United Nations Environment Program Intervention

In Interactive Thematic Session on “International Trade, Commodities and Services/Tourism”

UN LDC-III Conference, 17 May 2001, Brussels

(Check Against Delivery)

UNEP understands that trade is a vital engine of development LDCs have to sustain and expand it. Sustain it in both time, and in terms of maximizing its contribution to sustainable development LDC Trade is heavily dependent on commodities whose production is intimately linked to the environment and natural resource base.

In 1997 primary commodities accounted for nearly 70% of the export earnings of LDC s. 34% of their combined GDP was provided by agriculture.

UNEP is already expanding its work with LDCs to enable them to enhance the productivity of these vital commodity sectors, while also achieving sustainable management of natural resources, and the protection of the environment.

UNEP’s work is guided by our awareness of the limited access of LDCs to international markets, private investment and clean and efficient production technologies.

The policies we help design must address the widening income gaps between rich and poor countries, and the challenges of the current inequitable distribution of the benefits of trade and associated environment impacts.

UNEP and UNCTAD have, in close collaboration, recently created a Capacity-Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF) that will help LDCs overcome their limited access to trade, while conserving their environment and natural resource base.

The task force launched last year has initiated projects in seven developing countries, and one regional level training project in African LDCs. Briefing sessions with LDC Permanent Missions in Geneva have shown that there is high demand for such services, at a national level too.

A special event yesterday, organized by UNCTAD and UNEP, confirmed this high demand through the interventions of LDC delegates to this conference.

CBTF projects, based on proposals submitted by the countries that are benefiting from the services of this task force, will address a combination of market access, poverty alleviation and environmental protection objectives.

We hope that following yesterday’s briefing and this conference, the UNEP-UNCTAD task force will receive more project proposals from LDCs. We also hope the CBTF will receive more support from donor countries, as finance now seems to be the only limiting factor in meeting this expressed demand.

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