GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEGINS TWO-DAY SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF 1994 BARBADOS ACTION PROGRAMME

Press Release
GA/9610
ENV/DEV/519

GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEGINS TWO-DAY SPECIAL SESSION TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF 1994 BARBADOS ACTION PROGRAMME

Small Island States "Front-Line Zones" for Problems Of Environment and Development, Secretary-General Tells Session

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, this morning urged the international community to reaffirm its commitment to the world's small island developing nations, stressing that those States were front-line zones where many of the main problems of environment and development were unfolding in concentrated form. The Secretary-General was addressing the General Assembly on the first day of its two-day special session on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action adopted at the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States held in Barbados in 1994.

Since adoption of the Barbados Programme of Action, small islands were making genuine progress, he said. Many had formulated national plans of action, created appropriate institutions, enacted legislative reforms, and revised their regulatory frameworks. While the international community had supported those moves, island nations needed the international community to do more -- in terms of investment, official development assistance, and low-cost technologies.

Following his election, by acclamation, as President of the special session, Theo-Ben Gurirab (Namibia), said a common hurdle faced by most small island States was insufficiency of funds. External support had not been forthcoming on the scale promised and small island States with highly open economies were being adversely affected by the vagaries of the international economy and trade. The most pressing economic issues that should be addressed by this session were those that impinged on the economic fragility and vulnerability of island States.

Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), said small island developing States had been recognized as a "special case" for environment and development. While the very essence of that special case had not changed, its application was what was now problematic.

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9610 Twenty-second Special Session ENV/DEV/519 1st Meeting (AM) 27 September 1999

There was a need to ensure that the agenda for small islands was the agenda for all. The response would be measured by the priority given to the dangerous threats of global warming and sea level rise, and how developed countries increased their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Satu Hassi, Minister for the Environment and Development Cooperation of Finland, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said the priority given in regional sustainable development strategies to strengthening the human and institutional capacities, including poverty orientation and gender balance, provided opportunities for a better future. In the period 1996-2000, the Union was committing more than 1 billion euros of development assistance to small island developing States in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, in addition to the significant contributions of Member States. The Union was, by far, the largest development partner for small island developing States.

Leo A. Falcam, President of the Federated States of Micronesia, said that many donors seemed content to lump small island States into one generic category. Developmental assistance must not be based solely on the static figures of gross domestic product or population, but also tailored with an eye on the various terrestrial and maritime characteristics that contribute to the uniqueness of each island nation.

Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” Developing Countries and China, said the group attached great importance to the concept, whereby the Caribbean Sea would be recognized as a special area in the context of sustainable development. The Group was, therefore, very disappointed at the adverse reaction the proposal had received.

Also this morning, the Assembly took note of a letter from the Secretary-General informing it that 22 Member States are in arrears in the payment of their financial contributions to the United Nations, within the terms of Article 19 of the Charter.

[Under Article 19 of the Charter, a member of the United Nations, which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years.]

Also, the Assembly adopted its agenda for the special session and appointed a nine-member Credentials Committee having the same membership as that of the Assembly's fifty-fourth regular session. On the basis of a decision taken by the Assembly, the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly and the Chairmen of the Main Committees shall be the same

General Assembly Plenary - 1b - Press Release GA/9610 Twenty-second Special Session ENV/DEV/519 1st Meeting (AM) 27 September 1999

as those of the fifty-fourth regular session. In addition, John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda was elected Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole.

The Assembly also took decisions regarding: the participation of observers; intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations; representatives of United Nations programmes and others in the United Nations system; the schedule of meetings; the length of statements; and Palestine participation in the work of the Assembly.

Statements were also made this morning by the President of Cyprus, the Vice-President of Palau, the Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica, and the Foreign Ministers of Myanmar, Mexico, Ukraine, Saint Lucia, India, Australia, Seychelles, Grenada and Honduras.

The Under-Secretary of State for Planification of the Dominican Republic, the Minister for Attorney-General (Justice) of Papua New Guinea, and representatives of Egypt, Brazil, Greece, Argentina, Croatia and the observer of Palestine also spoke.

The Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its review and appraisal of the Barbados Programme of Action.

Assembly work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to begin its twenty-second special session on review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action adopted at the Global Conference for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States held in Barbados in 1994. It had before it a report of the Commission on Sustainable Development acting as the preparatory body for the special session of the General Assembly and an addendum to that document.

For background on the session see GA/9604 issued 23 September.

Report of Commission on Sustainable Development

The report of the Commission (documents A/S-22/2 and Add.1) was issued after the Assembly appointed the Commission as the preparatory body for the special session on 7 April and contains a number of elements to be considered for a draft document of the Assembly on the state of progress and initiatives for the future implementation of the Programme of Action.

The proposed draft addresses sectoral areas requiring urgent action including: climate change; natural and environmental disasters and climate variability; freshwater resources; coastal and marine resources; energy and tourism. The draft also addresses means of implementation including: sustainable development strategies; capacity building; resource mobilization and finance; globalization and trade liberalization; transfer of environmentally sound technology; vulnerability index; information management -- small island developing States network; and international cooperation and partnership.

Statement by President of Assembly

THEO-BEN GURIRAB (Namibia), President of the fifty-fourth General Assembly and the twenty-second special session: Five years ago the Barbados Conference was held in recognition of the fact that small island developing nations are among the most ecologically and economically vulnerable. Their very survival is at risk. In Barbados, world leaders resolved to act in concert to assist small island States to pursue sustainable development and economic growth. To that end they adopted a Programme of Action. Since then the small island States have made remarkable efforts to tackle their special ecological and economic vulnerabilities and to put in place policies and measures to implement the Programme of Action. They have become the front-line States in our common struggle against climate change and natural disasters.

The urgent task of the special session will be to assess those efforts, review constraints to progress, examine new problems confronting small island States and agree on practical steps that need to be taken by the international community towards implementing development strategies. Let us renew and strengthen further global partnerships with small island developing States. In this way we can make a contribution towards the realization of the sustainable development objectives of these countries. In Barbados, the nations pledged to act decisively and consistently to promote sustainable development and cooperation and they have not shied away from their responsibilities and commitments. Furthermore, important changes for the better have also occurred at the regional level.

Many small island States have taken courageous initiatives to ratify and implement international legal instruments. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) has spearheaded the call for meaningful action in intergovernmental forums.

The small island States have taken these actions despite facing many obstacles. Not by their choosing, they stand in the pathway of natural disasters, as well as man-made inequities. Today many of them are facing the deterioration of the marine environment and have to contend with over-fishing, marine spills, the dumping of ship-borne wastes in their neighbourhoods, transport of nuclear and other toxic material through their territorial waters and watershed destabilization.

A common hurdle faced by most small island States is the insufficiency of funds for the challenges at hand. External support has not been forthcoming on the scale promised. Small island States have highly open economies and are adversely affected by the vagaries of international economy and trade. The most pressing economic issues that should be addressed by this session relate to those that impinge, due to external shocks, on the economic fragility and vulnerability of these States.

The efforts of small island States to conserve their natural and cultural heritage upon which their future depends, deserves the support of the international community. The United Nations must be their trusted ally in this crusade. As custodians of large areas of ocean and marine biodiversity, and as the front-line States in our common struggles against climate change and other oceanic aberration, small island States need generous funds and resources to carry out policies and programmes.

Statement by Secretary-General

Secretary-General KOFI ANNAN: The world's small island developing States are front-line zones where, in concentrated form, many of the main problems of environment and development are unfolding. Small island developing States are fragile and vulnerable, both ecologically and economically. First are the built-in constraints. Most small islands have only limited resources, whether land, human or financial. Many lay in the path of hurricanes and cyclones.

Second are the environmental problems: climate change; freshwater shortages; inadequate waste management; over-fishing; marine pollution; and the threat of accidents involving transports of hazardous wastes. A third set of challenges are those linked to globalization. Tourism is both a blessing and a bane, bringing jobs but putting strains on water supplies and ecosystems. Trade brings much-needed goods, but liberalization and the removal of special trade preferences will make it harder for some of the products of small islands to compete.

