Cambodia to WTO

ថ្ងៃទី២៥ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២១ ឯកឧត្តមអគ្គរាជទូត ថៃ ប៊ុនថន បានធ្វើសេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍នៅក្នុងកិច្ចប្រជុំគណៈកម្មាធិការចរចាស្តីពីពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ថ្នាក់ប្រធានគណៈប្រតិភូ ដោយបានកោតសរសើរពីការខិតខំរបស់សមាជិកក្នុការចរចា រួមទាំងការចរចាលើការធ្វើពាណិជ្ជកម្មតាមប្រព័ន្ធអេឡិចត្រូនិច និងការវិនិយោគ។ ក្នុងនោះដែរ ឯកឧត្តមក៏បានលើកទឹកចិត្តឲ្យសមាជិកពន្លឿនការចរចាលើវិស័យសំខាន់ៗដូចជា ការឧបត្ថម្ភធនលើជលផល ការផ្តល់ប្រពឹត្តកម្មពិសេស ការជ្រើសរើសសមាជិកសាលាឧទ្ធរណ៍ និងការកែទម្រង់អង្គការ WTO ជាដើម។ ចុងក្រោយ ឯកឧត្តមបានជម្រុញឲ្យសមាជិកពិចារណាសម្រេចលើសំណើរបស់ប្រទេស LDCs ដែលបានដាក់ជូនសមាជិករួចហើយ។

On 25 February 2021, H.E. Ambassador Thay Bunthon made a statement at TNC, head of delegation meeting, to congratulate the WTO and members for making progresses in various negotiations as well as encourage members to speed-up some important issues and urge members to positively consider the proposals submitted by LDCs.

នៅថ្ងៃទី២៣ ខែកុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ២០២១ ឯកឧត្តមអគ្គរាជទូត ថៃ ប៊ុនថន បានជួបប្រជុំទេ្វរភាគីជាមួយ ឯកឧត្តម Daren Tang អគ្គនាយកនៃអង្គការកម្មសិទ្ធិបញ្ញាពិភពលោក (WIPO) ដើម្បីពង្រឹងកិច្ចសហប្រត្តិការរវាងកម្ពុជា និងអង្គការ WIPO។ ក្នុងនាមរដ្ឋាភិបាល និងក្នុងនាមឯកឧត្តមប៉ាន សូរស័ក្តិ រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីក្រសួងពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ឯកឧត្តមអគ្គរាជទូត បានអបអរ ឯកឧត្តម Daren Tang ដែលត្រូវបានតែងតាំងជាអគ្គនាយក និងស្នើសុំឲ្យមានការបន្តកិច្ចសហការល្អ ពិសេសផ្តល់ការគាំទ្រវិស័យកម្មសិទ្ធិបញ្ញា ដើម្បីអភិវឌ្ឍន៍សេដ្ឋកិច្ចនៅកម្ពុជា។
ក្នុងជំនួបផ្ទាល់នេះ ឯកឧត្តម Daren Tang បានកោតសរសើរ និងទទួលស្គាល់ពីការខិតខំរបស់រាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាក្នុងការយកវិស័យកម្មសិទ្ធិបញ្ញាធ្វើជាយុទ្ធសាស្រ្តក្នុងការអភិវឌ្ឍ និងលើកកំពស់ជីវភាពប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។ ឯកឧត្តម Daren Tang បានឆ្លើយតបជាវិជ្ជមានថា នឹងបន្តការសហការល្អ ព្រមទាំងគាំទ្រកម្ពុជា ដោយបន្តផ្តល់ជំនួយលើគម្រោងនានា រួមទាំងការកសាងធនធានមនុស្ស និងការដាក់បញ្ជូលផលិតផលអាទិភាពរបស់កម្ពុជា ជាម៉ាកសំគាល់ទីតាំងភូមិសាស្រ្ត ដើម្បីការពារ និងបង្កើនការនាំចេញ។

On 23 February 2021, H.E. Ambassador Thay Bunthon met with WIPO Director General Daren Tang at WIPO headquarters in Geneva to discuss on bilateral cooperation.

