COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT SEEKING TWO-DAY HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION DURING NEXT ASSEMBLY SESSION

8 December 1995

Press Release
GA/EF/2715

COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT SEEKING TWO-DAY HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION DURING NEXT ASSEMBLY SESSION

19951208 Other Drafts Deal with Roles of Science and Technology, Human Resources in Development, Natural Disaster Reduction, Environment

The General Assembly would agree to hold a two-day high-level dialogue on the social and economic impact of globalization and interdependence and their policy implications at its next regular session, by the provisions of one of 13 draft proposals approved without a vote by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this afternoon.

The date, modalities and focus of the discussions would be decided as part of the outcome of the work of the ad hoc open-ended working group on An Agenda for Development. And the Secretary-General would be requested to submit recommendations on possible future themes for dialogue, including issues relating to information technology. He would be further requested to elaborate proposals to convene special sessions of the Assembly on major issues relevant to the development dialogue.

By another draft approved this afternoon, the Assembly would emphasize that, in the development of human resources, an integrated approach which takes into account the needs of all people should be adopted. That approach should incorporate areas such as health, nutrition, sanitation and education and take account of the need to create employment in an environment that guarantees political freedom, popular participation, respect for human rights, justice and equity -- all of which are essential for enhancing human capacity to meet the challenge of development.

Under the provisions of another draft, the Assembly, taking note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) on communication for development programmes in the United Nations system, would recognize their important role in enhancing the transparency of system-wide coordination. The Committee on Information would be invited to consider that issue at its forthcoming session.

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By another draft, the Assembly, taking note of the JIU report on United Nations system support for science and technology in Africa, would request the Secretary-General to make concrete proposals on activities aimed at strengthening that support for science and technology in Africa, in the context of the 1996 mid-term review of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s.

A related draft, on science and technology for development, would have the Assembly call upon the international community to meet all the objectives reaffirmed in Agenda 21, the programme of action adopted by the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. In particular, the Assembly would call for implementation of objectives dealing with effective access to and transfer of environmentally sound technologies under mutually agreed terms. The role of the private sector in science and technology for development, in particular in the transfer and development of capabilities, would be recognized.

Under the terms of other texts approved on the issues of sustainable development and international economic cooperation, the Assembly would

-- Request the Secretary-General to convene in 1997 another meeting of governmental experts from land-locked and transit developing countries, representatives of donor countries and financial and development institutions to review progress in the development of transit systems in those countries; and

-- Invite Member States and the United Nations system to consider the recommendations of the United Nations Panel on Opportunity and Participation relating to efforts for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries as an effective measure for promoting opportunity and participation and the economic and social development of all peoples.

In addition, the Committee approved drafts by which the Assembly would request:

-- The Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to prepare a report on the role and activities of the Programme in the implementation of Agenda 21 and to submit it to the 1997 special session of the Assembly on the overall review and appraisal of that international instrument;

-- The Scientific and Technical Committee of International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction to continue, within the scope of its work on early- warning capabilities, to study new concepts and methodologies for accurate forecasting of earthquakes, natural and similar disasters with an adverse

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impact on the environment and to make recommendations on their applicability in the context of international cooperation to improve preparedness for and minimize the risks of such disasters;

-- The Secretary-General to submit a report to the Assembly's fifty- first session on possible ways to strengthen the training activities of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and better define its role; and

-- The United Nations development system to work towards establishing a more coherent approach to its support for women's income-generating activities, in particular credit schemes.

Also this afternoon, the Committee approved two draft decisions by which the Assembly would take note of several reports which were submitted for its consideration during the current session.

The Committee will meet again at a time to be announced.

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this afternoon to take action on draft proposals concerning trade and development, science and technology for development, women in development, human resources development, the United Nations initiative on opportunity and participation, natural disaster reduction, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and renewal of the development dialogue.

On the report of the Economic and Social Council, the Committee has before it a draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.64) on communication for development programmes in the United Nations system. It is a text submitted by a Committee Vice-Chairman, Max Stadthagen (Nicaragua), on the basis of informal consultations held on a draft resolution on the same subject contained in document A/C.2/50/L.14.

By the provisions of the latest draft, the Assembly would take note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) entitled "Communication for development programmes in the United Nations system" and of the comments of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) on that report (documents A/50/126-E/1995/20 and Add.1). The important role of communication for development programmes in the United Nations system in enhancing the transparency of system-wide coordination would be recognized. The Committee on Information would be invited to consider that issue at its forthcoming session. The role of effective communication in disseminating the outcome and follow-up of major United Nations conferences and in ensuring the effective flow of such information to non-governmental organizations would be recognized.

