United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964. Its purpose was to promote and encourage international trade and economic development in developing countries. It was also designed to create policies and principles on international trade which would further the positions of developing nations. The movement toward such a trade body began following World War II and culminated in the Conference on Problems of Developing Countries held in Cairo in 1962. Representatives from Asian, African and Latin American countries met and in the Cairo Declaration advocated for the creation of a conference to explore and expand the trade relations between developing and developed nations. Eastern European countries quickly supported the Cairo Declaration's call for a conference, while economically developed countries were reluctant to support such a goal. The United Nations Economic and Social Council decided in August 1962 to hold the conference and following much debate, UNCTAD came into existence. Since it had been determined that there is significant linkage between international trade and development within a country, it followed that there should be an international body devoted to expanding trade opportunities for developing nations.
To see more background and reference works available at Diamond Law Library, including older editions, please try these searches on Pegasus:
- Title: UNCTAD
- Subject: UNCTAD
- Title: united nations conference on trade and development
- Title: united nations conference on trade and development AND Title: guide
- Title: united nations conference on trade and development AND Title: manual
You can find a selected list of publications below.
UNCTAD Founding Documents
- UNCTAD Basic DocumentsThis volume provides access to the documents that established the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and that have structured its organization and procedures. There are lists of the members of UNCTAD and its related committees and working groups. Information relating to the standing committees' activities and memberships are included. A useful aspect of the book is the inclusion of a chart showing the intergovernmental structure of UNCTAD. Since it was published in 1995, the membership lists are not up to date and there are documents that were implemented after the date of publication which would have to be found elsewhere. However, this is a useful volume because it pulls together an important group of documents relating to the creation and running of UNCTAD.
- UNCTAD Rules of ProcedureThe Rules of Procedure set forth the process of how UNCTAD operates. It states the time period for holding conferences, notification requirements and the composition of delegates at the conferences. It also discusses the election of the officers for the conference, the rules of order relating to the speeches and debates and the reporting process for the results of the conference. The Rules are arranged chronological within the process of the conference, from convening to adjourning and the volume includes a table of contents for easy access to the relevant rule.
Introductory & Historical Resources
- UNCTAD HomepageThis website provides information relating to the development and activities of UNCTAD. Sections relate to the history of the Conference and the current programs and projects of the organs of UNCTAD. The site provides access to the annual report, trade statistical reports, and a wealth of other materials created by UNCTAD. Updates relating to the most recent Conference, held in Sao Paulo, and workshops being presented are available. Some UNCTAD documents are available in full text, while abstracts are provided for others with instructions on how to order them. The documents database can be browsed or searched, depending on the needs of the researcher.
The History of UNCTAD 1964-1984 by Call Number: JX1976.A49 II Un12Publication Date: 1986Written to mark the twentieth anniversary of UNCTAD, this volume provides a look at what UNCTAD has succeeded in doing since its founding. Following a general introduction, highlighted by the speech given by the UNCTAD Secretary-General, this book reviews the policy initiatives started by the member countries, in furtherance of the mission of the conference. For each subject area, there is an overview of the situation both pre-UNCTAD and as a result of UNCTAD activities. Information is also provided about future actions planned or considered by UNCTAD member countries. Although this book is not current, it serves as a historical overview of the progress made by UNCTAD for developing countries in its first twenty years.- UNCTAD for a new economic order by Call Number: JX1976.A236 H2Publication Date: 1978This book presents an introduction to UNCTAD and illustrates the reasons that lead to its development. Published in 1978, this book is a historical look at developing countries and push for an international trade body to assist them in furthering international trade goals. Chapters include discussions of UNCTAD's origins, its structure and its working methods.
- Law-making activities of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development by Call Number: JX1977.T6 R34Publication Date: 1976This volume provides a snapshot in time for UNCTAD activities in a selection of areas of interest. It begins with a review of the origins of UNCTAD and then looks in depth at the specific areas where UNCTAD has acted for developing countries. Agreements relating to commodities, manufacturing and the transfer of technology are explained and analyzed in relation to how they affect the status of developing countries. The book also briefly discusses UNCTAD's attempts for negotiate multilateral trade treaties between developing and developed nations.
Statistical Resources
- UNCTAD Statistical Pocket Book by Call Number: JX1976.A49 II St125 1994Publication Date: 1994This compendium of statistics provides tables of data relating to the countries in UNCTAD. It covers a range of areas, including gross domestic product, commodities trading, manufacturing exports foreign direct investment, and shows how member nations' status in these areas has developed since the founding of UNCTAD. Since the charts and graphs are presented without analysis, this volume is for researches who are interested in doing statistical analysis in one of the subjects areas represented.