សួស្តីឆ្នាំថ្មី ២០២១

ការដាក់ពាក្សនៅអង្គការកម្មសិទ្ធិបញ្ញាអន្តរជាតិ (WIPO):
ចំពោះអ្នកមានជំនាញខាង IP ហើយចង់ដាក់ពាក្សសុំចុចគេហទំពរខាងក្រោម
http://www.wipo.int/erecruitment/en/

WIPO Careers Find out about staff positions at the UN World Intellectual Property Organization.

ឯកឧត្តម ថៃ ប៊ុនថន បានផ្តល់កិត្តិយសចែកវិញ្ញាបនប័ត្រ ដល់អ្នកចូលរួម ពិភាក្សាផ្លាស់ប្តូរយោបល់ លើវិធានប្រភពដើមទំនិញ នៅសកលវិទ្យាល័យអ៊ឺរ៉ុប។
At European Univetsity

សូមអបអរ ឯកឧត្តម ថៃ ប៊ុនថន ដែលបានបំពេញការងារដោយជោគជ័យ នាពេលកន្លងមក ពិសេសចាប់ពីកម្ពុជាទទួលតួនាទីជាប្រធានសម្របសម្រួលក្រុមប្រទេសអភិវឌ្ឍន៍តិចតួចនៅ អង្គការ WTO។

ពី សុជាតា

Congratulation to H.E THAY Bunthon for his good works

បន្ទាប់ពីចរចាយ៉ាងស្វិតស្មាញទាំងនៅហ្សឺណែវ និងនៅបណ្តាប្រទេសផ្សេងៗ នាពេលកន្លងមក តាមរយៈកិច្ចប្រជុំថ្នាក់រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីលើកទី១០ ពីថ្ងៃទី១៥ ដល់ថ្ងៃទី១៩ ខែធ្នូ នៅកេណយ៉ា បានអនុម័តផ្តល់ភាពអនុគ្រោះលើ វិធានប្រភពដើមទំនិញ និងភាពអនុគ្រោះបើកទីផ្សាសេវាកម្មបន្ថែមដល់ប្រទេសក្រីក្ររួមទាំងកម្ពុុជា។
Brief outcomes of 10th Ministerial Conference was held from 14 to 19 December 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya:
I. Outcomes for LDCs
1) Ministers adopted RoO for LDCs (WT/MIN(15)/W/38). The adoption was enhanced preferential rules of origin for us and will facilitate opportunities for our export of goods to both developed and developing countries under unilateral preferential trade arrangements in favour of us.
2) Ministers also adopted Services waiver (WT/MIN(15)/W/39) which is a preferential treatment for our services providers and extending the current waiver period under which non-LDC WTO members may grant preferential treatment to LDC services and service suppliers. The period has been extended 15 years until 31 December 2030.
3) LDC ministers also adopted LDC ministerial declaration.
II. Ministers have adopted 4 issues under agriculture:
- Export Competition (WT/MIN(15)/W/47),
- Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes (WT/MIN(15)/W/46).
- A Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) for Developing Countries (WT/MIN(15)/W/45),
- Cotton (WT/MIN(15)/W/48)
III. Ministers reaffirmed central role of WTO in global trade talks, acknowledge divide on future of Doha Round.
IV. Ministers welcomed the adoption of Decisions covering a Work Programme on Small Economies; TRIPS Non-violation and Situation Complaints (and a continued Work Programme on Electronic Commerce),
V. Ministers also welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the accessions of Liberia and Afghanistan at the MC10, and
VI. WTO members representing major exporters of IT products agreed on the timetable for implementing a big deal to eliminate tariffs on 201 IT products valued at over $1.3 trillion per year.
VII. Finally, Ministers adopted Ministerial Declaration (WT/MIN(15)/W/33).