The Barbados Programme of Action was a response to those challenges. It was predicated on an understanding: small islands would do as much as they could to manage their problems. The international community, as fellow inhabitants of the world island, would provide funding, technology and other assistance in a spirit not only of solidarity, but of enlightened self-interest. How had both sides delivered on that bargain?

Small islands were making genuine progress. Many had formulated national plans of action, created appropriate institutions, enacted legislative reforms and revised their regulatory frameworks. Most were parties to the Law of the Sea Convention and to legally binding conventions on climate change and biodiversity. The AOSIS had become an important voice, a way for small islands to magnify their political clout.

While the international community has supported those moves, island nations hoped for even stronger partnerships and even more help. They need the

international community to do more -- more in terms of investment, more in terms of official development assistance, more in terms of low-cost technologies. What was done with respect to small islands has implications far beyond their troubled shores. The international community to reaffirm its commitment to the world's small island developing nations

The Assembly then adopted draft decision II entitled, "Organizational arrangements for the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly". By its terms, the Assembly decided that the Vice-Presidents of the fifty-fourth regular session would be the Vice-Presidents of the twenty-second special session. Regarding the Chairmen of the Main Committees of the special session, the Chairmen of the Main Committees of the fifty-fourth regular session shall serve in the same capacity at the special session.

Next, the Assembly elected John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole by acclamation.

The Assembly also took note of arrangements regarding the participation of observers and non-governmental organizations, the schedule of meetings, the length of statements and Palestinian participation in the work of the Assembly.

Next, the Assembly adopted its provisional agenda (document A/S-22/1).

Statements

BHARRAT JAGDEO, President of Guyana speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China: The Barbados Declaration generated great hope for the people who live in small island developing States, described as, “particularly vulnerable to natural as well as environmental disasters”. The States are also pressured by the process of globalization, which widens the gap between developed and developing countries. They should be assisted in improving their competitiveness, market access, diversification of their economies and their capacity for effective participation in multilateral trade.

The small island developing States have made great achievements in the areas of climate change, campaigns against nuclear testing, sustainable tourism and the expansion of protected areas. The role of non-governmental and regional organizations must also be recognized, especially in their efforts to tap into overseas resources, transfer specialized technical assistance and build capacity. The Group of 77 developing countries and China attaches great importance to the concept whereby the Caribbean Sea is recognized as a special area in the context of sustainable development. The Group is very disappointed at the adverse reaction that the proposal has received.

While the small island developing States have always acknowledged that implementation of the Barbados Plan of Action is their prime responsibility, their commitment has not, largely, been met with the same level of commitment in resources from industrialized countries. Unless specific cross-sectoral issues, including finance, trade and transfer of technology, are resolved, the proposals for action cannot be translated into reality. We hope that the positive indications made at the donors conference in March will provide “effective means, including adequate, predictable, new and additional financial resources”.

TUILA'EPA SAILELE MALIELEGAOI, Prime Minister of Samoa, as well as the Minister for both Foreign Affairs and Finance, speaking on behalf of the 43 member countries of AOSIS: My delegation supports the statement made by the Chairman of the Group of 77 developing countries and China. In the five years since an

ambitious programme of action for the sustainable development of small island developing States was agreed, negotiations have not been easy. These States are ecologically fragile and economically vulnerable. On this basis, they are recognized as a "special case" for environment and development, as defined by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The very essence of this special case has not changed; it is its application that is now problematic.

In a rapidly globalizing world, island States now find themselves in largely unchartered waters. Solutions will not come overnight. Meanwhile, the international community should be supportive of the consequences of the resulting changes of globalization on the economies and environments of these States. All island States are determined to claim ownership of the Barbados Programme of Action, as well as their primary responsibility for sustainable development. They hope to be strong and self-reliant, but they have vulnerabilities arising from their “smallness” and “islandness”. Meanwhile, the development and island problems confronting them are truly global in nature and require a global response. Thus, we seek the application of the "special case" status.

