The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 50/95 and 50/98 of 20 December 1995, as well
as relevant international agreements concerning trade, economic growth,
development and interrelated issues,
 
      Emphasizing the importance of an open, rule-based, equitable, secure,
non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable multilateral trading system,
 
      Emphasizing also that a favourable and conducive international economic
and financial environment and a positive investment climate are necessary for
the economic growth of the world economy, including the creation of
employment, in particular for the growth and development of the developing
countries, and emphasizing further that each country is responsible for its
own economic policies for sustainable development,
 
      Noting with satisfaction the highly successful outcome of the ninth
session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, held at
Midrand, South Africa, from 27 April to 11 May 1996, and the strengthened
spirit of genuine partnership and solidarity that emerged therefrom,
 
      Expressing its deep gratitude to the Government and the people of South
Africa for the hospitality extended to the participants in the ninth session
of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
 
      Welcoming with appreciation the generous offer made by the Government
and the people of Thailand to host the tenth session of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development in the year 2000,
 
      Expressing its appreciation to the Government and the people of
Singapore for hosting the inaugural Ministerial Conference of the World Trade
Organization,
 
                                         I
 
      1.    Endorses the outcome of the ninth session of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development, held at Midrand, South Africa, in April
and May 1996, in particular the document entitled "A Partnership for Growth
and Development", which builds upon various related agreements and
conferences, and expresses its political will and responsibility with respect
to implementing the agreed commitments;
 
      2.    Takes note of the report of the Trade and Development Board on its
forty-third session;
 
      3.    Welcomes the fact that the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development, as part of the United Nations system and a contributor to its
revitalization, has adopted far-reaching reforms, as embodied in the Midrand
Declaration and the document entitled "A Partnership for Growth and
Development", adopted by consensus at the ninth session of the Conference,
which encompass its programme of work, its intergovernmental machinery and the
reform of its secretariat, including its complementarity with the World Trade
Organization, inter alia, by making its analysis of trade and development
available to the World Trade Organization, and its cooperation with the United
Nations Industrial Development Organization and relevant organizations, thus
adapting itself to new economic and institutional modalities created by the
process of globalization, the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral
trade negotiations agreements and the creation of the World Trade
Organization;
 
      4.    Also welcomes the importance attached by the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development at its ninth session to building a lasting
partnership for development between non-governmental actors and the Conference
and the initiative taken by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development to hold meetings with relevant actors;
 
      5.    Recognizes the role of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development as the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated
treatment of development and interrelated issues in the areas of trade,
finance, technology, investment and sustainable development;
 
      6.    Also recognizes that the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development, having a comparative advantage in tackling trade-related
development issues, should continue to facilitate the integration of
developing countries and countries with economies in transition into the
international trading system, in a complementary manner with the World Trade
Organization, and to promote development through trade and investment in
cooperation and coordination with the International Trade Centre, relevant
institutions of the United Nations system and other international
organizations;
 
      7.    Invites, in this context, the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development to continue, inter alia, to follow developments in the
international trading system, in particular their implications for developing
countries, and to identify new opportunities arising from the implementation
of the Uruguay Round agreements;
 
      8.    Decides, in this context, that the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development should implement its programme of work with a focus on
the issues of globalization and development, international trade in goods and
services and commodity matters, investment, enterprise development and
technology, services infrastructure for development and trade efficiency;
 
      9.    Invites the President of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development at its ninth session to consider convening a special
high-level review meeting two years prior to the tenth session of the
Conference;
 
                                        II
 
      10.   Stresses the urgent need to continue trade liberalization in
developed and developing countries, including liberalization through a
substantial reduction of tariff and other barriers to trade, in particular
non-tariff barriers, and the elimination of discriminatory and protectionist
practices in international trade relations, which will have the effect of
improving access for the exports of developing countries, enhancing the
competitiveness of their domestic industries and facilitating structural
adjustment among developed economies;
 
      11.   Also stresses the need for the full integration of economies in
transition, as well as other countries, into the world economy, in particular
through improved market access for their exports in accordance with the
multilateral trading agreements, and recognizes in this respect the importance
of open regional economic integration of interested economies in transition
among themselves, as well as with developed and developing countries, in
creating new possibilities for expanding trade and investment;
 
      12.   Recognizes that the World Trade Organization provides the
framework for an open, rule-based, equitable, secure, non-discriminatory,
transparent and predictable multilateral trading system, and stresses that all
members of the World Trade Organization should implement their commitments in
respect of the Uruguay Round agreements in a full, timely, faithful and
continuous manner and that all provisions of the Final Act Embodying the
Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations should be
effectively applied, so as to maximize economic growth and the developmental
benefits thereof for all, taking into account specific difficulties and
interests of developing countries;
 
      13.   Urges Governments and concerned organizations to implement fully
and expeditiously the Ministerial Decision on Measures in Favour of the Least
Developed Countries and to apply effectively the Ministerial Decision on
Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on
Least Developed and Net Food-importing Developing Countries, as well as the
recommendations adopted at the Mid-term Global Review of the Implementation of
the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s and at
the ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
as they relate to trade and trade-related issues of the least developed
countries;
 
      14.   Emphasizes the importance of the strengthening of, and the
attaining of greater universality by, the international trading system,
welcomes the process directed towards accession to the World Trade
Organization of developing countries and countries with economies in
transition, and emphasizes the necessity for World Trade Organization member
Governments and relevant international organizations to assist non-World Trade
Organization members so as to facilitate their efforts with respect to
accession in an expeditious manner on the basis of World Trade Organization
rights and obligations and for the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to provide technical assistance, thereby contributing to their
rapid and full integration into the multilateral trading system;
 
