Highlights

This report has been prepared at the request of Arab States for the High Level Arab Expert Group Meeting and the Arab Ministerial Meeting on the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference and MDGs, held in Amman from 26-28 September 2005.

It reviews developments in multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO Doha Work Programme since the WTO General Council Decision of 1 August 2004. It examines issues of interest to Arab countries in their preparation for the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference, 13-18 December 2005, Hong Kong (China) in the context of the achievement of MDGs.

The Doha negotiations need to realize the development promises made at the Doha Ministerial Conference and contribute to achieving the MDGs. UNCTAD has provided valuable support to Arab countries during its 40 years of existence. The Spirit of São Paulo and the São Paulo Consensus (SPC), two major outcomes of UNCTAD XI, further enhanced UNCTAD´s mandate on the integrated treatment of trade and development and its role in the implementation of MDGs. To that end, UNCTAD will continue to support Arab countries in their efforts at assuring development gains from the international trading system and trade negotiations.