នៅព្រឹកថ្ងៃទី ១៧ ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៥ នេះ លោក ថៃ ប៊ុនថន តំណាងរង នៃស្ថានបេសកកម្មកម្ពុជា ប្រចាំអង្គកាសហប្រជាតិ អង្គការ WTO និងអង្គការអន្តរជាតិនានានៅហ្សឺណែវ បានជួបប្រជុំ ជាមួយរដ្ឋមន្រ្តីពាណិជ្ជកម្មបង់ក្លាដេស និងសមាជិកនៃប្រទេសក្រីក្រ ដើម្បីរកយុទ្ធសាស្រ្តចរចាបន្ត។ រដ្ឋមន្រ្តីនិងសមជិកភាគច្រើន បានគាំទ្រសំណើកម្ពុជា ដែលបានស្នើ អោយប្រទេសក្រីក្រ រកជំហររួមជាមុនសិន មុននឹងចរចាជាមួយក្រុមប្រទេសជាសមាជិកដ៏ទៃទៀត។
ខាងក្រោម ជាការសង្ខេបនៃសំណើៈ

Mr. Thay Bunthon welcomed and thanked Minister of Commerce of Bangladesh for his attendance the important meetings in Geneva to push for implementation the package of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) adopted by Bali Ministeral Conferences and to seek member's views to establish a work program (WP) for the MC10 to be held on 15-18 Dec 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya.

He appreciated the Permanent Representaive of Bangladesh in Geneva and his team for the good cooperation and coordination that they have extended to the LDCs group.

He pointed that the relevant important issues including Preferential Duty Free Quota Free (DFQF) is a critical issue for all LDCs. He emphasized that if the issue cannot resolve among the group, Cambodia therefore concerns of time constraint because there is a bunch of issues that members have yet reached consensus and we have only three months to the next Ministeral Conference (MC10)

Clearly, time is very short and we need to come up with an outcome at Nairobi. In order to get it we need to have a common position and compromise among the group both Geneva and capital. We must not fail and therefore, we need to redouble our efforts to reach consensus on a package with development as the centerpiece. We are sure that we can deliver if we keep global perspective in mind.

He expressed his confidence under Bangladesh's able leadership and the efforts of all members. He said "everything is depending on all of us, everything is in our hands so we need to clearly identify what we need and what we want". We need to compromise to have one voice among the LDCs first especially on DFQF which is a core issue that would bring a meaningful outcome at the MC 10 for all LDCs.

(Please note that LDC group could not reach an agreement on the issue of DFQF for summiting to MC10. The discussions are ongoing).

He encouraged Minister of Commerce of Bangladesh, as the LDCs coordinator, and other members to continue redouble efforts and find a suitable time and place to meet bilaterally with major negotiating partners to get consensus on the remaining issues.

Finally, he committed to fully support and engage in all areas of the negotiations in order to reach consensus for the Work Program for MC10.

នៅព្រឹក ថ្ងៃទី ១៤ ខែកញ្ញា សមាជិកបានជ្រើសរើស H.E Mr. Alberto Pedro D'Alotto, Permanent Representative of Argentina in Geneva ជាប្រធានអង្គប្រជុំ គណៈកម្មាធិការនាយក នៃ អង្គការ សន្និសីទសហប្រជាជាតិ លើការអភិវឌ្ឍន៌ និងពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ដែលកំពុងប្រព្រឹត្តទៅ ពីថ្ងៃទី ១៤ ដល់ ២៥ ខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ ២០១៥ ។ link: http://unctad.org/en/pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=681

Statement by Mr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD
Trade and Development Board, Sixty-second session (Opening Plenary)
Geneva, 14 Sep 2015

