International Trade and Development

A/RES/48/55No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 91aTrade and development, published in 1994.

What other versions does this mandate have?

33 versions · 1994–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/80/121

2025A/RES/80/121International trade and developmentLatestCompare with previous version
2024A/RES/79/195International trade and developmentCompare with previous version
2023A/RES/78/134International trade and developmentCompare with previous version
2022A/RES/77/151International trade and developmentCompare with previous version
2022A/RES/76/190International trade and developmentCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

11 topics

Economic Growth Economic Policy Employment Environmental Policy Interdependence Least Developed Countries Market Access Multilateral Trade Negotiations Structural Adjustment Sustainable Development Trade Restrictions

What does this mandate say?

17 operative paragraphs

Takes note of the reports of the Trade and Development Board on the second part of its thirty-ninth session 11/ and the first part of its fortieth session, 12/ and calls upon all States to take appropriate action to implement the outcome of those sessions;

Emphasizes the importance of follow-up and monitoring of the implementation of the policies and measures contained in the Cartagena Commitment; 5/

Takes note of the conclusions derived from the debate of the Trade and Development Board, which was underpinned, inter alia, by the Trade and Development Report, 1993, on the international implications of macroeconomic policies and issues concerning global interdependence, as constituting a concrete contribution to the changing of perceptions on issues concerning growth dynamics in various regions, particularly with respect to the conceptual framework, design and implementation of structural adjustment policies;

Recognizes that trade liberalization by all countries, in particular the developed countries, is an important tool for increasing economic efficiency and improving resource allocation, economic growth, sustainable development and employment in all countries;

Stresses in this context the urgent need for trade liberalization and improved access to the markets of all countries, in particular those of the developed countries, in order to generate global economic growth and sustainable development for the benefit of all countries, in particular the developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition;

Emphasizes that, in order to promote sustainable development through trade, the removal of existing distortions in international trade is essential, emphasizes, in particular, the need for a substantial and progressive reduction in the support and protection of agriculture, covering internal regimes, market access and export subsidies, as well as of industry and other sectors, so as to avoid inflicting large losses on the more efficient producers, especially in developing countries, and in this context further emphasizes that trade liberalization should be pursued on a global basis across economic sectors so as to contribute to sustainable development;

Deplores the repeated delays in concluding the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations;

Urges all countries, in particular the major developed countries, to resolve all outstanding differences in all areas of the negotiations in order to ensure a successful conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations;

Strongly urges all participants in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations to complete the Round by 15 December 1993, taking into account issues of particular interest to the developing countries and providing a comprehensive market access package on goods and services, including items of export interest to those countries, and stresses in this regard the need for a full contribution by all parties;

Urges all participants to give special attention to the least developed countries with a view to enhancing their full participation in the multilateral trading system;

Stresses that the ability of many developing countries to mobilize, through international trade, the resources needed to finance investments required for sustainable development may be impaired by tariff and non-tariff impediments, including tariff escalation, limiting their access to export markets, and also that a comprehensive and balanced conclusion to the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations would help all countries mobilize financing for sustainable development;

Emphasizes that an open, equitable, secure, non-discriminatory and predictable multilateral trading system that is consistent with the goals of sustainable development and that leads to the optimal distribution of global production in accordance with comparative advantage is of benefit to all trading partners, and in this context also emphasizes that improved market access for the exports of developing countries in conjunction with sound macroeconomic and environmental policies would have a positive environmental impact and would therefore make an important contribution towards sustainable development;

Also emphasizes that environment and trade policies should be made mutually supportive, with a view to achieving sustainable development;

Further emphasizes that environmental measures addressing transborder or global environmental problems should, as far as possible, be based on an international consensus, and in this context emphasizes still further that the international community should strive for the broadest possible international coordination of environmental and trade policies through intergovernmental cooperation, taking into account the complex linkages between environment, trade and sustainable development;

Emphasizes that trade policy measures for environmental purposes should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade and that, in this respect, unilateral actions to deal with environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of the importing country should be avoided;

Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to continue its special role in the field of trade and environment, including policy analysis, conceptual work and consensus-building, with a view to ensuring transparency and coherence in making environmental and trade policies mutually supportive, and taking into account the work being done by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and other competent international and regional economic institutions;

Invites the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in accordance with their respective mandates and competencies and in close cooperation with other competent United Nations bodies and the regional commissions, to address trade and environmental matters comprehensively, and to submit, through the Commission on Sustainable Development, a report thereon to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1994.

Paragraph content is machine-extracted from UN documents. For authoritative content, please refer to the official UN document.

No headings found in this document.

Who created this mandate?

What other versions does this mandate have?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What does this mandate say?

Table of contents