INF/TE/IDP/RD/149* 
30 January 2024  
(24-0701) Page: 1/2 
 Original:  English/anglais/inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
 
STATEMENT BY UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  (UNCTAD)  
 
Plenary Meeting – 26 January 2024  
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
 
STATEMENT BY UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  (UNCTAD)  
 
Plenary Meeting – 26 January 2024  
 
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE  
PLASTICS TRADE  
 
STATEMENT BY UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT  (UNCTAD)  
 
Plenary Meeting – 26 January 2024  
 
_______________  
  
 
* In Original language only/En langue originale seulement/En el idioma original solamente.  
1 Documents issued in the RD series are not official WTO documents. They usually appear in their 
language of submission and will not be translated systematically int o the working languages of the WTO. They 
are intended for use in WTO meeting rooms and are attributed an unofficial symbol for archiving purposes only.  
Les documents de la série RD ne sont pas des documents officiels de l 'OMC. Ils ne paraissent 
généraleme nt que dans la langue dans laquelle ils ont été communiqués et ne seront pas systématiquement 
traduits dans les langues de travail de l'OMC. Ils sont destinés aux salles de réunion de l'OMC et une cote non 
officielle leur est attribuée à des fins d'archiva ge. 
Los documentos de la serie RD no son documentos oficiales de la OMC. Por lo general se distribuyen en 
el idioma en que han sido presentados y no se traduce n sistemáticamente a los idiomas de trabajo de la 
Organización. Se distribuyen para su uso en las  salas de reunión de la OMC y se les asigna una signatura no 
oficial a efectos de archivo únicamente.  INF/TE/IDP/RD/149  
 
- 2 - 
 
  UNCTAD statement below:  
 
Dear Chair,  
 
The UNCTAD Secretariat would like to congratulate all efforts and results achieved by the 
co-conveners and the efficient work of the WTO Secretariat.  
 
UNCTAD fully supports WTO Members efforts in the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution. The Bridgetown 
Covenant (20 21) clearly mandates UNCTAD to support “conservation and sustainable use of oceans, 
seas and marine resources, including addressing the discharge of plastic litter and other waste in 
oceans and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds and ensur ing sustainable consumption 
and production patterns”.  
 
The draft statement looks very balanced, practical and action oriented. In this regard, the UNCTAD 
Secretariat stands ready to support the key actions to be finally agreed by WTO Members under the 
statement, as they relate to SDGs implementation, and particularly on trade and development.    
 
UNCTAD organized various special events at INC 3, INC 4, and UNFCCC COP28 with WTO, UNEP, BRS 
Secretariat, TESS, CIEL, on the role of trade measures in a future bin ding instrument on plastic 
pollution as well as on how combatting plastic pollution and illegal traffic in plastic waste can help 
reduce carbon emissions. All to enable further coherence between multilateral trade and environment 
policies.  
 
UNCTAD reitera tes its engagement at the DPP process. In this regard, UNCTAD will be organizing a 
Brief to UNCTAD Members on key issues on the trade and environment nexus, including on trade in 
plastics, plastic pollution, and the value of non -plastic material substitute s to inform our members on 
advances in these topics in the road to WTO MC13, UNEA -6 and INC -4. The briefing will take place on 
the 02 February. All WTO Members are also invited.  
 
Thank you Chair.  
 
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