FIFTH ASIAN AND PACIFIC MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES IN MANILA, ADOPTS DECLARATION
Press Release
REC/14
FIFTH ASIAN AND PACIFIC MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES IN MANILA, ADOPTS DECLARATION
19971117 (Delayed in transmission.)BANGKOK, 11 November (UN Information Service) -- The urgent need for regional solidarity and self-reliance to meet the many challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region was stressed by delegates attending the Fifth Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Social Development, hosted by the Government of the Philippines and organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), which concluded in Manila today.
The Conference ended with ministers adopting a Manila Declaration and a set of recommendations to jump start the pledges made at a similar conference three years ago to eradicate poverty, the most daunting social problem facing the region. The event provided an opportunity for ministers to exchange experiences regarding the progress achieved in implementing the Agenda for Action on Social Development in the ESCAP region, in the context of the Programme of Action adopted by the 1995 World Summit for Social Development.
The Manila Declaration acknowledged the progress and continuing efforts made by many countries in the region, concerning poverty alleviation, generation of productive employment, and enhancement of social integration. However, it noted with concern "the vulnerability of many economies in the region to widening trade deficit, mounting foreign debt repayments, currency crises and economic slowdown, which have serious implications for social progress and cohesion."
During the six-day meeting, participants expressed their concerns over social integration issues, and the downside of globalization and its negative social consequences. Some participants feared that development gains might be undermined by external forces and the lack of good governance. Some dissatisfaction was also expressed over the performance of regional and international agencies in resource mobilization and the provision of technical assistance.
When he delivered a keynote address on 10 November, President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines urged more resource mobilization in the light of dwindling funds. The Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Adrianus Mooy, said "macroeconomic imperatives and structural adjustment programmes have, in some instances, seriously reduced public expenditures for social programmes and torn apart
social safety nets. Social tension and discord can run high when policies and programmes are perceived as catering to narrow vested interests, rather than overall social good."
Speaking in the meeting, the representative of Iran said, "There is no doubt that castles and mansions are not built unless they create shanty towns beside them and no wealth is made that is not connected with the poverty of some group or other. Some groups drop their excess supply of foodstuff into the sea to maintain the price level and control demand while other groups cannot easily find even a piece of bread."
The representative of Myanmar said, "A total of 17 armed groups, realizing the goodwill of the Government in developing the border areas, have returned to the legal fold. The Government is assuming greater responsibilities to create a better quality of life for the people of the border areas."
India's representative said that it had enacted a comprehensive law to help the disabled -- The Person with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995. Also, a National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation had been set up.
The representative of Japan urged fiscal responsibility. "Japan must manage a tremendously tight fiscal budget. Developing countries, on their part, are obliged to address social development problems that need to be solved immediately. The Japanese Government will, therefore, continue its assistance to the social development programmes by exchanging information and opinions with related ministries, agencies and with people, including non- governmental organizations. Hence, from now on, we would like to request that recipient countries manage limited official development assistance funds effectively and efficiently."
Some of the main resolutions -- based in part on recommendations contained in a message to Manila from non-governmental organizations -- aimed at accelerating the Agenda for Action for Social Development in the ESCAP region, include:
-- To ensure that the region's rural and urban poor, who constitute two thirds of the world's poor, can enter the new millennium free from hunger, ill health, illiteracy, unemployment, discrimination and exclusion;
-- To increase the level of resources for social development aimed at improving the quality of life of all the people, by (i) ensuring that at least one third of government expenditure is allocated to social development programmes, (ii) ensuring effective resource utilization and minimizing resource leakages, (iii) encouraging voluntary contributions, and (iv) promoting domestic savings.
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Some of the intermediate targets, include the following:
-- Reducing, by 2000, absolute poverty to half the 1990 level;
-- Reducing, by 2000, infant mortality to half that prevailing in 1990;
-- Achieving, by 2000, life expectancy at birth of 65 years, and for countries and areas experiencing high mortality rates, achieving, by 2000, life expectancy at birth of 60 years; and
-- Providing, by 2000, access to basic education for at least 80 per cent of the population.
For further information, contact David S. Lazarus, Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Information Service, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), fax: (63-2) 551-26-32; tel: (63-2) 551-26-30.
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