In Bamako, Mali, Dr. Supachai is meeting with the President, Mr. Amadou Toumani Touré; the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Trade; and the UN Resident Coordinator.

In Nouakchott, Mauritania, he will participate tomorrow in a meeting on the Economic Partnership Agreement under negotiation between the European Union and the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

On Thursday, he will open the national workshop on the investment policy review UNCTAD is conducting for Mauritania and give a briefing on UNCTAD´s World Investment Report 2007, which deals with foreign direct investment in the extractive industries. Also in Nouakchott, he will meet with the President, Mr. Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdellahi; the Prime Minister, Mr. Zeine Ould Zeidane; the Minister of Trade and Industry; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

UNCTAD XII represents the Conference´s return to Africa for the first time since 1996, when UNCTAD IX was held in Midrand, South Africa. UNCTAD´s ministerial conferences, which are held every four years, are the organization´s highest policy-making body. The previous conference, UNCTAD XI, took place in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2004.