miércoles

OUTSKIRTS OF SAO PAULO

Welcomed by top officials from the city and State of Sao Paulo, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) this morning opened its eleventh session in Brazil's economic capital, with a focus on enhanced coherence and creating what Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called “a new global trade geography” -- one that gave trade among developing countries its rightful place in international economic relations. The Conference is UNCTAD´s highest decision-making body. It's 192 member States meet every four years to set priorities and guidelines for the organization and to debate key economic and development issues. During the week-long session, UNCTAD XI will hold a number of thematic sessions on trade, investment, finance, technology and development-related topics, organized around the main theme: "Enhancing coherence between national development strategies and global economic processes towards economic growth and development, particularly of developing countries". Secretary-General Kofi Annan flew to Sao Paulo, Brazil for an official visit, and delivered opening remarks at the High-level Panel on Innovative Sources of Financing for Development, part of the ongoing UNCTAD Conference in Sao Paulo. He also met with heads of State and Government attending the Conference. While in Brazil, the Secretary-General and Mrs. Annan visited an innovative educational project in a poor district on the outskirts of the sprawling city of 17 million people.