CULTURAL ASPECTS MUST BE INTEGRATED INTO WORLDWIDE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, SECOND COMMITTEE TOLD

20 October 1998

Press Release
GA/EF/2830

CULTURAL ASPECTS MUST BE INTEGRATED INTO WORLDWIDE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, SECOND COMMITTEE TOLD

19981020 Committee Considers Cultural Development, Renewal of Dialogue On Strengthening International Economic Development Cooperation

The international community must become aware of the need to integrate cultural aspects into worldwide development efforts, the representative of Uruguay told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this afternoon as it met to consider issues relating to cultural development, and renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development.

He added that the world was currently witnessing how various economies were moving toward a single system governed by nearly identical norms. Culture played an important role in the development of societies, and people-oriented concerns should be harmonized with economic concerns.

The representative of Canada said all countries were faced with the fact that cultural identity was becoming more valuable, yet more difficult to preserve. The ultimate goal in such a process was to strengthen cultural polices so that governments together with civil society might create an environment which valued diversity of identity, creativity and freedom. His country stressed the importance of integrating a cultural perspective into the development agenda of the United Nations system and institutions such as the World Bank.

On renewal of the dialogue, the representative of Austria, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said it was worthwhile to continue the dialogue on the benefits, risks and challenges of globalization, while looking at ways to further enhance and strengthen the framework of the Committee's discussions. The dialogue should be more closely linked to work with the Main Committees of the General Assembly particularly the Second Committee. Depending on the theme chosen, the dialogue could be linked with fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank. He added that the theme chosen for such dialogue should be clearly defined and have a distinct thematic focus.

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Some United Nations discussions had not been as focused nor as productive as his delegation would have wished, Australia's representative said. There had been, on occasion, good reasons for that, but also there had been too many unproductive and set-piece exchanges that had benefited few. The recent high-level Dialogue on globalization had therefore been a welcome and positive indication of the value of the United Nations in fostering informed debate on pressing issues.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Indonesia (on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China), China, Kenya, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Oman, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Statements in right of reply were made by the representatives of Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 21 October, to consider issues relating to environment and sustainable development. Under that general heading, the Committee will discuss the implementation and follow-up to the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), including the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21.

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this afternoon to resume its discussion of sustainable development and international cooperation. Under that general heading the Committee took up renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership, and cultural development.

The Committee had before it a note by the Secretary-General (document A/53/321). The note transmits the report of the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on cultural development.

The report includes the recommendations made at the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development, held in Stockholm from 30 March to 2 April. The Conference made several recommendations, including that UNESCO: elaborate a comprehensive strategy including the organization of a world summit on culture and development; encourage the establishment of networks for research and information on cultural polices for development; seek integration of a cultural perspective into the next International Development Strategy; develop mechanisms in order to emphasize the vital place of the cultural heritage on the environment; and encourage Member States to exchange information, ideas and practices with regard to their cultural strategies.

According to the report, the Conference stressed the interaction between culture and development and noted that when culture was understood as the basis for development, the very nature of cultural policy was broadened. The Conference also noted that any policy for development must be profoundly sensitive to and inspired by the national culture itself.

The policy objectives recommended by the Conference to Member States included: make a cultural policy one of the key components of development strategy; promote creativity and participation in cultural life; reinforce policy and practice to safeguard and enhance the cultural heritage; promote cultural, industrial and linguistic diversity; and to make more human and financial resources available for cultural development.

On the topic of renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership there is a letter dated 9 March from the Permanent Representatives of Japan and Senegal to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/53/85).

That letter transmits the summary report of the First Preparatory Committee Meeting for the Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD II), which was organized by the Government of Japan, the

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United Nations and the Global Coalition for Africa, and was hosted by the Government of Senegal in Dakar on 2 and 3 March.

The Assembly met on 17 and 18 September to hold a high-level dialogue on the theme of the social and economic impact of globalization and interdependence and their policy implications. Discussions on the theme began at the forty-eighth session of the Assembly and resulted in resolution 48/165, entitled renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership. By the terms of that text, the Assembly reaffirmed that such dialogue should be conducted in response to imperatives of mutual interest and benefit, genuine interdependence, shared responsibilities and the partnership for sustainable development.