Many fundamental challenges remain for small island developing States. Globally, there is a need to ensure recognition that the agenda for small islands is the agenda for all. The response will be measured, in part, by the priority accorded by the international community to the dangerous threats of global warming and sea level rise, and how developed countries increase their efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Other barometers will be the ways in which a coherent approach to ocean management will be prioritized and how the world community ensures that the vulnerable economies of small island States are not marginalized by globalization and trade liberalization. For its part, national action, which is supported by efficient regional and subregional institutions, must continue to address fundamental development issues.

TOMMY REMENGESAU, President of Palau: The small island States continue to be frustrated and disappointed by the lack of action on the part of donor States to comply with the principles of sustainable development embodied in the Rio Declaration on Environmental Development, the Barbados Programme of Action, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Agenda 21, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Control and the Kyoto Protocol.

There are some positive things to report on steps taken to translate the principles of the Barbados Programme into policies and actions. The United States and Japan launched the Common Agenda for cooperation in a global perspective, incorporating the conservation of reefs into Agenda 21 which had been adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. This action resulted in the establishment of the International Coral Reef Research Centre in Palau. The Centre, which is funded by Japanese grant assistance, with the United States providing technical assistance, is expected to be completed next year. The Centre will provide a forum for international reef research and education.

Much of Palau’s land is designated as conservation and preservation grounds and the traditional laws and culture of Palau remain strong in support of sustainable development. It is in the area of external forces beyond its control - - industrial forces and natural disasters -- that Palau remains most vulnerable. Developed nations of the world must move forward on their commitments for alternative energy, environmental compliance, provision of much needed capital and sensitivity to the small island States’ limitations. At the same time, the Barbados Programme of Action's requirement for internal enactment of policies and implementation using local resources is critical.

GLAFCOS CLERIDES, President of Cyprus: Most of the problems confronting small States stem from climate change, resulting from carbon dioxide emissions of developed countries. Therefore, there is a shared responsibility and there must be common efforts at finding the best solutions for the benefit of all. Cyprus has adopted an Environmental Action Plan designed to protect the environment and a Strategic Development Plan, which aims at the continuous reassessment and upgrading of social and economic policies. The environment, the protection of our cultural heritage and the overall improvement of the standard of living, are the focus of our social policy, which was adversely affected as a result of the tragic Turkish invasion of 1974.

A source of concern for small island States is their vulnerability to security threats by their larger and stronger neighbours. The example of Cyprus testifies to the inherent dangers confronting small countries in a world dominated by military strength and not by principles of international law and justice. For 25 years, nearly 40 per cent of Cyprus has been under foreign military occupation and attempts are being made to consolidate the division of the island. The human rights of both communities are violated, with the Greek Cypriots forced to live as refugees in their own country and the Turkish Cypriots emigrating to avoid the dire consequences of the importation of settlers from eastern Turkey. Repeated efforts under the auspices of the United Nations have not brought about the desired settlement of the Cyprus problem, due to Turkish intransigence.

We are now on the eve of a most important initiative by the international community. The Secretary-General is expected to invite soon the two sides to negotiate. My Government will participate with good will, courage and genuine desire to find a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem based on United Nations resolutions and international law. We urge the Turkish side to approach the negotiations as an opportunity that will lead to a common future of prosperity, dignity and human rights of all Cypriots without any discrimination. It was imperative that the solution of the Cyprus problem be in conformity with justice. An unjust solution will create a bad precedent and small States will never feel secure, nor will they trust the collective security system and the peaceful settlement mechanisms enshrined in the Charter.

LEO A. FALCAM, President of the Federated States of Micronesia: The implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action has been slow. For instance, in receipts of official development assistance (ODA), small island States have experienced significant declines over the past five years. As modernization has unfortunately taken us farther away from our traditional sustainable practices, we face a future with hope and confidence through the mandate of the Barbados Programme of Action. My Government has already embarked on this new journey. For instance, although painful and difficult, we have successfully implemented structural adjustments and reforms that include drastic government downsizing.

