TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (July09/10)
14 July 2009
Third World Network

Supachai appointed to second term as UNCTAD chief
Published in SUNS #6736 dated 8 July 2009

Geneva, 7 Jul (Kanaga Raja) -- The United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday confirmed by acclamation the appointment of Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi for a second four-year term as Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

According to an UNCTAD press release issued in Geneva, Dr Supachai's term of office will run from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2013.

On 22 June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a note to the sixty-third session of the General Assembly(A/63/891), had proposed to extend the appointment of Dr Supachai as UNCTAD Secretary-General for another term of office of four years, beginning on 1 September 2009 and ending on 31 August 2013.

Acting on the proposal by the UN Secretary-General, the General Assembly on Monday appointed Dr Supachai for a further four-year term.

Dr Supachai has headed UNCTAD since 1 September 2005. Prior to coming to UNCTAD, he had served as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) from September 2002 to August 2005. Previously, he was Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Commerce.

"I am honoured to continue with the important work of this organization, especially at such a critical time for the economies of developing countries," Dr Supachai said following his appointment.