The United Natins Cnference n Trade and Develpment (UNCTAD) Cnnexin Frum, Graduate Institute 12 March 2015 niclas.maystre@unctad.rg
Basic facts Origin f UNCTAD Tpics Objective and functins What UNCTAD des Sme achievements f UNCTAD Career pprtunities Questins & answers
Basic facts UNCTAD is the fcal pint within the UN fr the integrated treatment f trade and develpment and the interrelated issues f finance, investment, technlgy, and sustainable develpment Created in 1964 as an rgan f the General Assembly UNCTAD is nt a specialized agency 194 cuntry members Abut 500 staff members (all in Geneva except fr a small ffice in New Yrk) Secretary General: Mukhisa Kituyi (since September 2013)
Origin f UNCTAD Grwing cncerns abut the place f develping cuntries in internatinal trade: Declnizatin and creatin f (UK-membership t) EEC psed risk f lsing exprt markets key issue f preferential market-access cnditins Develping cuntries wanted t have a platfrm frm which t state their case: cnference t discuss all vital questins relating t internatinal trade, primary cmmdities and ecnmic relatins between develping and develped cuntries within the UN framewrk
Objectives and functins Main clients: develping cuntries UNCTAD takes a hlistic view n the prcess f integrating int the wrld ecnmy frm a develpment perspective Key gal: prmte equitable and develpment-friendly integratin f develping cuntries int wrld ecnmy Help develping cuntries t maximize their trade, investment and develpment pprtunities Frmulate develpment strategies adapted t their specific circumstances and t pprtunities and challenges f glbalizatin Assist develping cuntries in their trade negtiatins
What UNCTAD des (1) What UNCTAD des nt: Prvide lans enfrced thrugh cnditinality (as the Wrld Bank and the IMF) Oversee cmpliance with rules and regulatins enfrced thrugh dispute settlement mechanism (as the WTO) Cntinuusly wrk in cuntries t find cuntryspecific slutins t natinal and glbal develpment challenges (as the UNDP)
What UNCTAD des (2) UNCTAD s three pillars: Research, plicy analysis, and data cllectin Frum fr intergvernmental discussin and cnsensus building by Member States (nt addressed tday) Technical assistance Prerequisites: request by gvernment and availability f extra-budgetary resurces Currently ver 250 prjects and prgrammes
Research, plicy analysis and data cllectin Prvides advice n plicy ptins fr advancing ecnmic develpment Findings published in fficial dcuments, reprts and plicy briefs, primarily fr gvernment representatives
Sme achievements f UNCTAD (1960s-70s) Generalized System f Preferences (GSP) develped ecnmies grant imprved market access t exprts frm develping cuntries Internatinal Cmmdity Agreements (t stabilize primary cmmdity prices) Cntributin t definitin f 0.7% f GDP as a target fr fficial develpment assistance (ODA) by develped t prest cuntries Recgnitin f specific needs and classificatin f least develped cuntries (LDCs)
Sme achievements f UNCTAD (1980s) Glbal System f Trade Preferences amng develping cuntries (GSTP) develping ecnmies grant imprved market access fr Suth-Suth trade Technical assistance in negtiatins f Uruguay Rund f the GATT Assistance in rescheduling fficial debt in Paris Club Assistance fr hlding first cnference n LDCs
Sme recent achievements f UNCTAD Critique f mainstream develpment mdel (Washingtn Cnsensus) and elabratin f alternative mdel based n East Asian experience Critique f ODA-fcus n scial services and emphasis that prductive capacities and ecnmic grwth will ultimately be needed t sustain such scial services Call fr increased cherence in glbal ecnmic plicymaking between internatinal ecnmic rules, practices and prcesses, n the ne hand, and natinal plicies and develpment strategies, n the ther ( plicy space ) Wrk n financial crisis generated prpsals fr greater regulatin f financial sectr, as well as imprved exchange-rate management and macrecnmic crdinatin
UNCTAD s fcus has evlved frm a negtiating frum t a develpment think tank with an emphasis n interdependence Linking dmestic demand management with plicies supprting structural change and gradual integratin with the wrld ecnmy interdependence between different plicy areas Linking natinal develpmental success with structural and cyclical develpments in the wrld ecnmy crucial imprtance f external envirnment fr natinal develpment prcesses Mve frm market access agenda t plicy space issues Trade and Develpment Reprt, 1981 2011: Three Decades f Thinking Develpment prvides a gd summary