Full fruition of initiatives depends on the government's political will and the willingness to take difficult actions, despite great political risk, he said. It also hinges on the continued financial and technical assistance from our bilateral, regional and multilateral donors. To put it bluntly, the islands need help and will continue to need help. We must take positive and urgent action on these critical issues, or else small islands will only serve as disastrous examples of global complacency and inaction. Though slow, we are beginning to see some benefits, through such institutions as the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The term "adaptation" is no longer considered a dirty word in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The deadly consequences of deteriorating coral reefs, improper

fisheries management and inadequate freshwater have all been put on the global agenda.

Many donors seem content to lump our small island States into one generic category. Island States have varying characteristics and must be dealt with individually. Developmental assistance must not be based solely on the static figures of gross domestic product or population. It must also be tailored with an eye on the various terrestrial and maritime characteristics that contribute to the uniqueness of each island nation. Indeed, the decisions to be made are difficult. Thus, I appeal to the donors who have so generously supported the Barbados Programme of Action and plead that all nations proceed with the sense of urgency that our global reality demands today.

U WIN AUNG, Foreign Minister of Myanmar: More than a question of simple development, the sustainable development of small island States is a question of survival. In 1994, international awareness of the unique problems and vulnerabilities of these States led the world community to adopt a Programme of Action in Barbados for the sustainable development of such States.

However, effective implementation of the Programme of Action has been hampered largely by factors beyond the control of small island developing States, including inadequate financial and human resources and inadequate institutional capacity. There is imperative need for the international community to eliminate these factors by providing adequate, predictable and additional financial resources. On the other hand –- as donors suggest –- small island developing States should define the most urgent priority areas arising from pursuit of their national objectives. I believe that established bilateral mechanisms between the countries concerned and the donors are an effective channel for focused consultations on projects of immediate importance.

At the regional level, important steps have been taken to accelerate implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action. These include enhanced coordination and cooperation between the focal points of small island developing States, establishment of a permanent regional implementation mechanism, and strengthening of existing regional arrangements. There have been various reviews of progress made in implementation of the Programme, enabling the international community to identify areas requiring urgent attention and shedding light on the specific constraints and priorities of each small island developing State. However, the issue of financial resources remained crucial. It is high time for international financial institutions and bilateral and multilateral donors to deal with the issue as a priority matter. Small island States are like infants on unsure legs. It is incumbent on the international community to nurture them, encourage them and help them stand on their own.

ROSARIO GREEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico: there is an urgent need to devise an international division of labour to address natural disasters, both creatively and effectively. Such a division of labour will establish a fast and adequate system for international cooperation in all phases of a disaster. Mexico has asked the Secretary-General to assure that the United Nations take the lead in this endeavour.

Mexico, as current President of the Special Committee on Tourism of the Association of Caribbean States, has led the project to establish a zone of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean.

It is necessary to have financing mechanisms that provide additional economic resources in order to avoid hindering the full implementation of the Barbados

Programme of Action. Also needed are new strategies of collaboration and forms of association to foster genuine cooperation with the small island developing States. Mexico also considers it essential to comply with international agreements in the fields of climate change, biodiversity and desertification, since solutions to global environmental problems are directly linked with the survival of all the countries in this group. In order to facilitate cooperation between developing and more advanced countries. Mexico is committed to the Clean Development Mechanism provided by the Kyoto Protocol. The Biosafety Protocol currently under negotiation will help to reconcile the goal of protecting biological resources while taking advantage of benefits derived from biotechnologies. States.

BORYS TARASYUK, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: the risk of marginalization in the course of establishing the new economic order makes it necessary that the world community concentrate its attention on the problems of the small island developing States. We believe that the key factors which can ensure sustainability of their development are the elimination of trade barriers, provision of access for their goods to world markets and the preferential transfer of environmentally sound technologies. The urgent need to preserve the unique biodiversity of coastal and marine ecosystems makes it necessary to concentrate efforts of the world community at all levels -- global, regional, subregional and national.

