After two weeks of discussion, statements and negotiations, the Trade and Development Board concluded its 52nd Session on 14 October.

The new UNCTAD Secretary-General, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi opened the session with a statement of his commitment to make UNCTAD more relevant in a rapidly changing world. He stressed the need to focus on areas where UNCTAD can really make a difference - the evidence should be concrete results on the ground, he said.

Key issues:

• The message from a High-Level session considering the lessons learnt from development and economic reform efforts in the 1990s was that there is no universal prescription for economic progress. Investment and aid programmes need to be tailored to the needs of specific national and local situations.
• New features of global interdependence were discussed by a panel of experts, as well as in a plenary session. With the 2005 Trade and Development Report as background, the Board focused on recent trends in the world economy and their likely implications for progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The importance of macro-economic policy coordination by developed countries and of debt-avoidance and diversification for developing countries was highlighted.
• In its review of developments and issues in the post-Doha work programme of particular concerns to developing countries, the Board was addressed by Pascal Lamy, WTO Director-General, who highlighted the need for cooperation between his organisation and UNCTAD on special and differential treatment, preference erosion and ´aid for trade´.
• The Board also heard from the UNCTAD Secretary-General that to make the Doha Round a success, a "Doha-plus" agenda is needed to promote trade-enabling development cooperation. This would include, helping developing countries meet adjustment costs and deal with the loss of fiscal revenue. Aid for trade, in addition to aid for development, was especially important for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and small and vulnerable economies.
• The issue of erosion of trade preferences to developing countries was also addressed by a panel, regional groups and member States in the context of UNCTAD´s work on LDCs. The debate on LDCs ended in the adoption of agreed conclusions. These included recognition of the importance of UNCTAD´s Least Developed Countries report, to be produced annually as of 2006, and an acknowledgement of the contribution of preferential market access to the economic growth and development of LDCs.
• The economic development of Africa is a regular item for the Board and this session discussed the role of Foreign Direct Investment. A panel of experts pointed out that while FDI is important, the role of domestic investment in generating economic growth was too often forgotten.
• The specific case of investment in one African country was discussed during the launch of the Investment Policy Review (IPR) for Kenya. There was a lively and stimulating debate based on the review, featuring the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi. Business representatives provided further insights on the role of the IPR in enhancing the investment climate in Kenya.

Other key items on the agenda were UNCTAD´s contribution to the implementation and follow up of the major UN conferences; UNCTAD´s technical cooperation activities and a report on UNCTAD´s assistance to the Palestinian People.