Also by the draft, the United Nations system would be encouraged to use informal mechanisms, such as round-table conferences, to improve those communication programmes. The Assembly would take note of decision 5.3 of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), adopted at its one hundred thirty-ninth session, in which the Board requested the JIU to prepare a study entitled "A review of telecommunications and related information technologies in the United Nations system". The JIU would be invited to take into consideration the requirements of developing countries. The need for the United Nations system to develop a systematic approach to capacity-building in the development of communication capacities would be emphasized. Governments and the United Nations system would be invited to consider identifying focal points for the purpose of facilitating dialogue in the exchange of information on communication on issues related to development so as to strengthen coordination and international cooperation in that area.

On the issue of sustainable development and international economic cooperation the Committee has six drafts before it.

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A draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.59) submitted by Committee Vice- Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations held on an earlier draft on the same subject (document A/C.2/50/L.59), would have the Assembly reaffirm the right of access of land-locked developing countries to and from the sea and freedom of transit through the territory of transit States by all means of transport. It would call upon both the land-locked developing countries and their transit neighbours, in the spirit of South-South cooperation, further to strengthen their cooperative and collaborative efforts in dealing with their transit problems. Those countries would be invited to intensify their cooperative arrangements for the development of the transit infrastructures, institutions and services to facilitate the faster movement of goods in transit, with financial and technical assistance from donors and financial agencies.

The Assembly would emphasize that assistance for the improvement of transport transit facilities and services should be integrated into the overall economic development strategies of those countries and that donor assistance should take that into account. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would be invited to expand its support in the transport and communications sectors to the land-locked and transit developing countries. The Assembly would endorse the Global Framework for Transit Transport Cooperation between Land-locked and Transit Developing Countries and the Donor Community contained in the report of the Second Meeting of Governmental Experts from Land-locked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions, held in June in New York. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General would be requested to organize consultative groups to identify priority areas for action at the national and subregional level and draw up action programmes with a time-frame for the period 1996-1997.

Further by the draft, the Secretary-General would be requested to convene in 1997 another meeting of those concerned to review progress in the development of transit systems, taking also into account the results of the consultative group meetings.

Another draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.62) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations (document A/C.2/50/L.38), concerns United Nations system support for science and technology in Africa.

Under its provisions, the Assembly would take note of the JIU report on the subject and of the comments of the ACC (documents A/50/125-E/1995/19 and Add.1). The Secretary-General would be requested to continue to promote and implement activities in support of science and technology in Africa in the context of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. He would be requested to make concrete proposals on activities, in the context of the 1996 mid-term review of the New Agenda, to be carried out in

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1996, to strengthen United Nations system support for science and technology in Africa.

A draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.68) submitted by Committee Vice- Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations on an earlier draft (document A/C.2/50/L.68), concerns science and technology for development.

That draft would have the Assembly call upon the international community to meet all the objectives affirmed in chapter 34 of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in particular those dealing with effective access to and transfer of environmentally sound technologies, including new and emerging and publicly owned technologies, to developing countries on favourable terms, including concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed. Account would be taken of the need to protect intellectual property rights as well as the special needs of developing countries.

The Assembly would stress that it is important for developing countries to implement their own science and technology policies that support the national effort to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development in the light of their respective national conditions, needs, priorities and objectives. It would stress the need to strengthen the vital role of the United Nations in the field of science and technology, particularly through effective policy guidance and better coordination, including international cooperation in technology assessment, monitoring and forecasting.

The Assembly would recognize the role of the private sector in science and technology for development, in particular in the transfer and development of capabilities. It would also recognize the role of governments, in particular in providing appropriate regulatory frameworks and incentives for the development of science and technology capabilities.

The relevant organizations, funds and programmes of the United Nations would be requested to work in a coordinated manner to develop a catalogue of proved technologies that would enable developing countries to make effective choices from among state-of-the-art technologies. They would also be requested to continue to promote the development of effective and mutually beneficial technological cooperation between countries with economies in transition and all other countries, including in the area of new and emerging technologies.