Small island developing States are inherently exposed to devastating natural disasters, in particular such a phenomenon as El Niño. We believe that successful mitigation of the consequences of such disasters largely depends on the well- coordinated efforts of the entire international community to share scientific knowledge, create early warning systems and other preventive mechanisms for the protection of populations. We therefore consider the work on the vulnerability index for small island States to be extremely important. This index should be comprised of all necessary parameters to create a favourable framework for the development of these countries through enhanced cooperation with the international community.

We believe that the elaboration of an enhanced vulnerability index would also help to address social problems such as poverty and unemployment. Ukraine stands ready to develop further its cooperation with small island States in the field of meteorological and earthquake forecasting. We are also prepared to provide our advanced technology and experience in the area of coastline erosion, including the design and construction of breakwaters. Apart from this, Ukraine could render its fleet of scientific vessels for research purposes aimed at preservation of coastal systems, primarily coastal ecosystems and primarily coral reefs.

GEORGE W. ODLUM, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Saint Lucia: While we applaud the concern which led Member States to convene this review session, the failure of developed countries to enter into the spirit of international cooperation has withered the dream. The summary of the review is that the situation of small island developing States has changed, but for the worse. Natural disasters have intensified over the years. The rise in the mean surface temperature of the earth could force the Caribbean alone to spend $1.1 billion on new construction to protect against sea level rise.

The vulnerabilities of small island developing States are also economic and external in nature. They include changes in international commodity prices and international demand for goods and services. The recent World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against preferential treatment for our bananas on the European Union market has resulted in a 50 per cent decline in our exports between 1992 and 1997.

The sustainable development of small island developing States is threatened by the greed of transnational corporations, which in the globalized economy replace governments in setting trade rules and standards.

Developed countries continue to use the Caribbean Sea for transboundary movement of hazardous and radioactive waste. Saint Lucia calls for support for the resolution on the Caribbean Sea as a special area. Small island developing States are perched precariously on the continental shelf of our vulnerability. For us, development means survival, because we are bereft of the safety nets which our developed partners take for granted. We need a new mindset, a new global philosophy which will give priority and precedence to the wretched of the earth.

JASWANT SINGH, Minister for External Affairs of India: Although the general image of India is that of a large land mass, its extremely diverse geo-profile includes more than 1,300 island territories. India's development experience, commitment to growth with equity, dedication to self-reliance and attachment to the cause of South-South cooperation has made it fully conscious of the special needs and requirements of small island developing States. India has attempted, within its constraints and limitations, to implement the Barbados Programme of Action in spirit and deed.

More than 30 small island countries are now covered under the Indian technical and economic and cooperation programme for project assistance, covering deputation of Indian experts, training of nationals of partner island States in premier Indian institutions, and short-term study visits to India for senior officers and decision-makers of the island States. Nearly 60 per cent of Indian experts deputed abroad are now working in small island nations in many fields, including agriculture, geology, legislative drafting, marine engineering, fish toxicity, teaching, medicine and nursing.

India has developed a substantial manufacturing sector for design and production of non-conventional energy supply equipment, as well as low cost, but effective, desalination plants and is glad to share this experience with other developing nations, especially the small island developing countries. India's contributions in this respect are of necessity a small part of the efforts that are required from the international community. The international community and more fortunate nations must shoulder their responsibilities and provide adequate assistance to the small island and developing nations. They should also promote the transfer of the appropriate technologies to those States, on preferential and concessionary terms.

SATU HASSI, Minister for the Environment and Development Cooperation of Finland, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta and Liechtenstein: The main issues affecting small island developing States include the continued deterioration of the marine environment, land degradation and water resources, the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, the economic problems facing the small island developing States and the negative consequences for them of the globalization of production.

The Union also wishes to point out opportunities. International recognition of the specific factors which influence small island developing States has raised their issues high on the political agenda, as this special session bears witness. The emphasis provides a major opportunity to readjust political priorities.

