Other action taken by the Board

Economic development in Africa: Reaping the potential benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area for inclusive growth

1. At its 1224th (closing) plenary meeting, on 1 July 2022, the Trade and Development Board adopted the agreed conclusions on agenda item 4 circulated previously to members of the Board.

 

Report of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy

2. At the 1222th plenary meeting, on 23 June 2022, the Trade and Development Board took note of the report on the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy, as contained in document TD/B/EDE/5/4, and endorsed the agreed policy recommendations contained therein.
3. The representative of one regional group said that the session followed the updated terms of references in its discussion note, addressing the guiding questions and the choice of panellists.
4. One regional group and some delegates called on member States to increase their engagement in the future, as the digital economy was pertinent for inclusive development. Another regional group and one delegate called for continued discussions and strengthening of work on electronic commerce along all three pillars of UNCTAD. Another regional group expressed support for further discussions on the role of cross-border data flows for
5. At its 1224th (closing) plenary meeting, on 1 July 2022, the Trade and Development Board, noting that consensus was pending on the topic and guiding questions for the next session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy, agreed that consultations would continue with a view to reaching an agreement the following week. Subsequently, formal approval of the agreement would be undertaken through a silence procedure.

 

Report of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development

6. At the 1222th plenary meeting, on 23 June 2022, the Trade and Development Board took note of the report on the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development, as contained in document TD/B/EFD/5/3, and endorsed the agreed policy recommendations contained therein.
7. Some regional groups and several delegates expressed firm appreciation for the work of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development in organizing the session, while another regional group considered there was a lack of engagement from member States and that the guiding questions and topics were not fully followed.
8. Some delegates highlighted the lack of mechanisms to address the debt problems of middle-income countries and called for further improvement and extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, as well as the Common Framework. One delegate also called for a reform of the special drawing rights quota system at the International Monetary Fund to ensure that unused special drawing rights could be oriented to countries in need. Some regional groups highlighted the need for increased liquidity and renewed financial support to developing countries, including through sovereign debt restructuring, as well as for the fulfilment of official development assistance targets as necessary conditions to tackle the compounded crises developing countries were currently facing.
9. At its 1224th (closing) plenary meeting, on 1 July 2022, the Trade and Development Board, noting that consensus was pending on the topic and guiding questions for the next session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development, agreed that consultations would continue with a view to reaching an agreement the following Subsequently, formal approval of the agreement would be undertaken through a silence procedure.

 

Technical cooperation strategy

10. At its 1224th (closing) plenary meeting, on 1 July 2022, the Trade and Development Board approved the technical cooperation strategy, as revised in the course of the session and circulated to all member States on 30 June 2022.