The Secretary-General would be invited to explore the possibility of organizing a more effective coalition of resources within the United Nations development system, multilateral financial institutions, regional development banks and bilateral funding agencies to ensure the full implementation of the

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medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997 and the activities planned for 1996- 1997 in accordance with specific mandates provided for in the relevant General Assembly resolutions.

The Assembly would note the decision of the Economic and Social Council to invite the Commission on Science and Technology for Development to consider ways and means to formulate a common vision, taking advantage of the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development, held at Vienna in 1979.

By other provisions of the text, the Assembly would stress the potentially important role that the United Nations Fund for Science and Technology for Development should play in enhancing endogenous capacity- building in science and technology in developing countries. It would call on all countries in a position to do so to contribute generously to the Fund.

The Secretary-General would be requested to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session on progress in the implementation of the resolution.

Another draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.66) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations held on a previously introduced draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.46), concerns women in development.

Under its provisions, the Assembly would welcome the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by the Fourth World Conference on Women. It would take note of the report of the Secretary-General on the effective mobilization and integration of women in development and call for the urgent implementation of the Beijing Platform as well as the relevant provisions contained in the outcome of all other major United Nations conferences and summits. It would stress that a favourable international and national economic and financial environment and a positive investment climate are necessary for the effective integration of women in development. And it would also stress the importance of developing national strategies for promoting sustainable and productive entrepreneurial activities to generate income among disadvantaged women and women living in poverty.

Governments and all actors of society would be called upon to implement the commitment made at the Beijing Conference to create an enabling environment, including by removing discriminatory barriers and ensuring the full and equal participation of women in economic activities through the adoption of gender-sensitive policies and legal measures. Governments would be urged to ensure women's equal rights and access to economic resources, and to increase their access to credit by instituting innovative lending practices, including practices that integrate credit with services and training for women. They would also be urged to promote methodologies for

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incorporating a gender perspective into all aspects of policy-making, including economic policy-making. The United Nations system would be called upon to promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming gender perspective in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all policies and programmes.

The international community would be urged to give priority to assisting developing countries' efforts to ensure the full and effective participation of women in deciding and implementing development strategies, including by increasing women's access to health care, capital, education, training and technology, as well as women's wider participation in decision-making. Multilateral donors and financial institutions would be urged to review and implement policies in support of national efforts to ensure that a higher proportion of resources reach women, particularly in rural and remote areas. The United Nations development system would be requested to work towards establishing a more coherent approach to its support for women's income- generating activities, in particular credit schemes.

A draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.70) submitted by Committee Vice- Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations held on a draft (document A/C.2/50/L.34) introduced earlier on the same subject, concerns developing human resources for development.

It would have the Assembly call upon the international community to increase resources in support of national efforts to develop human resources for development. Relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system would similarly be called upon to coordinate their activities in support of national and regional action.

The Assembly would emphasize that, in the development of human resources, an overall, well-conceived and integrated approach which mainstreams a gender perspective and takes into account the needs of all people should be adopted. It should incorporate such vital areas as population, health, nutrition, water, sanitation, housing, communications, education and training, and science and technology. Account should also be taken of the need to create more possibilities for employment in an environment that guarantees opportunities for political freedom, popular participation, respect for human rights, justice and equity, all of which are essential for enhancing human capacity to meet the challenge of development.

Also by the terms of the draft, the Assembly would emphasize that structural adjustment programmes should include social development goals, in particular, eradication of poverty, promotion of full and productive employment and enhancement of social integration. Governments and relevant institutions should ensure, where appropriate, an adequate social safety net under structural adjustment programmes and should develop policies to reduce their negative effects. It should be borne in mind that social safety nets

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associated with economic restructuring are short-term by nature and should be considered as complementary strategies.

The Assembly would note with serious concern the worrisome trend of a decrease in overall development assistance, which affects the level of resources for human resources development. It would emphasize that financial commitment to human resources development is of critical importance in contributing to the enhancement of the concept of people-centred sustainable development.

The Assembly would call for a follow-up to the Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and the Beijing Platform of Action, in order to ensure the strengthening of human resources development. The Secretary-General would be requested to take into account the outcome of the upcoming United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in the context of human resources development. He would also be requested to continue to monitor the activities of the United Nations system in human resources development and to submit to the Assembly at its fifty-second session a report on the implementation of the resolution, including further action taken by the United Nations system on the subject and enhancement of inter-agency coordination.

A draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.60) submitted by Committee Vice- Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations held on the draft contained in document A/C.2/50/L.36 on the same subject, would have the Assembly welcome the report of the United Nations Panel on Opportunity and Participation, which met at Headquarters from 15 to 19 May. It would take note of the Panel's contribution to the completion of an agenda for development and the follow-up arrangements to the Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development.

Member States and the United Nations system would be invited to consider the insights and the recommendations of the Panel, particularly those relating to efforts for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries as an effective measure for promoting opportunity and participation in the context of national development and the economic and social development of all peoples. The Commission for Sustainable Development would be invited to draw upon the work of the Panel. The Committee for Development Planning would be invited to take into account the recommendations of the Panel in its work in 1996 in the context of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade.

Under the topic of environment and sustainable development, the Committee has before it a draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.69) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations on an earlier draft concerning the report of the Governing

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Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (document A/C.2/50/L.69).

Under its provisions, the Assembly, endorsing the report on its eighteenth session and its decisions, would recognize, in particular, four of them concerning the role and priorities of UNEP, in-depth evaluation of the programme on environment, and environment and sustainable development and good environmental housekeeping within the United Nations system. The UNEP Governing Council would be requested to prepare a report on the role and activities of the Programme in the implementation of Agenda 21 and to submit it to the 1997 special session on the overall review and appraisal of that international instrument. The importance of sufficient and timely contributions to the Environment Fund would be noted. The efforts of UNEP to promote maximum and cost-effective utilization of conference facilities at its headquarters would be welcomed.

Another draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.71) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland), on the basis of informal consultations held on an earlier draft (document A/C.2/50/L.35), concerns the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

Under its provisions, the Assembly would request the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Decade to continue, within the scope of its work on early-warning capabilities, to study new scientific and experimental concepts and methodologies for accurate and timely short-term forecasting of earthquakes, natural disasters and similar disasters with an adverse impact on the environment. The Committee would consider making recommendations on their applicability and development in the context of international cooperation to improve preparedness for and minimize the risks of such disasters. The Secretary-General would be invited to facilitate within the existing International Framework for Action for the Decade an internationally concerted framework for improvements in early-warning capacities by developing a concrete proposal for an effective international mechanism on early warning, to include the transfer of technologies to developing countries, under the auspices of the United Nations and as part of the implementation of the Framework and the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action.

The secretariat of the Decade would be called upon to continue to facilitate a concerted international approach to improvements in early-warning capacities for natural disasters and similar disasters with an adverse impact on the environment, within the process leading towards the closing event of the Decade. Donor countries would be asked to give greater priority to disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation in their assistance programmes and budgets, on either a bilateral or multilateral basis.

By a draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.63) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Max Stadthagen (Nicaragua), on the basis of informal

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consultations held on the draft resolution contained in document A/C.2/50/L.43, the Assembly would reaffirm the relevance of UNITAR, particularly in view of the many training requirements of all Member States. It would invite the Institute to further develop its cooperation with United Nations and other institutes. The Assembly would welcome the decision of the Board of Trustees of the Institute regarding the opening of a liaison office in New York in order to respond to the training needs of the missions and delegations of Member States in New York and in order to strengthen its cooperative relationship with the United Nations Secretariat.

All Member States would be urged to consider resuming or increasing their voluntary contributions to the restructured Institute, in particular to its General Fund. The Secretary-General would be encouraged to take measures to regularize the office of Executive Director of the Institute, taking into account the recommendations of the Board of Trustees. He would be requested to submit a report to the Assembly's fifty-first session on possible ways to strengthen the training activities of the Institute and better define its role.

A draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.67) on renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership would have the General Assembly agree to hold a high-level dialogue for two days at its fifty-first session on the theme of the social and economic impact of globalization and interdependence and their policy implications. The date, modalities and focus of the discussions would be decided in the context of the outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on the Agenda for Development and the decision to be taken on the adoption of the Agenda. The Secretary-General would be requested to make initial preparations for the dialogue, in close cooperation with Governments, relevant organizations and other development actors.

By the text, the Assembly would reaffirm that a dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development should be conducted in response to the imperatives of mutual interests and benefits, genuine interdependence, shared responsibility and the partnership for achieving sustained economic growth and sustainable development. It would reaffirm that the dialogue would improve the international economic environment conducive to development, and that the United Nations should reinforce its activities to facilitate it.