In the view of the Union, the priority given in regional sustainable development strategies to strengthening the human and institutional capacities, including poverty orientation and gender balance, provides opportunities for a better future. In the period 1996-2000, the Union is committing more than 1 billion euros of development assistance to small island developing States in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, in addition to the significant contributions of Member States. The European Union is by far the largest development partner for small island developing States.

SEYMOUR MULLINGS, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica: A number of initiatives should be pursued in the follow-up of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action. Work on the development of a vulnerability index for small island developing States should continue; such an index would be one of the criteria for determining special consideration for such States in the arenas of multilateral trade and finance. We look forward to completion of this project and encourage the relevant United Nations bodies to continue to study the vulnerabilities that limit capacity for sustained development. Also, greater financial support is needed from the international community for the development efforts of small island developing States.

Jamaica is actively involved in the International Coral Reef Initiative, and is implementing a National Policy on Coral Reef Protection and Regulation. The effective management and development of coastal and marine resources is another priority concern. Our coastal zone sustains industries like tourism and fisheries, and provides livelihood for large coastal communities. Protecting marine resources from land- and ship-generated pollution is integral to managing coastal and marine resources. In Barbados, the international community accepted the clear statement from small island developing States regarding the need to protect our seas from pollution, and from the risk presented by the transport of hazardous and radioactive materials through our waters. Jamaica unreservedly reiterates that position.

Capacity-building remains a central tool for the sustainable development effort. Strengthening institutional capacity and human resources development are priorities in Jamaica's development strategy. Sustainable development must be pursued with responsibility shared between government, local communities, non- governmental organizations and the private sector. Given the steady increase in the urban poor, poverty eradication is another key to sustainable development. Jamaica supports the establishment of a regime for protecting the Caribbean Sea and for the sustainable development of the region's marine resources and related industries, based on awareness of the fragility of the Caribbean's marine ecosystems, on which our economic viability depends.

ALEXANDER DOWNER, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia: Australian activities under the Programme of Action are consistent with our general approach to development assistance activities, which incorporate strategies to address environmental sustainability. Australian aid is delivered in a strategic manner, aimed squarely at meeting long-term goals which are affirmed regularly through consultation with our partners. Aid activity in support of the Programme takes place in the context of agreed country and regional programmes that have at their core the principles of sustainable development. Australia already provides substantial assistance for tackling issues identified in the Programme of Action. We provide more than $40 million each year for environmentally-focused projects in small island States. Australia also has a major stake in education projects, with more than 800 tertiary students from Pacific and Indian Ocean islands currently in Australia on aid-funded scholarships.

While most of our aid for small island States supports Pacific island countries, our programme does have a wider focus. One Australian activity of particular relevance to the Programme of Action will start shortly in the Maldives. The project will build institutional and human resource capacity in government and the community to support the establishment of a system of marine and terrestrial protected areas. It is vital to increase the participation of small islands in the decision-making processes that affect them. In 1981, at Australia's suggestion and with our funding, the Commonwealth of Nations set up an office to help small Commonwealth States participate in United Nations meetings. Similarly, we provide funds to facilitate participation by small island developing states at discussions of the Barbados Programme of Action.

We must help small island developing States, and other developing countries, take advantage of the multilateral trading system. Future trade negotiations need a balanced agenda. The concerns of low-income and small and vulnerable economies should be taken into account. Similarly, small island States lack the resilience and capacity to absorb economic and environmental external shocks from, for example, the El Niño phenomenon or from climate change. The text before us encourages widespread recognition of the economic and environmental vulnerability of small States. If agreement on a single measure of vulnerability proves elusive, the international community must find alternative methods to describe, analyze and address what are very real difficulties for small island States.

JEREMIE BONNELAME, Foreign Minister of Seychelles: The obstacles and challenges facing small island developing States have been well documented. I will therefore confine myself to stressing some specificities pertinent to Seychelles and other small island developing States. These are, first, the lack of economies of scale, making for difficulties in attracting investment; second, limited and fragile resources (in the case of Seychelles, these resources are fishing and tourism, both of them areas in which unsustainable practices could lead to destruction of livelihood); third, isolation, remoteness from world markets and dispersion (Seychelles is made up of more than a hundred islands); and fourth, limited financial and institutional capacity to be adequately represented in the diplomatic world and in international negotiations.

