Secretariat. Tocompensate forthenegative impact ofresource contraction, the Centre resorted totheutilization ofextrabudgetary funds. Hebriefly described themajorresearch andtechnical co-operation projects completed sincethe fourteenth session oftheCommission andprovided information onactivities that wereclosetofinalization. TheExecutive Director invited theCommission to comment ontheproposed programme ofworkoftheCentre for1990-1991, toprovide recommendations onthemajorobjectives and ~trategies oftheprogramme on transnational corporations forthenextmedium-term planandtoformulate conclusions withrespect totheCentre's ongoing andproposed recurrent -23- publications. TheExecutive Director expressed thanks tothoseGovernments that hadprovided extrabudgetary resources totheCentre. 37.hitthedelegations supported theworkoftheCentre andcommended itsquality andtheefficient utilization ofitsresources. Theincrease inextrabudgetary contributions overthepastyearswasviewed asarecognition oftherelevance and usefulness oftheCentre's work. Delegations expressed thehopethat,despite the present financial difficulties oftheUnited Nations, theCentre's activities could becontinued andexpanded inthefuture. 38.Manydelegations expressed theirparticular appreciation forthepractical usefulness oftheCentre's research, advisory andinformation services. Those delegations indicated thattheircountries hadbenefited fromthevarious activities oftheCentre whichhadeffectively contributed tostrengthening their negotiating capacity indealing withtransnational corporations. Intheopinion of thosedelegations, theCentre wasasource oforiginal research andadepository of valuable technical knowledge andexpertise. TheCentre's workwasamodelforthe activities ofotherUnited Nations bodies. Several delegations whoseGovernments hadcontributed totheCentre's extrabudgetary resources expressed their satisfaction withtheusemadebytheCentre ofthehumanandfinancial resources provided bythem. 39.Manydelegations notedthehighquality oftheresearch workconducted bythe Centre. Several delegations expressed theirappreciation forthebalanced approach theCentre hadtakeninitsanalyses oftheroleoftransnational corporations in hostdeveloping countries andespecially theattention thatwasbeinggiventothe practical policy andtechnical co-operation implications thatcouldbedrawnfrom thosestudies. Theresearch activities oftheCentre hadsignificantly strengthened thenegotiating capacity ofdeveloping countries, whichhadavailed themselves ofitsservices withrespect totheirrelations withtransnational corporations. Thoseactivities hadenhanced thepositive contribution of transnational corporations todevelopment whileminimizing thenegative impact. However, somedelegations reiterated theneedforgreater focusonthespecific problems facedbydeveloping countries intheirdealings withtransnational corporations. Somedelegations madespecial reference totheuseful co-operation between theCentre andotherinternational agencies, inparticular the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Onedelegation statedthatitscountry wasconsi.dering establishing special economic zonesandthatthejointstudybyILO andtheCentre inthatfieldwasespecially helpful. Manydelegations supported theaction takentopublish thebackground materials prepared within theframework ofthetechnical co-operation programme, especially forworkshops andseminars, in ordertobeavailable toawideraudience. Itwasalsosuggested thatmore practical benefits couldbedrawnfromcloser co-operation between theCentre and labour unionswithrespect totheCentre's research inthefieldoflabour conditions. 40.Several suggestions weremaderegarding future workbytheCentre, including a morein-depth analysis ofthecontributions ofsmallandmedium-sized enterprises
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report on the activities and outcomes of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations. The Centre's work focuses on research, advisory, and information services related to transnational corporations, their impact on host developing countries, and strategies for effective collaboration. The text highlights the Centre's efforts to strengthen the negotiating capacity of developing countries, promote the positive contribution of transnational corporations to development, and minimize their negative impact.

**Category**
International trade, Employment