The Assembly would stress the need to put development at the centre of United Nations activities and that the United Nations has a central role to play in promoting international economic cooperation for development and in bringing development issues to the attention of the international community. It would recognize that the ongoing discussions in the Ad Hoc Working Group and their outcome aim at strengthening constructive dialogue to enhance and

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revitalize international economic cooperation for development through increased partnership among and between countries.

The Secretary-General would be requested to submit further recommendations for enhancing the dialogue, taking into consideration the agreed conclusions of the Economic and Social Council on coordinated follow-up by the United Nations system and implementation of the results of the major international conferences organized by the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields, the outcome of the ongoing discussions in the Ad Hoc Working Group, and on restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields.

The Secretary-General would also be requested to submit to the Assembly at its fifty-first session recommendations on possible future themes for dialogue, including the issue of regional integration and of new information technology and the global economy. He would further be requested to elaborate his proposals to convene special sessions of the General Assembly on major issues relevant to the dialogue on international economic cooperation for development, including those identified in an Agenda for Development.

The Committee also has before it a draft resolution (document A/C.2/50/L.72) on the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s. It was submitted by Committee Vice Chairman Conor Murphy (Ireland) on the basis of informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/50/L.31.

By the new text, the Assembly would endorse the measures and recommendations contained in the report of the High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Mid-term Global Review of the Implementation of the Programme of Action designed to ensure its full implementation over the second half of the decade.

The Assembly would call on all governments, international and multilateral organizations, financial institutions and development funds, the organs, organizations and programme of the United Nations system and all other organizations concerned to take immediate, concrete and adequate steps to implement the Programme. Full account would be taken of the measures and recommendations of the mid-term global review to ensure sustained economic growth and sustainable development in the least developed countries and enable them to participate in and benefit from the process of globalization and liberalization.

The Assembly would urge all donor countries fully and expeditiously to implement their commitments in all relevant areas, including the agreed menu of aid targets and commitments as set out in the Programme of Action, as well as the measures agreed upon at the mid-term global review to provide a significant and substantial increase in the aggregate level of external

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support for the least developed countries. The increased needs of those countries as well as the requirements of the countries added to the list of least developed following the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries would have to be kept in mind according to the draft.

By other provisions of the text, the Assembly would stress the critical importance of providing multilateral assistance for the least developed countries, in the form of grant-based multilateral programmes, and would call attention to the need to ensure adequate replenishment of the International Development Association and the soft-term windows of the regional development banks. It would emphasize the serious debt problem of the least developed countries and encourage the Bretton Woods institutions to expedite the ongoing consideration of ways and means to address the issue of multilateral debt, including those concerning the least developed countries.

The Assembly, reiterating that increased opportunities for trade can help reactivate economic growth in the least developed countries, would call for significantly improved market access for their products. It would emphasize the importance of effectively applying the provisions of the Final Act Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. It would further emphasize the importance of concrete action to fully and expeditiously implement the Marrakesh Declaration as it related to the least developed countries and the ministerial decision on measures in their favour as well as others agreed at the mid-term global review.

The Assembly would also emphasize the importance of the annual reviews by the Trade and Development Board of progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action and the pressing need for enabling representatives of the least developed countries to participate in them. Towards that end, the Secretary-General would be requested to defray the cost of their participation by mobilizing extrabudgetary resources for that purpose and by reallocating existing resources of the regular budget, if required.

The UNCTAD would be called upon to take into account, at its ninth session, the outcome of the High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting.

The Secretary-General would be requested to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session a report on the implementation of the resolution.

Action on Drafts

MAX STADTHAGEN (Nicaragua), Vice-Chairman of the Committee, introduced the new draft on communication for development programmes in the United Nations system. Oral amendments included deletion of reference to a UNESCO

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decision requesting the JIU to prepare a study on telecommunications and related information technologies. "The JIU needs no invitation to do so", he said.

The Chairman said there were some technical problems with the text and postponed action for later in the meeting.

The Chairman, then, put the draft on land-locked developing countries before the Committee for action.

MARGARET KELLEY, the Committee Secretary, read out a statement on the financial implications of the draft. She drew attention to reference in the text to a meeting that would be held in Geneva and would require interpretation in all languages.

CONOR MURPHY (Ireland), a Committee Vice-Chairman, introduced the draft on the land-locked developing countries and their transit neighbours which had resulted from consultations on an earlier text. The draft was approved without vote. The earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) then introduced the new version of the draft on United Nations system support for science and technology in Africa, which was approved without a vote. An earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) then introduced the new version of the draft on science and technology for development and orally corrected it.