I am pleased to welcome you to this year's TDB in this historic month in what has already been an historic year.
We gather here in Geneva as your Heads of State and Government prepare to go to New York and ratify the most comprehensive plan of action for global development that we have ever seen.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a bold, inclusive and collective vision for transforming the world we live in to achieve the future we all want.
Next week, I will represent UNCTAD at this once-in-a-lifetime summit. I take great personal satisfaction in the fact that the agenda that will be adopted in New York offers a universal consensus on dignity for all, a better planet for all, and prosperity for all, in close accordance with UNCTAD's own longstanding vision.
As you all know, the international community functions at its best when the relevant actors complement, rather than compete with, one another. In the lead up to the historic agreement on Sustainable Development Goals, with the support of you, our members, our relevant niche on investment trade and development and the added value it brings has been recognized and has made a lasting impression.
Our important role helping countries monitor and implement trade and development policies has been strengthened in the Financing for Development process, and in the SDG means of implementation discussion, notably with respect to our work on indicators and accountability.
It was gratifying this past July, when at the Addis Ababa Financing for Development Conference, UNCTAD's core concerns and competencies were placed at the forefront of international discussion.
The Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the outcome document, strengthens our role as the focal point in the United Nations system for the interface between financing development and the SDG agenda over the next generation.
UNCTAD has an important role to play in the post-2015 agenda. And we must be fit to contribute our utmost to these efforts across the three pillars of our work.
To this end, we have continued our efforts to improve the organization.
On the management front, we have kept and built on my promise to mainstream RBM into the organization. We have the foundations, the training, and a coordination group responsible for implementation throughout the Divisions.
I am confident that UNCTAD will stay the course and focusing on results will remain our priority.
In addition, since January 2015, I have instituted Divisional compacts for all programme managers, a first in the UN family. This is helping us to establish priorities, maintain commonality of purpose and ensure results that matter.
I can assure you that our efforts to streamline processes in UNCTAD continue every day-- and this has already shown results. Let me give you an example. As of mid-2015, the number of outstanding recommendations addressed to UNCTAD is 5, all of which we are seeking to implement before the end of the year. This compares very positively with the over 30 outstanding recommendations that we had in 2010.
We have also enhanced ground visibility. In fact, in July we opened UNCTAD's regional office in Addis Ababa, the first of what I hope will be several regional offices. We are already doing
our part to serve our member States more closely to the ground.
We have also increased cooperation with other regional and international organizations, such as WTO, ITC, UNDP, the OECD, to mention a few. And we continue to work tirelessly and in closer cooperation with other organization to deliver on UN mandates, as highlighted by our report prepared for item 9 in the TDB agenda.
We continue to sharpen the relevance and coherence of our publications. We have revitalized the Publications Committee and re-engineered our policy clearance process. This has helped us to enhance cooperation and foster coherence.
I am also proud to tell you that we have launched UNCTAD's tool box for technical cooperation. It presents the battery of products that we offers to countries to pursue their development objectives. The toolbox is the product that many of you have implicitly demanded: a product that succinctly explains what UNCTAD can offer in different areas, and how what we offer is relevant and the impact and results our products can achieve.
*****
Now, as the world turns from decisions to actions, we must fine tune our working machinery. I am pleased that this Trade and Development Board kicks off our official preparations for the UNCTAD XIV Conference -- the first major United Nations Conference of the post-2015 era.
Between now and March 2016, I look forward to working with members to come to consensus on how best to channel our energies to serve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda so that UNCTAD can deliver support to trade and development in a more effective and more efficient manner than ever before.
This is why today I am launching to you, our member States, my Report of The Secretary-General to the UNCTAD XIV Conference.
In shaping my report, the genesis of my ideas was my meetings and private conversations with all of you in various forums and on my visits to your countries. I believe all of you will find your footprints in this report, leading in the direction of our Lima conference.
In this report, you will find my sense of the key issues on the global development agenda and how a renewed mandate for our organization can enable our robust contribution and leadership for the next generation. I trust you will find it defines an agenda and ambition that is in line with your hopes and aspirations for UNCTAD.
This TDB will also mark the formal launch of the PrepCom process to UNCTAD XIV. As I have stated all along, I want this process to exemplify a spirit of constructiveness and inclusiveness to guarantee the success of our conference, which is now less than 190 days away.
In my Report of the Secretary-General, a copy of which is available in English, French and Spanish at the back of this room, I highlight the achievements in trade and development that have been made to date. But I also describe the persisting and emerging challenges that threaten our quest of prosperity for all.
In the report, I place these challenges in the context of the new SDGs, and argue for four lines of action where UNCTAD can make a difference in implementing the new Agenda.
To achieve the SDGs, my Report outlines what I believe UNCTAD must do:
We must build productive capacity to transform economies.
We also must work towards more effective states and more efficient markets.
We must tackle vulnerabilities and build resilience.
And we must strengthen multilateralism to find common solutions.
To make this possible it is essential to operate at all three levels of governance: national, regional and international.
*****
Make no mistake about it. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require a massive investment push over the next 20 years into a broader set of sectors and industries than we have ever seen undertaken on a worldwide scale.
Yet, today the gloomy state of the world economy imperils the chances for such an investment push. The slow pace of growth in global trade has us on track for the slowest period of trade expansion since the end of the Second World War. This trend is inconsistent with the enabling environment needed to achieve the SDGs.
The Least Developed Countries will be the "testing ground" of the SDGs. Massive needs must be met there, particularly in investment, infrastructure and also institutional capacity, if the SDGs are to be met.
Growth in emerging economies is what carried the MDGs, not just because of the poverty reduction in emerging markets themselves, but also because of a sustained commodity boom that fuelled growth across all developing regions. Hence the perilous state of emerging economies becomes worrisome beyond their borders.
Turning today's more uncertain growth prospects into tomorrow's SDG achievement raises the bar much higher for all countries.
*****
But it is precisely in difficult times when cooperation between all peoples of all nations is most important. It is my belief that the SDGs can reinvigorate the ambition of international cooperation.
We need to ensure that cooperation does not falter when we need it most. And within our own sphere of expertise, UNCTAD must help accomplish this along the action lines I have outlined in my Report.
We have the tools to help engender the massive push for investment needed to transform economies and build capacity, reconnecting investment with finance and bringing a development perspective that helps countries harness the nexus between infrastructure, services, and regional cooperation.
We have the tools to support developmental states working towards more efficient markets and more effective governance, protecting the interests of consumers and competition, and supporting leadership across the developing world in taking their countries to a future of inclusive prosperity.
We have the tools to help countries tackle vulnerability and build resilience, promoting smart diversification of trade and investment to sustain growth in the poorest countries.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my hope that my report will provide you a backdrop, against which you can do your part, as our deliberations towards UNCTAD XIV begin. My colleagues and I remain at your disposal to aid your discussions.
And as we officially embark on the road to UNCTAD XIV, I invite all of you to work together to make the first Conference of the post-2015 era rise to the same level of ambition as the SDGs themselves.
Thank you for your kind attention.
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Statement of the group of 77 and China