UNCTAD XIII (Dha) theme: Develpmentcentred glbalizatin: Twards inclusive and sustainable grwth and develpment Enhancing the enabling ecnmic envirnment at all levels in supprt f inclusive and sustainable develpment Strengthening all frms f cperatin and partnerships fr trade and develpment, including Nrth-Suth, Suth- Suth and triangular cperatin Addressing persistent and emerging develpment challenges as related t their implicatins fr trade and develpment and interrelated issues in the areas f finance, technlgy, investment and sustainable develpment Prmting investment, trade, entrepreneurship and related develpment plicies t fster sustained ecnmic grwth fr sustainable and inclusive develpment
Underlying idea: Finance-led glbalizatin created numerus imbalances that need t be addressed in a cncerted way t create a mre inclusive and sustainable wrld ecnmy Structural change and technlgical prgress is key t grwth, which must be inclusive t be sustainable Develpmental State: needed t mbilize and channel resurces int prductive activities, and t manage cnflicts and trade-ffs that are inherent t change Inclusive and balanced glbal grwth requires natinal ecnmies t have sufficient plicy space t leverage ptential benefits and mitigate csts f clser integratin Strng natinal ecnmies require rbust internatinal cperatin and glbal markets need glbal rules
Summary f main pints Brad and integrated mandate and hlistic view n prcess f develpment Key bjective: prmte equitable and develpment-friendly integratin f develping cuntries int wrld ecnmy UNCTAD s three pillars Evlutin frm negtiating frum t develpment think tank with an emphasis n interdependence
Additinal references UNCTAD at 50: A Shrt Histry http://unctad.rg/en/publicatinslibrary/sg2014d1_en.pdf Trade and Develpment Reprt, 1981 2011: Three Decades f Thinking Develpment http://unctad.rg/fr/publicatinslibrary/gds2012d1_en.pdf
Career pprtunities
Educatin requirements: Prfessinal jbs Jb penings fr psitins at the Prfessinal and higher categry nrmally require an advanced university degree. A first level university degree cmbined with additinal qualifying experience may als be acceptable Experience requirements : P-2 = YPP r 2 years withut exam P-3 = 5 years P-4 = 7 years P-5 = 10 years D-1/D-2 = 15 years See https://careers.un.rg/lbw/hme.aspx?viewtype=sj&exp=all&level=0&lcatin=all&ccup=0&department=2044&bydate=0&ccnet=0 19
Yung Prfessinal Prgramme (YPP) Recruitment Examinatin Entry level (P-2): filled thrugh cmpetitive examinatins Held annually based n a cuntry s representatin amng staff YPP applicants must be: Natinal f participating Member States N mre than 32 years ld as f 31 December f exam year Hld at least a first-level university degree relevant t an ccupatinal grup ffered Prficient in either English r French Fr mre infrmatin: http://careers.un.rg 20
Internship prgramme Offers pprtunity t gain experience in the wrk f the United Natins Interns are expected t wrk n a full-time basis (flexible wrking arrangements are als available) Internship prgrammes at the United Natins are unpaid. Csts and arrangements fr travel, visas, accmmdatin and living expenses are the respnsibility f interns r their spnsring institutins. Requirements: Be enrlled in a graduate schl prgramme (Master s r equivalent, r higher) Be enrlled in the final academic year f a first university degree prgramme (minimum Bachelr s level r equivalent); Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must cmmence the internship within a ne-year perid f graduatin; Duratin: minimum 2 mnths, up t 6 mnths Internship psitins are advertised in inspira Fr mre infrmatin, please visit: http://careers.un.rg 21
Temprary Staff & Cnsultants Temprary Staff Individuals hired t fill psitins a perid f less than ne year t meet seasnal r peak wrklads and specific shrt-term requirements Individual Cnsultants Individual wh is a recgnized authrity r specialist in a specific field, engaged in an advisry r cnsultative capacity 22