Preparations underway for UNCTAD's quadrennial conference in 2016

​UNCTAD's governing body, the Trade and Development Board, has formally adopted the theme for the fourteenth quadrennial ministerial meeting – UNCTAD XIV – taking place in 2016. It reads: "From decision to action: moving toward an inclusive and equitable global economic environment for trade and development."

The Trade and Development Board, in session in Geneva until 25 September, also announced four sub-themes:
• Challenges and opportunities in multilateralism for trade and development
• Promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth through trade, investment, finance, and technology to achieve prosperity for all
• Advancing economic structural transformation and cooperation to build economic resilience and address trade and development challenges and opportunities, at all levels, within the UNCTAD mandate
• Contributing to the effective implementation of and follow-up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and relevant outcomes from global conferences and summits, as related to trade and development

The role that women and young people play in trade and development will also be reflected in the outcome document of UNCTAD XIV.

UNCTAD XIV will be the first United Nations ministerial conference after the launch of new Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted by 193 countries meeting at the United Nations General Assembly later this month. As such, it will represent the starting point of the process to translate the ambitions of the international community into concrete plans of action.

The conference will be the venue of intense, high-level debate on urgent economic and macroeconomic matters as they relate to global development. It will also set UNCTAD's programme of work for the four years up to 2020.

Dr. Kituyi welcomed the adoption of the theme and sub-themes, commenting that they broadly align with future development priorities and the role of UNCTAD as outlined in his report to the conference published on 14 September.

The newly elected President of the Trade and Development Board, Ambassador Alberto Pedro D'Alotto of Argentina, will also chair a preparatory committee in the run-up to UNCTAD XIV which will negotiate the outcome document of the conference. This committee was established on 24 September and will hold its first meeting on 2 October.

While substantive preparations get underway, a new venue for UNCTAD XIV is being sought after original host country Peru withdrew.