Mr. President,
Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,

1. At the outset, allow me to congratulate you and the members of the bureau on your election. This bureau has the crucial task of guiding our important work for the coming year, which includes final preparations for UNCTAD XIV. It would therefore be useful if the deliberations in this session could be used for the Preparatory Committee meeting for UNCTAD XIV that will be held in Lima, Peru in March of next year. In this regard the Group of 77 and China would also like to express its gratitude to the government of Peru for its generosity and willingness to host next year’s important gathering. Allow me to thank as well Dr. Kituyi for his thought-provoking words and ideas. I also wish to acknowledge H.E. Ms. Ana Maria Menendez Perez, the immediate past president of the TDB, for her tireless work of the past year, which included the difficult task of getting Member States to try and agree on the theme and subthemes for UNCTAD XIV. The fact that there is still no agreement (to be amended depending on if there is agreement or not by the time of the 62nd TDB) only shows the importance all states place in the upcoming session of UNCTAD. Indeed the Lima Conference is no ordinary UNCTAD session. It will be the first UNCTAD meeting after the adoption of the Post 2015 Development Agenda and other crucial development related meetings.

2. In early August our counterparts in New York agreed on the outcome document entitled “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which our leaders will adopt during the UN High Level Summit for the Post 2015 Development Agenda on 25-27 September 2015. The Group of 77 and China would like to highlight the transformative nature of this document and the overall agenda as well as that of UNCTAD, which was established to provide a platform for developing countries to negotiate changes to the global economic order that would better support their efforts at pursuing stable and inclusive development paths. Prior to this, in July 2015 we gathered in Ethiopia and agreed on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). Meanwhile our counterparts in WTO are gearing up for WTO 10 in Nairobi in December 2015 and closely related to all these conferences is the UNFCCC meeting that will take place in Paris also in December. The results of these conferences will all have a bearing on UNCTAD XIV. It is therefore necessary to take stock of what has been agreed to so far in some of these conferences.

3. For the Group of 77 and China the AAAA is an important document, however as enunciated in the Group’s closing statement in Addis Ababa, 1) it failed to adequately accommodate the concept of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), 2) it is important to maintain the integrity of FfD and Post 2015 Development Agenda processes as separate, while acknowledging a need for stronger synergy between them, 3) the development partners must meet current ODA commitments and even increase them, 4) there should have been an explicit reference to countries and people living under foreign occupation, and 5) climate financing is additional and cannot be counted as ODA. Furthermore, the Group firmly believes in the importance of creating an intergovernmental body on tax matters. This is an idea whose time has come.

