The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolution 2205 (XXI) of 17 December 1966, by which it
created the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law with a
mandate to further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of
international trade and in that respect to bear in mind the interests of all
peoples, in particular those of developing countries, in the extensive
development of international trade,
 
      Reaffirming its conviction that the progressive harmonization and
unification of international trade law, in reducing or removing legal
obstacles to the flow of international trade, especially those affecting the
developing countries, would significantly contribute to universal economic
cooperation among all States on a basis of equality, equity and common
interest and to the elimination of discrimination in international trade and
thereby to the well-being of all peoples,
 
      Stressing the value of participation by States at all levels of economic
development and with different legal systems in the process of harmonizing and
unifying international trade law,
 
      Having considered the report of the United Nations Commission on
International Trade Law on the work of its twenty-ninth session,
 
      Mindful of the valuable contribution to be rendered by the Commission
within the framework of the United Nations Decade of International Law,
particularly as regards the dissemination of international trade law,
 
      Concerned that activities undertaken by other bodies of the United
Nations system in the field of international trade law without coordination
with the Commission might lead to undesirable duplication of efforts and would
not be in keeping with the aim of promoting efficiency, consistency and
coherence in the unification and harmonization of international trade law, as
stated in its resolution 37/106 of 16 December 1982,
 
      Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the
implementation of paragraph 9 of General Assembly resolution 50/47,
 
      1.    Takes note with appreciation of the report of the United Nations
Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its twenty-ninth session;
 
      2.    Notes with satisfaction the completion and adoption by the
Commission of the Model Law on Electronic Commerce;
 
      3.    Commends the Commission for the finalization of the Notes on
Organizing Arbitral Proceedings;
 
      4.    Expresses its appreciation for the progress made in its work on
the subjects of receivables financing and cross-border insolvency;
 
      5.    Welcomes the decision of the Commission to request the Secretariat
to review, with the assistance of experts and in cooperation with other
international organizations having expertise in build-operate-transfer
arrangements, issues on which legislative guidance might be useful, and to
commence the preparation of a legislative guide on build-operate-transfer
projects;
 
      6.    Reaffirms the mandate of the Commission, as the core legal body
within the United Nations system in the field of international trade law, to
coordinate legal activities in this field and, in this connection:
 
      (a)   Calls upon all bodies of the United Nations system and invites
other international organizations to bear in mind the mandate of the
Commission and the need to avoid duplication of effort and to promote
efficiency, consistency and coherence in the unification and harmonization of
international trade law;
 
      (b)   Recommends that the Commission, through its secretariat, continue
to maintain close cooperation with the other international organs and
organizations, including regional organizations as well as other bodies such
as the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, which are
active in the field of international trade law and other related areas;
 
      7.    Also reaffirms the importance, in particular for developing
countries, of the work of the Commission concerned with training and technical
assistance in the field of international trade law, such as assistance in the
preparation of national legislation based on legal texts of the Commission;
 
      8.    Expresses the desirability for increased efforts by the
Commission, in sponsoring seminars and symposia, to provide such training and
technical assistance, and in this connection:
 
      (a)   Expresses its appreciation to the Commission for organizing
seminars and briefing missions in Belarus, Chile, Colombia, Gabon, Greece,
Guinea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakstan, New Zealand, Paraguay,
Slovenia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates;
 
      (b)   Expresses its appreciation to the Governments whose contributions
made it possible for the seminars and briefing missions to take place, and
appeals to Governments, the relevant United Nations organs, organizations and
institutions and individuals to make voluntary contributions to the United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law trust fund for symposia and,
where appropriate, to the financing of special projects, and otherwise to
assist the secretariat of the Commission in financing and organizing seminars
and symposia, in particular in developing countries, and in the award of
fellowships to candidates from developing countries to enable them to
participate in such seminars and symposia;
 
      9.    Appeals to the United Nations Development Programme and other
bodies responsible for development assistance, such as the International Bank
for Reconstruction and Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development, as well as to Governments in their bilateral aid programmes,
to support the training and technical assistance programme of the Commission
and to cooperate and coordinate their activities with those of the Commission;
 
      10.   Appeals to Governments, the relevant United Nations organs,
organizations and institutions and individuals, in order to ensure full
participation by all Member States in the sessions of the Commission and its
working groups, to make voluntary contributions to the trust fund for travel
assistance to developing countries that are members of the Commission, at
their request and in consultation with the Secretary-General;
 
      11.   Decides to include the trust funds for symposia and travel
assistance in the list of funds and programmes that are dealt with at the
United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities;
 
      12.   Also decides, in order to ensure full participation by all Member
States in the sessions of the Commission and its working groups, to continue
its consideration in the competent Main Committee during the fifty-first
session of the General Assembly of granting travel assistance to the least
developed countries that are members of the Commission, at their request and
in consultation with the Secretary-General;
 
      13.   Requests the Secretary-General to ensure the effective
implementation of the programmes of the Commission;
 
      14.   Stresses the importance of bringing into effect the conventions
emanating from the work of the Commission for the global unification and
harmonization of international trade law, and to this end urges States that
have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to those
conventions.