      15.   Also emphasizes the importance of the inaugural Ministerial
Conference of the World Trade Organization, to be held at Singapore in
December 1996, in regard to reviewing the implementation of the Uruguay Round
agreements and their built-in agenda, stressing that the pursuit of that
agenda, as well as the international community's handling of new issues
affecting the conduct of international trade relations, should be carried out
in a balanced manner which takes into account the concerns of all countries,
including developing countries;
 
      16.   Further emphasizes that the dispute settlement mechanism of the
World Trade Organization is a key element with regard to the integrity and
credibility of the multilateral trading system and the full realization of the
benefits anticipated from the conclusion of the Uruguay Round;
 
      17.   Deplores any attempt to bypass or undermine multilaterally agreed
procedures on the conduct of international trading by resorting to unilateral
actions over and above those agreed in the Uruguay Round, and affirms that
environmental and social concerns should not be used for protectionist
purposes;
 
      18.   Emphasizes the need for a balanced and integrated approach to
environment, trade and development issues;
 
      19.   Reaffirms that Governments should have as their objective to
ensure that trade and environmental policies are mutually supportive so as to
achieve sustainable development and that, in doing so, their environmental
policies and measures with a potential trade impact should not be used for
protectionist purposes, and reaffirms also that positive measures such as
market access, capacity- building, improved access to finance and access to
transfer of technology, taking into account the relationship between
trade-related agreements and technology, are effective instruments in
assisting developing countries to meet multilaterally agreed targets, while
noting that trade measures can, in certain cases, play a role in achieving the
objectives of multilateral trade agreements, while safeguarding a non-
discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system;
 
                                        III
 
      20.   Recognizes the important progress made in understanding the
relationship between trade and environment in the Committee on Trade and
Environment of the World Trade Organization, as well as in the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development, and in the Commission on Sustainable
Development, including the recommendations made at its fourth session, and
requests the Conference to continue its work on trade, environment and
development, in cooperation with relevant international organizations
including the Commission on Sustainable Development, the United Nations
Environment Programme, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development, regional organizations and the World Trade Organization;
 
      21.   Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to
continue its special role in promoting the integration of trade, environment
and development, in accordance with paragraph 27 of resolution 50/95, by
examining trade and environment issues from a development perspective, in
close cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme and the World
Trade Organization and as task manager for the Commission on Sustainable
Development;
 
      22.   Stresses the role of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development in the context of the forthcoming special session of the General
Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the
implementation of Agenda 21;
 
      23.   Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
on the basis of the outcome of its ninth session, to identify and analyse the
implications for development of issues relevant to investment, taking into
account the interests of developing countries and bearing in mind the work
undertaken by other organizations;
 
      24.   Reaffirms the need to give priority to the problems facing the
least developed countries, and reaffirms in particular that actions, as
appropriate, should be taken to assist the least developed countries to
maximize the potential opportunities and minimize possible difficulties
arising from the Uruguay Round agreements;
 
      25.   Requests Governments, organs, organizations and bodies of the
United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
to take concrete measures to implement fully and as a matter of urgency the
United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s,
including the measures and recommendations agreed upon at its mid-term review,
especially those related to trade and development;
 
      26.   Invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme to improve
collaboration between the Conference's country-level programmes for least
developed countries and the overall macroeconomic and sectoral policy dialogue
in respect of those countries at the World Bank Consultative Group and United
Nations Development Programme Round Tables, bearing in mind General Assembly
resolution 50/120 of 20 December 1995;
 
      27.   Stresses the need to give special attention, within the context of
international cooperation on trade and development issues, to the
implementation of the many international development commitments geared to
meeting the special development needs and problems of small island developing
States and of landlocked developing States, as well as to recognize that
developing countries which provide transit services need adequate support in
maintaining and improving their transit infrastructure;
 
      28.   Invites preference-giving countries to continue to improve and
renew their Generalized System of Preferences schemes in keeping with the
post-Uruguay Round trading system and with the objective of integrating
developing countries, especially least developed countries, into the
international trading system, and stresses that ways and means should be found
to ensure more effective utilization of Generalized System of Preferences
schemes, particularly by least developed countries;
 
      29.   Notes the concern among the beneficiaries that the enlargement of
the scope of the Generalized System of Preferences by linking eligibility to
non-trade considerations may detract value from its original principles,
namely, non-discrimination, universality, burden sharing and non-reciprocity;
 
      30.   Stresses that Governments, as well as international organizations,
should extend technical assistance to developing countries to enable them to
participate more effectively in the international trading system;
 
      31.   Encourages the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
to further promote South-South cooperation, including triangular cooperation,
recalling the results of the Intergovernmental Meeting of Experts on
South-South Cooperation, held in New York from 31 July to 4 August 1995, and
the outcome of the ninth session of the Conference;
 
      32.   Notes that the forthcoming South-South conference on finance,
trade and investment, to be held at San Jose, Costa Rica, will provide an
opportunity for developing countries to advance initiatives related to the
document entitled "A Partnership for Growth and Development", and invites the
international community to support the initiative;
 
      33.   Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development, through the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to
submit a proposal on savings resulting from improved overall
cost-effectiveness achieved pursuant to the ninth session of the Conference,
including the restructuring of the intergovernmental machinery and reform of
the secretariat, and to submit a proposal on how to reallocate a part of the
savings in the 1998-1999 budget cycle, with a view to strengthening the
Conference's capabilities in priority areas, including, inter alia, in
technical cooperation.