4. On the post 2015 Development Agenda, the Group was pleased with the inclusion of the reference to CBDR (paragraph 12) and the recognition of the Right to Development (paragraph 10). The document also recognizes the importance of an enabling environment at the international level for sustainable development (paragraph 9) and the need to respect policy space (paragraph 21). These are concepts that we have been discussing and advocating here at UNCTAD for the past several years and we are pleased that our partners have been able to accept them in such an important document, one that will chart the course of development for the next 15 years. We can only hope that this flexibility that they exhibited with regard to these concepts in the Post 2015 Development Agenda will also be forthcoming for the Lima Conference.

5. Aside from the crucial issues of creating the necessary international enabling environment for sustainable development and policy space, the Group also has a keen interest on the “multilateral processes for managing sovereign external debt,” which is one of the topics for the high level segment. Before going into detail on this issue as well that of the other high level topic, which is on the “role of women as a catalyst for trade and development,” the Group of 77 and China would like to impress upon the Secretariat the importance of consulting with Groups, especially the largest group, before proposing topics for the sessions of the TDB. In this way difficult and protracted negotiations on topics for the TDB can be avoided.

6. Furthermore, as we have clearly enunciated in previous meetings, the Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate its strong concern with the delay in the release of the Trade and Development Report (TDR), which will be issued only on 6 October. The Group of 77 and China wishes to stress that the TDR is a yearly report and appropriate planning could and should have been done so that adequate time could have been given to UNCTAD’s work relating to other important processes while at the same time providing ample time to work on the TDR. The Group of 77 and China wishes to remind the Secretariat that UNCTAD is a Member State driven organization and major decisions such as delaying the release of the major flagship publication is one that should not be taken lightly and appropriate consultations should have been conducted, especially with UNCTAD’s largest constituency and prime demandeur. Furthermore since the TDR will not be discussed in this current session, the Group would like to have these discussions during the December session of the TDB.

Mr. President,

7. On the issue of multilateral processes for managing sovereign external debt, the Group of 77 and China wishes to thank the Secretariat for its comprehensive paper on this important topic and is generally in agreement with the points raised therein, especially on the point that “debt resolution mechanisms should help prevent impending financial or debt crises when countries face difficulties in meeting their obligations.” Among the mechanisms for debt resolution the Group wishes to highlight the statutory approach, which includes General Assembly Resolution 68/34 on the “multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes.” It is unfortunate that this effort has not been given the necessary support by all sides. The UN, specifically UNCTAD, has a role to play in sovereign debt restructuring, given that this is a core function of the conference. This multilateral process on debt restructuring must come into effect. The lack of progress in many respects is indicative of a wider contrast between the fast expanding financialization of the global economy and the lack of global rules and regulations needed to ensure financialization works to the benefit of the many rather than the few.

8. In many cases, public finance crises, whether in developed or developing nations, have been the result of public-sector bailouts of the private sector and not because of irresponsible public profligacy. Yet we lack a multilateral debt workout mechanism that will allow states to settle external debt in an efficient, equitable and ordered manner that does not undermine their ability to deliver sustainable and inclusive development in the foreseeable future.

9. In the current absence of a multilateral debt resolution mechanism for external sovereign debt, the Group calls on UNCTAD to provide policy advice to developing nations as to how best to manage sovereign debt contracts and resolution mechanisms under existing conditions.

10. The Group of 77 and China would also like to emphasize that rule making with regard to sovereign debt restructuring is not only the province of institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. The countries that have been severely affected by debt should also have a say with regard to this process. Hence the importance of the discussions on this at the General Assembly in New York.

11. On the role of women as a catalyst for trade and development, the Group of 77 and China recognize and support this role. Indeed women and other groups contribute significantly to the economies of developing countries, especially through their work in micro, small, and medium sized enterprises or MSMEs. It is estimated that there are 8–10 million formal MSMEs in developing economies which are owned fully or partly by women, while there are over 340 million informal enterprises worldwide, accounting for approximately 75% of total MSMEs with 40% of them being women-owned.

