The Special Unit on Commodities aims to improve the capacity of commodity-dependent developing countries to harness development gains from trade in commodities and enhanced international cooperation within the mandate of UNCTAD to address trade and development problems associated with the commodity economy, including the food crisis and poverty reduction. It aims to do this by:

• Increasing the number of commodity-dependent countries adopting specific policy measures at all levels, and all participants in the commodity sector promoting and improving transparency and accountability and harnessing development gains from trade in commodities.

• Increasing the number of commodity-dependent countries which UNCTAD has assisted in their efforts to integrate commodity strategies into their national development plans; number of studies, technical cooperation activities and consensus-building meetings undertaken by UNCTAD to promote international cooperation in addressing trade and development opportunities and challenges associated with the commodity economy

The Accra Accord also confirmed that UNCTAD should continue to play a key role, with appropriate coordination with other international and regional actors, including with relevant international commodity bodies, to address the trade and development problems associated with the commodity economy, giving due attention to all commodity sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, metals and minerals and oil and gas.

It also mandated UNCTAD to promote intergovernmental cooperation and consensus-building on:

•  Ways of integrating commodity policies into national, regional and international development and poverty reduction strategies;
•  Trade-related policies and instruments for resolving commodity problems; and
•  Investment and financial policies for accessing financial resources for commodity-based development.