Kathmandu, September 30:

UNCTAD Secretary General Supachai Panthipakdi today closed the two-week long 55th Trade and Development Board Session here that started on September 15.

This year’s high-level debate on the opening day was “Trade and productive capacities for achieving internationally agreed development goals, including Millenium Development Goals.”

Other topics during the two weeks of meetings included the status of least developed countries, economic development in Africa, foreign direct investment around the world, situation in Palestine and trends in trade and development.

“Current financial turmoil, difficulties with food supply, and revised strategies for achieving MDGs bear out concerns raised by UNCTAD and show it is on the right track,” said Secretary General Panthipakdi.