12. The data shows the significant participation of women in MSMEs. However this sector still needs tailored policies that would allow them to participate and integrate into the global economy first by transferring them from the informal to the formal sector. Furthermore, for women entrepreneurs to progress and grow their businesses it is important to have skills training as well as technology transfer, on top of an enabling domestic and international economic environment so that their businesses may thrive. In terms of technology the G77 and China welcome the Practical Guide on "Empowering Women Entrepreneurs through Information and Communications Technologies" published in December 2014 as an outcome of a best practice in inter-agency collaboration between UNCTAD and ILO.

13. The ITC prepared a survey on non-tariff measures (NTMs) in 20 developing countries, which identified the ownership of surveyed companies with respect to gender. The results of the survey indicate that on average 20% of exporting companies are owned by women. Moreover, survey results showed that women in trade face several challenges, ranging from financing to rules of origin issues. The Group of 77 and China recognize, as is mentioned in the AAAA, that indeed women-owned MSMEs oftentimes have difficulty in obtaining the necessary financing, hence the importance of continued and enhanced investment in these enterprises by international and national development banks.

Mr. President,

14. In closing, the Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate the importance it places in this session of the TDB and looks forward to working with you and all colleagues and hopes that there will be meaningful agreed conclusions at the end of this session.

Thank you

ហង្ស សុជាតា ទីប្រឹក្សាពាណិជ្ជកម្ម នៃស្ថានបេសកកម្មប្រចាំក្រុងហ្សឺណែវ បានលើកពីសកម្មភាពជំនួយ រវាង កម្ពុជា និងអង្គការសន្និសីទ សហប្រជាជាតិ លើការអភិវឌ្ឍន៌ និងពាណិជ្ជកម្ម។ ជាការឆ្លើយតប ប្រធាន UNCTAD division for Africa, Least Developed Countries (ALDC) បានលើកសរសើរពីកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការល្អ រវាងកម្ពជា និង UNCTAD ហើយស្នើប្រទេសក្រីក្រនានា យកគំរូតាមកម្ពុជា។
The intervention as follows:
Mr. Chainman,
My delegation thanks to all presenters especially to Mr. Taffere, Director of UNCTAD division for ALDC for his comprehensive presentation.
Cambodia has greatly benefited from UNCTAD Technical Assistances (TAs). Most of those TAs have been done through the coordination and effort of the UNCTAD Division for ALDC. We therefore wish to take this opportunity to particularly thank the division for the specific assistances to Cambodia including Market Access, Rules of Origin and Geographical Indications.
Mr. Chairman,
In fact, the UNCTAD division for ALDC has provided the assistance for the government officials and the private sector of the newly created training opportunities by the EU reform of rules origin. As a result shows that the utilization rate of garments rose from around 50% in 2010 to 90% in 2013.
It has also helped the Government and private sector in the bicycle industry and as consequence bicycles exported to EU by Cambodia has increased in 2011 to around 80 % from the rate of 33% of the previous year.
Moreover, UNCTAD division for ALDC has supported Cambodia and other LDCs of the region on promoting products of rural communities with Geographical indications. We are extremely grateful to UNCTAD assistance that has generated a kind invitation by the Italian Government to the Kampot pepper association and producers to participate at the world symposium of Geographical indications that will take place at EXPO in MiIan on 12 October 2015.
Last but not least, UNCTAD division for ALDC is now undertaking an extensive trade policy study to guide Cambodia in designing and implementing a new trade policy roadmap.
On the capacity building, my delegation commends on all donors and especially to the Netherlands contribution for an extensive research and training program which has been carried out with the European University Institute for Geneva based and capital based delegates to improve their negotiating capacity.
The result of this training has been demonstrated during the dedicated session on rules of origin held last July where the LDCs delegates were able to articulate their concerns in the Committee on rules of origin. Such assistance is currently undergoing and we hope it will be continued ad extended to other areas.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, we call for donors to continue their contribution to further activities of the UNCTAD division for ALDC that are highly effective with demonstrated impact and result in the above-mentioned fields.
Thank you Mr. Chairman