The representative of Japan said that there was scarce recognition in the draft resolution of the specific needs of individual countries. Assistance could only be effective if it was directed where it was needed, he said, and needs varied. The draft would therefore not easily lead to the objectives described in it. Japan had in the deliberations on an Agenda for Development stressed the importance of establishing a development strategy for each developing country in accordance with its stage of development and the particular conditions prevailing in its domestic economy. Individual strategies should likewise be formulated on the basis of the needs of developing countries in the area of science and technology for development.

The representative of the Philippines, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, stressing that he fully appreciated the work of the editors, called on them to check with delegations before final submission of drafts. Several critical words had had to be orally corrected. Referring to the statement by the representative of Japan he wondered why that statement had been necessary. As negotiations went, not all concerns could be accommodated. The draft contained critical points that were very dear to developing countries as a whole. The solidarity among developing countries should be supported by the international community.

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The draft was approved without a vote as orally corrected, and the earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) introduced the draft on women in development agreed during informal consultations and orally corrected it. It was approved without a vote as corrected.

The representative of Japan said she strongly supported the draft; however it was regrettable that United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) as well as the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, were not mentioned in the draft as they were undertaking development assistance solely for the empowerment of women.

The draft's earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) introduced the new draft on developing human resources for development, and, the earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) introduced the new draft on the United Nations Panel on Opportunity and Participation which was approved without a vote.

The representative of Papua New Guinea said he attached great importance to the draft. The report of the Panel was the first international step in the development of those concepts. The draft left open many windows for the international community to support efforts in that regard. He expressed appreciation to those who had actively participated in the consultations on the draft.

The earlier version of the draft was withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) introduced the new draft on the report of the Governing Council of UNEP. It was approved without a vote and the earlier version was withdrawn.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland) introduced the new draft on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and orally corrected it. The draft was approved without a vote as corrected.

The representative of Germany thanked those who had participated in the negotiations and who had sponsored the text in the earlier stage of its consideration.

The earlier version was withdrawn by the sponsors.

The Committee approved a draft decision by which the Assembly would take note of the report of the Secretary-General on core functions of the Decade

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submitted pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/47 (document A/50/521). The draft decision was approved without a vote.

Mr. STADTHAGEN (Nicaragua), a Vice-Chairman, introduced the new draft on UNITAR and orally corrected it. The draft decision was approved without a vote as corrected and an earlier version was withdrawn.

Mr. MURPHY (Ireland), a Vice-Chairman, introduced the new draft on the renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership and orally corrected it. The draft was approved as corrected without a vote.

The representative of the United States registered her delegation's strong reservations on operative paragraph 2 of the text. The United States reaffirmed, she said, that whenever the term "sustained economic growth" appeared in the resolution, it was its understanding that it referred to growth "in the context of sustainable development" as described in paragraph 6 of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and affirmed by the Heads of State or Government at the World Summit for Social Development.

She said the Copenhagen statement should be reflected in full in the record of this afternoon's meeting. The statement reads as follows: "We are convinced that economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development, which is the framework for our efforts to achieve a higher quality of life for all people. Equitable social development that recognizes empowering the poor to utilize environmental resources sustainably is a necessary foundation for sustainable development. We also recognize that broad-based and sustained economic growth in the context of sustainable development is necessary to sustain social development and social justice."

The representatives of Australia and New Zealand associated their delegations with the draft.

The representative of Colombia introduced some corrections to the Spanish version of the draft. He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations and with the statements just made by Australia and New Zealand.

The representative of the Philippines, on behalf of the Group of 77, said he would reply to the statement by the representative of the United States probably later. He welcomed the statements made by Australia and New Zealand.

The draft as corrected was approved without a vote and an earlier version of the text was withdrawn.

Second Committee - 15 - Press Release GA/EF/2715 42nd Meeting (PM) 8 December 1995

The Chairman then again put the draft on communication for development before the Committee for action.

Mr. STADTHAGEN (Nicaragua), Committee Vice-Chairman, said the amendment to operative paragraph 7 of the draft that he had read out at the beginning of the meeting would be maintained and the technical ones were not to be taken into account. The draft was then approved, without a vote, as orally amended and corrected. The earlier version of the draft was withdrawn.

The Committee then approved a draft decision by which the Assembly would take note of several reports which had been before it for consideration during the current session under the agenda item on the Economic and Social Council.

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