The Assembly's fifty-second session, in resolution 52/186, on the same topic, reaffirmed the continued need to strengthen constructive dialogue and genuine partnership to promote further international cooperation. The Assembly President was requested to start consultations with Member States to arrive at an early decision on the modalities, focus of the discussion and timing of a two-day high-level dialogue.

Also by the terms of that text, the Assembly invited governments to contribute to the dialogue and to participate in it. It requested the Secretary-General, in close cooperation with governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations and other development actors, to initiate preparation for such a dialogue as well. It decided to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-third session the sub-item entitled renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership.

Rights of Reply

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, FEZA OZTURK (Turkey) said he was responding to a comment made by the representative of Armenia in this morning's debate, that Turkey had maintained an economic blockade on Armenia. Turkey had no animosity towards the Armenian people. The fact that the Turkish-Armenian border remained closed was not the preference of the Turkish Government. The Armenian Government was invited to pursue peaceful policies, which would certainly help the prospects of its own people, as well as of the region as a whole. The Second Committee was not the appropriate forum for discussing such matters.

ANNA AGHADJANIAN (Armenia) said the economic blockade imposed on Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey had hindered its economic development.

FIKRET PASHAYEV (Azerbaijan) said his delegation believed that introducing political questions in the Second Committee would not address important problems faced in the world. There was armed aggression by Armenia

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towards Azerbaijan, and Armenia occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan. Armenia blockaded the Nakhichevan region of Azerbaijan and that blockade made it difficult for his country to have access to the Black Sea. He added that there were 1 million refugees and displaced persons in Azerbaijan due to Armenian aggression.

Ms. AGHADJANIAN (Armenia) said the transition to a market economy in Armenia was even more difficult due to the destructive forces of an earthquake, the instability in the region and the blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was using so-called "Armenian aggression" as an excuse for its political problems.

Mr. PASHAYEV (Azerbaijan) said the Armenian delegate failed to mention her country's aggression. Armenia was developing its occupied territories and exploiting minerals there. Armenia continued to violate four Security Council resolutions regarding the immediate withdrawal of Armenia from occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Statements

PRIANTI GAGARIN DJATMIKO-SINGGIH (Indonesia), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that with the advent of globalization, free market forces had become the arbiter of economic policy- making at the global and national levels. Competitive markets had replaced international cooperation as the driving force of growth and development in the era of globalization. The increased exposure of the developing countries to the unfettered forces of the market had not only raised the living standards for many countries but had also, due to the volatility of globalization, resulted in many countries being left behind.

She added that the international community must face that challenge together, and in doing so, there was no better framework than that of the United Nations, with its unique characteristics of universality, neutrality and multilateralism. The Group of 77 and China were formulating a resolution on those concerns to be submitted to the Committee.

HANS-MICHAEL PLUT (Austria), speaking on behalf of the European Union and Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Norway, said that it was worthwhile to continue the dialogue on the benefits, risks and challenges of globalization, while looking at ways to further enhance and strengthen the framework of the Committee's discussions.

There was a need to ensure that the high-level dialogue was capable of drawing high-level participation in order to maintain high visibility, he said. The dialogue should be closer linked to work with the Main Committees of the General Assembly, particularly the Second Committee. Depending on the

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theme chosen, the possibility of linking it with the fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank should be examined. Moreover, the Union believed that the aim for high-level participation would be better served if the dialogue were biennialized.

The Union believed that the theme chosen for such dialogue should be clearly defined and have a distinct thematic focus, he said. A gender perspective should also be applied to the chosen theme, as recommended by the Beijing Platform for Action. The themes outlined in last year's Secretary- General's report (document A/52/425) should also be considered while discussing the agenda for the next dialogue.

Regarding the practical arrangements of the meetings, the Union wanted to highlight the successful elements of the just-completed dialogue, he said. Those elements should be strengthened and enhanced in the future, for example by allowing more time for discussion after the panel presentations; limiting the number of panellists to three or four would help in that regard. In the future, the time of the general debate should be used for real interactive discussions. Moreover, the preparation process should be kept as simple as possible. With the exception of the themes, no formal intergovernmental negotiations on the substance of the dialogue should be necessary. As an outcome, the format should be maintained.

