Globalization with development:
Contributions made by the Permanent Secretariat
to the Agenda of Latin America and the Caribbean
at UNCTAD X
(SP/Di No. 9-99).
June 1999.

Permanent Secretariat of SELA.

At the request of GRULAC in Geneva, and in accordance with the mandate of the XXIV Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council, the Permanent Secretariat is submitting to the consideration of the Member States its reflections in view of the preparation of the UNCTAD X to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in the year 2000.

This report has been broken down into three parts:

The first part is a summary of the main features of the current international environment affecting the formulation of the economic policies of the countries of the region against the backdrop of the globalization process.

The second includes elements that might be included in the region's development agenda, as well as the tendencies envisaged in the coming years. The objective is to point out what the challenges of development consist of, based on the idea that there is room for developing distinctive strategies, focused on positive action vis-à-vis the development process. Reference is also made to the role that UNCTAD might play in such matters, from a development perspective, including specific suggestions for action.

The third part contains some general ideas about the idées-forces that, in the opinion of this Secretariat, might guide the development strategies of Latin America and the Caribbean and sustain UNCTAD's action in the years to come.