trade and Development Board 11 and its statement, as well as the report of the Secretary-General,12 1. Reaffirms the value of multilateralism to the global trading system and the commitment to achieving a universal, rule-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system that contributes to growth, development and employment generation, and emphasizes that bilateral and regional trading arrangements should contribute to the multilateral trading system; 2. Underlines the fact that the increasing interdependence of national economies in a globalizing world and the emergence of rule-based regimes for international economic relations have meant that the space for national economic policy, that is, the scope for domestic policies, especially in the areas of trade, investment and industrial development, is now often framed by international disciplines, commitments and global market considerations, that it is for each Government to evaluate the trade-off between the benefits of accepting international rules and commitments and the constraints posed by the loss of policy space and that it is particularly important for developing countries, bearing in mind development goals and objectives, that all countries take into account the need for appropriate balance between national policy space and international disciplines and commitments; 3. Stresses the importance of open, transparent, inclusive democratic and more orderly processes and procedures for the effective functioning of the multilateral trading system, including in the decision-making process, so as to enable developing countries to have their vital interests duly reflected in the outcome of trade negotiations; 4. Reiterates that development concerns form an integral part of the Doha Ministerial Declaration,4 and reaffirms the commitments made in the decision of 1 August 2004 of the General Council of the World Trade Organization5 to fulfil the development dimension of the Doha Development Agenda, which places the needs and interests of developing countries, especially the least developed among them, at the heart of the Doha work programme;4 5. Expresses its concern over the lack of progress in areas of negotiations of particular concern to developing countries, which led to missing deadlines provided in the decision of the General Council of the World Trade Organization; 6. Welcomes the recent “aid for trade” initiative to address the adjustment challenges as well as to build the supply and trade capacities, infrastructure and institutions of developing countries, and stresses the need for the effective _______________ 11 Ibid., Supplement No. 15. 12 A/60/225. A/RES/60/184 4 operationalization with sufficient and additional funding of the initiative to the benefit of the recipient countries; 7. Reaffirms that all countries have a shared interest in the success of the Doha work programme, which aims both at further increasing trading opportunities for developing countries and at making the trading system more conducive to development, and underscores the need for the major developed countries to make ambitious proposals in line with their commitments to make progress in all areas of negotiations, particularly in agriculture, non-agricultural market access, services, the trade-related intellectual property system and rules as well as operational and meaningful special and differential treatment for developing countries, and to adopt practical and concrete solutions to the outstanding implementation-related issues and concerns raised by developing countries; 8. Calls for the successful and timely conclusion of the negotiations on the Doha work programme in order to maximize the contribution of the trading system to raising standards of living, eradicating hunger and poverty, generating employment and achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and, in that context, underscores the fact that enhanced market access for goods and services of export interest to developing countries as well as strong, special and differential treatment in the outcome of negotiations in all areas, balanced rules and well-targeted sustainably financed technical assistance and capacity-building programmes for developing countries are needed for the realization of the development dimension highlighted in the Doha work programme, and stresses that the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, to be held in Hong Kong, China, from 13 to 18 December 2005, should constitute an important milestone to this end, and particularly for finalizing the negotiating modalities for successful conclusion of the Doha round by 2006; 9. Recognizes the need to ensure that the comparative advantage of developing countries is not undermined by any form of protectionism, including the arbitrary and abusive use of non-tariff measures, non-trade barriers and other standards to unfairly restrict the access of developing countries’ products to developed countries’ markets, reaffirms, in this regard, that developing countries should play an increasing role in the formulation of, inter alia, safety, environment and health standards, and recognizes the need to facilitate the increased and meaningful participation of the developing countries in the work of relevant international standard-setting organizations; 10. Calls for accelerating the negotiations on the development-related mandate concerning the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights 13 in the Doha Ministerial Declaration, especially the amendments of the Agreement, in order for intellectual property rules fully to support the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity 14 as well as for trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights and public health to address the problems afflicting many developing countries, including the least developed countries, especially those resulting from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other epidemics; 11. Expresses its concern about the adoption of a number of unilateral actions that are not consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization, harm _______________ 13 See Legal Instruments Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, done at Marrakesh on 15 April 1994 (GATT Secretariat Publication, Sales No. GATT/1994–7). 