Establishing a dialogue with the real "actors of development" and creating a partnership with civil society is the principle objective of the new initiative, "Partners for Development", to be launched this afternoon by Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of UNCTAD and Mr. André Soulier, Deputy Mayor of Lyons, France, and Member of the European Parliament. The event will take place live via a satellite connection with the Second Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, during today´s High Level Segment of UNCTAD´s Trade and Development Board (TDB).
The integration of civil society in the work of the United Nations is a key element in the reform of the organisation. By launching the "Partners for Development" initiative, Mr. Ricupero has taken up the challenge, strengthening the foundations on which the "new UNCTAD" is being built. The forging of partnerships in carrying out UNCTAD´s activities has been one of Mr. Ricupero´s main concerns since the beginning of his mandate, in September 1995.
"Markets and Development" will be the theme of the first meeting of "Partners for Development" (9 - 13 November 1998). It will bring together several hundreds of representatives of Governments, the private sector, international and non-governmental organizations, and research institutes in the city of Lyons, at the invitation of its Mayor, Mr. Raymond Barre, former Prime Minister of France.
For the first time in the history of UNCTAD, there will be no negotiated texts or recommendations. Instead, the meeting will conclude operational partnerships in the field of electronic commerce, and projects under the theme of "Profit and Development". These use market mechanisms to serve the cause of development, in such fields as micro-finance, commodity risk management, bio-diversity and investment. A partnership for research in development issues and the creation of a distance learning network will also be presented.
| Mr. Ricupero will answer journalists´ questions about this event at a press conference on the results of the TDB, on 24 October at 12 noon at the Palais des Nations (Room III). |