LIU JINGTAO (China) said globalization of the world economy had become an inevitable trend that no country was able to avoid. Globalization had brought serious challenges as well as advantages to the economies of many countries. In that regard, the United Nations should play a more active role in promoting cooperation on global development issues. The least developed countries had recently seen their economies further deteriorate. Economies of all countries were increasingly interdependent due to globalization. Everyone needed to recognize the importance of mutual cooperation and dialogue among all countries. The international community should provide strong support for financing in development areas. Also, a prerequisite for development cooperation was respect for a nation's culture and history. There could not be one fixed model for development.

ADAM ADAWA (Kenya) said his country fully subscribed to the spirit of consensus based on multilateralism which sought to build and expand on mutually beneficial cooperation. The coordination of global economic policy with the full participation of developing countries was essential.

He said developing countries had taken seriously their responsibilities of promoting economic development through enhancing sound economic policies by undertaking various political and economic reforms and by embracing structural programmes, albeit at high social costs. In that context, Kenya urged its partners in the developed countries to meet their responsibilities by maintaining a supportive global economic environment, and to respond to

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specific needs of developing countries, including support in trade promotion, commodity diversification, market access, enterprise development and investments. Developing countries, especially those in Africa, had not been able to attract any significant foreign direct investment (FDI) or other private capital inflows, and were heavily dependent on official development assistance (ODA) for supplementing domestic resources to finance their development.

While the flow of aid had declined over the years, demand for it had remained significant, he said. In fact, other needs had emerged in addition to the traditional development needs. It was therefore more imperative than ever before to establish clear priorities in the allocation of aid and the effective utilization of resources. Kenya called upon developed countries to make every possible effort in trying to avail new and additional resources for development in the developing countries. Enhanced collaboration of national governments in developing countries and the international donor community to devise appropriate programmes for poverty alleviation would go a long way in the reduction of the problem.

GEORGE TALBOT (Guyana) said his delegation was concerned with the disruptive volatility of financial markets. It was also concerned with the considerable negative consequences and complications in the political arena due to globalization. Efforts to address those problems should take into consideration the needs and vulnerabilities of all States. The United Nations had an important role to play in that process. The issue of globalization must continue to receive attention at the United Nations. The United Nations system should consider how it could play a role in influencing the process of globalization and place it on the agenda for future consideration.

SUH DAE-WON (Republic of Korea) said the world was now witnessing the first major crisis of globalization. What began last year as a localized Asian financial crisis was now clearly becoming global. The financial crisis had compelled the world to take a piercing look at the current global economic and financial system. The only positive outcome of the crisis, if any, was the emerging consensus that the international financial system required a major overhaul. That reform should focus on strengthening global multilateral governance based on genuine partnership and mutual interests for a better management of the globalization process.

The Republic of Korea believed that globalization was an irreversible process, not an option, he said. In order to maximize its benefits and to minimize its risks, the globalization process must be carefully managed. The current financial crisis underscored the inadequacies of the institutional architecture for global economic governance. There was a need to devise institutional mechanisms that would enable the international community to deal better with the current economic realities. However, any proposal for a new international financial architecture should take into consideration the

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interests of all the participants from both developed and developing countries.

The growing income inequalities between and within the countries was one of the most disturbing aspects of globalization, he said. Those gross imbalances in the global economy undermined the political tenability of the globalization process. His country believed the benefits of globalization should be shared as widely as possible. Moreover, the dichotomy of an external environment versus domestic policies was no longer valid. While it was true that individual countries were primarily responsible for their own development, globalization and growing interdependency had made a favourable external environment absolutely indispensable for any steps towards development. The social, political and long-term developmental consequences of the Asian financial crisis reinforced the validity of the holistic approach to development. Thus, the United Nations, with its democratic membership and broad mandate, could make a unique contribution to international economic policy dialogues.

ROSLYN LAUREN KHAN-CUMMINGS (Trinidad and Tobago) said that the Agenda for Development, after a protracted period of negotiations, had renewed and strengthened partnership for development. In his report, the Secretary-General pointed to the major components of development, namely economic growth, trade, finance, poverty eradication, employment and human resources development.

