Feb 27, 1992

UNCTAD-VIII: THE SPIRIT OF CARTEGENA IS VOLATILE.

CARTEGENA DE INDIAS, FEBRUARY 25 (CHAKRAVARTHI RAGHAVAN) – The Eighth session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development ended here Tuesday with many references to the "Spirit of Cartegena", the bigger role of the restructured UNCTAD in the development dialogue and a new partnership for development.

The session concluded after adopting the Cartegena Commitment, a political declaration titled "Cartegena Spirit", a resolution on a world commodity conference and two messages, one to the Rural Women's summit now taking place in Geneva and another to the UNCED Earth Summit in June and many mutual congratulations.

But the expectations of developing countries that the compromises they had made to reach a consensus would result in a new, restructured but revitalised UNCTAD for genuine North-South dialogue on the basis of agreed policies and measures and work programme were disabused by the U.S. which in any inconsistencies between the structures and the agreed programmes and policy measures, the latter would have to be eliminated.

The Declaration affirmed "the political will and responsibility" of States participating in the Conference "to ensure that the agreed commitments are translated into reality".

The declaration said that member-States of UNCTAD agreed that "development should become the priority item on the agenda of the international community", and in order to confront this challenge they had decided to establish "a new partnership for development based on the decisions they have taken by consensus at the Conference".

"This partnership", the Declaration said, "commits all member States to engage in a continuous and constructive dialogue inspired by the need to achieve a more efficient and equitable world economy".

"It is recognised that for the success of this new partnership, it is important to overcome confrontation and to foster a climate of genuine cooperation and solidarity. It is equally important to strengthen national and international policies and multilateral cooperation to adapt to the new realities".

"UNCTAD", it said, "must play a highly significant role in the new partnership for economic development. To that end, it was agreed to revitalise UNCTAD by reforming its machinery and working methods and by strengthening its capabilities in addressing the Economic and development problems of all countries, particularly developing countries".

"The intergovernmental machinery has been restructured with a view to enabling UNCTAD to address the new realities and better prepare the organisation to take up the new challenges that have arisen in the search for an equitable and sustainable global development, which will narrow the gap between the rich and poor while at the same time protecting the environment".

"This strengthened UNCTAD stands ready to contribute to the implementation of the action programme as appropriate, that may be adopted by the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro".

"Furthermore, the need is reaffirmed to give priority to the problems facing the least developed countries due to the fragility of their economies and their particular vulnerability to external shocks and natural calamities. The fight against poverty is also given a prominent place in the new mandate of UNCTAD".

"A new spirit has emerged from this conference - the Spirit of Cartagena - which should inspire the new economic relations between countries. This new partnership for development is an historic event which makes it possible to face the future wit greater hope", the Declaration said, adding:

"The States participating in this Conference, declare their political will and responsibility to ensure that the agreed commitments are translated into reality".

Before the political declaration was adopted by consensus, Mexico complained of inadequate consultations by the Presidency and expressed reservations, complaining that it was difficult to agree to a text which had no reference to the present situation of international trade or the major problems confronting them, or to the Uruguay Round.

Mexico wanted restoration in the revised version put before the conference of a paragraph, which among other things, had underscored the need for strengthening multilateral actions conducive to an integrated world economy and for the promotion of international trade with the involvement of all member states on a non-discriminatory basis, which eschews protectionism and shows due regard to competitiveness. It also strongly urged that participants in the GATT Uruguay Round should ensure successful conclusion of the negotiations at the earliest possible time.

With President Santos expressing inability to entertain amendments on a text which had been the subject of intense consultations and consideration at the Bureau, Mexico ultimately withdrew its objection on appeals from others.

Jamaica proposed that in order to remove problems arising from the inadequate reflection in the declaration of the consensus reached in the final document on substance, the Cartegena commitment itself should be annexed to the declaration. But this was also turned down by the President.

Earlier, the conference had adopted a draft resolution for a world commodity conference, an idea proposed by Colombia, but to which the U.S. and several other industrial nations were opposed. The draft adopted by the conference took note of the proposal and invited the UNCTAD Secretary-General to hold consultations.

If there was a positive outcome showing a large degree of common understanding about the desired results of such a Conference, the Trade Board is to decide on whether to invite the UN General Assembly to convene such a conference.

The draft had been objected to by several of the commodity producing countries, including many from Africa, on the ground that some of its postulates about the commodity policy were different from the carefully negotiated text in commitments.

But ultimately, the delegations concerned withdrew their objections and allowed the resolution to be adopted, primarily to satisfy the host country which is facing considerable domestic problems over the coffee agreement and wanted to show some international initiatives in this matter.

Two other actions by the Conference were messages, one to the Summit for the economic advancement of rural women, now taking place in Geneva, and the other to the forthcoming Earth Summit in Rio.

In the message to the Rural Women's Summit, the Conference expressed its support for and solidarity with the summit and the support given to it by the UN Secretary-General. It also welcomed the contribution made to the summit preparations by the Rome-based IFAD and other UN agencies.

In the message to UNCED, UNCTAD-VIII underscored the high priority attached by it to the acceleration of development that was environmentally sound and sustainable, and invited all participants to contribute to the success of the Rio meeting.

In a reference to an UNCTAD role, the Conference message said: "UNCTAD is uniquely placed within the UN system to undertake analysis and build consensus on relevant policies in the inter-related areas of trade and development and protection of the environment", and stressed that steps had already been taken to integrate the concept of sustainable development into all aspects of UNCTAD activities.

The message also noted that UNCTAD-VIII had agreed that sustainable development would be one of the main orientations of the organisations activities and had established objectives for the Organisation in the areas of environmental measures and trade rules, resources for environmental protection and development, environmentally sound technologies and natural resources management, and had accorded poverty alleviation a prominent role in its future activities.

"These are important steps towards good national as well as international management of the earth's resources to the benefit of humankind", the message said, adding:

"A revitalised UNCTAD could contribute to the implementation of the action programmes to be adopted by UNCED in Rio de Janeiro. We stand ready to make any further adaptation of our intergovernmental structures that this might require".