The UNCTAD XI Conference marked the fortieth anniversary of the organization and 30 years of work of the United Nations in the area of foreign direct investment and transnational corporations. On this occasion, UNCTAD provided a summary of its work on investment, technology and enterprise development. This report is primarily an exercise in transparency to enable the outside world to assess the breadth and depth of UNCTAD´s activities in the field.
UNCTAD´s work in this area has four objectives: to increase the understanding of the role of foreign direct investment, technology and enterprise activities in development; to help devise adequate frameworks to attract investment and benefit from it; and to stimulate technology transfer and technological innovation, with a view to strengthening the supply capacity of developing countries; and to build consensus on matters related to foreign direct investment, technology and enterprise development.
It is for the reader to judge whether UNCTAD´s work has made a contribution in these respects. UNCTAD thanks its staff for their dedicated efforts to master the growing workload in the face of diminishing budgetary resources.