14 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1760, No. 30619. A/RES/60/184 5 the exports of all countries, in particular those of developing countries, and have a considerable bearing on the ongoing World Trade Organization negotiations and on the achievement and further enhancement of the development dimension of the trade negotiations; 12. Emphasizes the need for further work to foster greater coherence between the multilateral trading system and the financial system, and urges the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in fulfilment of its mandate, to undertake the relevant policy analysis in those areas and to operationalize such work, including through its technical assistance activities; 13. Reaffirms the commitments made at the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization4 and at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Brussels from 14 to 20 May 2001,15 calls, in this regard upon developed countries that have not already done so to provide immediate bound duty-free, quota-free market access to all products originating from all least developed countries, calls upon developing countries that are in a position to do so to extend duty-free and quota-free market access to exports of these countries, andin this context reaffirms the need to consider additional measures for progressive improvement in market access for least developed countries; 14. Also reaffirms the commitment to actively pursue the work programme of the World Trade Organization with respect to addressing the trade-related issues and concerns affecting the fuller integration of countries with small, vulnerable economies into the multilateral trading system in a manner commensurate with their special circumstances and in support of their efforts towards sustainable development, in accordance with paragraph 35 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration; 15. Recognizes the special problems and needs of the landlocked developing countries within a new global framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries, calls, in this regard, for the full and effective implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action,8 and stresses the need for the implementation of the São Paulo Consensus,9 in particular paragraphs 66 and 84 thereof, by the relevant international organizations and donors in a multi- stakeholder approach; 16. Takes note with satisfaction of the launch of the third round of negotiations on the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries and the progress achieved so far in these negotiations with the aim of concluding the third round by November 2006; 17. Recognizes the importance of addressing seriously the concerns of commodity-dependent developing countries, owing to the continuing volatility of world commodity prices and other factors, and of supporting the efforts of such countries to restructure, diversify and strengthen the competitiveness of their commodity sectors, and in this regard notes the formation of an international task force on commodities by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; 18. Stresses the importance of facilitating the accession of all developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, as well as countries with economies in transition, that apply for membership in the World Trade Organization, consistent with its criteria, bearing in mind paragraph 21 of resolution 55/182 and _______________ 15 See A/CONF.191/13. A/RES/60/184 6 subsequent developments, and calls for the effective and faithful application of the World Trade Organization guidelines on accession by the least developed countries; 19. Emphasizes the importance of developing human, institutional, regulatory, research, trade policy and development capacities and infrastructures aimed at enhanced supply-side capacity and competitiveness, as well as ensuring a conducive international environment for the full and effective integration of developing countries into the international trading system; 20. Invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in accordance with its mandate, to monitor and assess the evolution of the international trading system and of trends in international trade from a development perspective, and, in particular, to analyse issues of concern to developing countries, supporting them in building capacities to establish their own negotiating priorities and negotiate trade agreements, including under the Doha work programme; 21. Urges donors, in this regard, to provide the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development with the increased resources necessary to deliver effective and demand-driven assistance to developing countries, as well as to enhance their contributions to the trust funds of the Integrated Framework for Trade-related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries and the Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Programme; 22. Welcomes the generous offer by the Government of Ghana to host the twelfth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 2008, and expresses its gratitude to the African Union for its support for Ghana in this connection; 23. Requests the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-first session a report on the implementation of the present resolution and on developments in the multilateral trading system, under the sub- item entitled “International trade and development” of the item entitled “Macroeconomic policy questions.” 68th plenary meeting 22 December 2005

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