Development and Cooperation


	Contributions from the Column Facts and trends Water: Multi-stakeholder dialogue does not take off World Bank: Wolfowitz to succeed Wolfensohn Donors delay aid for Sudan Afghanistan: Still torn apart EU parliament opposed to sugar reform Indicators for more effective aid Honour killings – an underestimated crime Supachai Panitchpakdi to head UNCTAD? IDA 14: More money for the poorest countries Somalia: Government is looking for a residence Haiti: Hopelessness 04/2005		Supachai Panitchpakdi to head UNCTAD? Supachai Panitchpakdi, the director of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), will become the new head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), if UN General Secretary Kofi Annan gets his way. In February, Annan nominated the Thai national, whose WTO term in office will end in August, as the successor to Rubens Ricupero, the current head of UNCTAD. According to the news agency Reuters, however, the developing countries which make up the G77 expressed reservations towards Supachai. As a result, the confirmation of the nomination by the UN General Assembly, which was planned for the beginning of March, was postponed. Several G77 members are not happy with Annan’s choice, since the WTO and UNCTAD pursue opposite goals. The Bangkok Post, on the other hand, reported that Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai stated there are no reservations towards Supachai, just towards Annan’s line of action. The G77 heard several candidates but the General Secretary decided in favour of the head of the WTO on his own initiative. (ell)