International financial institutions must recognize the linkages between poverty, vulnerability and size, as well as the structural causes of vulnerability of small States, she said. Further work was required at the country level in small States and in the least-developed countries to monitor the adverse impacts of globalization and to provide mitigating strategies to ease such nations' integration in the world economy. Aid should also be directed at capacity-building, in terms of physical infrastructure and the development of human capital. Capital flows and technical assistance must be increased to meet the goals and objectives to which the international community has agreed in recent years.

DENIS CHOUINARD (Canada) said his country was committed to putting culture at the centre of the global agenda. Canada had played a leading role in the UNESCO Conference on cultural policies in Stockholm in March.

As technology removed the constraints of national boundaries, all countries were faced with the fact that cultural identity was becoming more valuable, yet more difficult to preserve, he said. The ultimate goal of such a process was to strengthen cultural polices so that governments together with civil society might create an environment which valued diversity of identity, creativity and freedom.

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A new network of Ministers of Culture was an important continuation of the work in Stockholm, he said. He underlined the importance of promoting culture as a key component of sustainable development. Moreover, Canada stressed the importance of the integration of a cultural perspective into the development agenda of the United Nations system and related institutions, such as the World Bank.

ALAN MARCH (Australia) said that some of the United Nations discussion had not been as focused nor as productive as his delegation would have wished. There had been, on occasion, good reasons for that, but also there had been too many unproductive and set-piece exchanges that had benefited few. The recent high-level dialogue on globalization was therefore a welcome and positive indication of the value of the United Nations in fostering informed debate on pressing issues.

He added that while the United Nations could not do everything, it did have a clear advantage when it addressed substantive issues and when it addressed those issues in a balanced, forward-looking manner. It also had an advantage when is undertook discussions within its competence. Those elements should characterize all United Nations and Economic and Social Council discussions.

NASTE CALOVSKI (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said there was a need for the international community to enter into a partnership dialogue that would lead to the promotion of economic integration and prevent economic marginalization. He noted that many countries could be marginalized as a result of globalization. However, while globalization was an irreversible process, it was a manageable one, and marginalization was preventable. Preventing marginalization was an urgent issue from the point of view of the countries which could be its victims. The Secretary-General, together with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), could prepare an action paper on this important issue for the next session of the General Assembly.

He said that in his view, all market-access barriers should be abolished. The debt burden should also be abolished, measures should be taken by the IMF and the World Bank to promote investment in economies vulnerable to marginalization, and regional and global integration should be promoted without hesitation and reservation, at the national level.

KHALID BA OMAR (Oman) said that in recent years the world had gone through major changes due to globalization which had had a major impact on the global economy. Globalization had often been seen as a tool for helping developing countries move forward. It had also been seen in connection with the movement of technology and the expansion of multinational companies. However, globalization presented serious challenges to developing countries, especially in regard to international trade.

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One way to make sure globalization efforts were successful was to have developed countries help developing countries through international aid, he said. His country had also run into difficulties in globalization efforts. Cooperation in the international economic arena, as well as in trade in investment, was imperative.

BORIS SVETOGORSKY (Uruguay) said the international community must become aware of the need to integrate cultural aspects into worldwide development efforts. Communications and computerization played a much greater role in daily lives. Those factors provided a new form of transmission of cultural values. The world was currently witnessing how various economies were moving towards a single system governed by nearly identical norms.

Culture played an important role in the development of societies, he said. People-oriented concerns should be harmonized with economic concerns. He stressed that building up know-how was essential in the process of globalization, and that there was no substitute for advances in science and technology. Education of the young was the best vehicle for building worldwide peace.

ALBERT LUFELE MAUTCHY (Democratic Republic of the Congo) said that the international economic environment has not been favourable to development of his country since 1991. Trends included sharply reduced external financing, budgetary assistance and support for the balance of payments. Aid had been modified towards emergency relief, due to events in the eastern part of the country.

The Congolese people had decided to put their house in order, he said. The reason his country was at the current session of the General Assembly was to be heard, and to win out. He congratulated the agencies which had helped his country. It was generally believed in his country that those institutions should be used simultaneously for capacity-building and for achieving progress in development.

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