UNCTAD discusses closer cooperation with Russia, EU

Mr. Draganov participated in a high-panel panel on "Strengthening International Cooperation and Opposing Protectionism", moderated by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Other panellists were Russia´s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Alexey Kudrin; the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Ms. Noeleen Heyzer; United States Trade Representative Mr. Ronald Kirk; Prof. Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum; Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati of Columbia University; and the CEOs of Nestlé, Nissan Motor and Renault. The debate highlighted the need to strengthen efforts at all levels to prevent protectionist trends from hindering a global recovery from the current crisis.

The Forum´s participants voiced their support for Russia´s bid to finalize its negotiations for accession to the WTO. In view of the productive outcome of the Russia-EU trade talks in Saint Petersburg, Mr. Draganov expressed the hope that Russia could become a WTO member by the end of the year.

Also in Saint Petersburg, UNCTAD´s deputy chief met with EU Trade Commissioner Baroness Ashton, who expressed an interest in stepping up the cooperation between the EU and UNCTAD, particularly in the area of trade negotiation capacity-building for developing countries.

Mr. Draganov discussed possible Russian collaboration on UNCTAD technical assistance with Deputy Prime Minister Kudrin; the Chairman of the Russian Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship, Mr. Yevgueni Fedorov; and Russia´s chief negotiator on WTO accession, Mr. Maxim Medvedkov.

Despite the world economic crisis, Russia is making efforts to increase its aid expenditures, in keeping with a new development cooperation policy. In 2007 the country´s ODA flows doubled compared to 2005-2006, and at last year´s Doha Review Conference on Financing for Development, the government confirmed its intention of providing $400-500 million in development aid over the next few years.

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Source:UNCTAD