I accordingly urge the Committee on Trade and Development of WTO and WTO member States to consider favourably the “four steps” proposal made by the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat in respect of small, vulnerable States, in particular the focus on recognition of the need to enhance special and differential treatment for those States. Last year, Seychelles hosted the first conference of “Small African Island States” in collaboration with the African Development Bank and the UNDP. The outcome of the conference, in which Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Madagascar also took part, was the “Mahe Declaration and Plan of Action”, which affirms, among other things, that per capita income is an inadequate gauge of the level of development and resilience of small island developing States.

My country welcomes the progress so far made by the United Nations system, in particular the expert group conclusion that small island States are more vulnerable than other groups of developing countries. We believe that the United Nations should coordinate more closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, in order to achieve wider international acceptance of the foundations on which a better composite index for small island developing States should be built. We urge the international community to grant priority to this matter.

MAGDALENA LIZARDO, Under-Secretary of State for Planification, Dominican Republic: In implementing the Barbados Plan of Action, my Government's actions

have begun with educating people on and getting communities to participate in promoting the policies of the Programme. A great deal of progress has been made and that can be seen in the assessment of the various actions in legislative and institutional areas. My Government has also entered into a commitment to preserve the environment. A bill on that issue is being prepared. It aims at protecting the environment and natural resources and will soon be submitted to the congress. This bill will set forth the machinery and tools for environmental management according to the principles of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

We realize that our efforts in the area of the environment have been diminished through fragmentary approaches. As a result, a national institute on the environment has been established along with the appointment of a Secretary of State. All initiatives are also responses based on priorities set by national dialogue. A lot of action is being taken with the assistance of multilateral agencies. A programme to address industries that emit substances harmful to the ozone layer has been implemented. There are also 41 reforesting stations and 20 million plants have so far been planted. Communities are also being educated about the need to preserve natural resources. However, there is also recognition that activities need to be coordinated to go beyond natural borders. Discussions have therefore been stepped up at the regional level.

Hurricane George has impacted the gross national product, as have the effects of El Niño. Coastal areas are being affected by rising sea levels, as well. We find it important to use international cooperation to study the evolution of these phenomena. The Dominican Republic is also one of the countries that is experiencing the adverse effects of climate change and calls on the international community to address the negative effects that this issue has on island States.

MARK ISAAC, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Grenada: Fourteen problem areas have been identified in the Barbados Programme of Action that warrant attention over the next five years. Leaders, both in developed and developing countries, consider it a need to prioritize these problems into six areas of urgency. My country has its own priority with respect to these areas, and is attempting to incorporate them into its national policy.

Tourism, the greatest source of foreign exchange contributing to development of small island developing States must be in harmony with the fragile environment. Freshwater must also be prudently managed. Natural disasters, the “Achilles heel” of small island developing States, must be adequately prepared for. Grenada also takes very seriously the protection of its coastal ecosystems and coral reefs from pollution and over-fishing. The establishment of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone has limited the effectiveness of management measures, resulting in over exploitation and pollution of natural resources. Climate change and sea level rise pose dangers to small island developing States and such island nations require help from the larger industrial nations to adapt to a phenomenon to which they contributed little by way of the emission of green house gases.

The other area of concern to my country is the need for assistance in the transfer of environmentally-friendly technologies helpful to the development of solar and renewable energy. Globalization and trade liberalization have brought conspicuous consumption to many developed countries, but to certain small island developing States in the Caribbean, especially to those that export bananas, the experience is misery -- which is why we fail to understand the recent ruling at the WTO against the European Union in favour of large transnational corporation banana growers. The sustainability of small island developing States will be enhanced by

clarity in the application of trade liberalization, not by the interplay of clarity and obscurity.

KILROY GENIA, Minister for Attorney-General (Justice) of Papua New Guinea: The struggle for treatment as opposed to mere recognition as a special group of countries at the international level remains unfulfilled. To a certain degree our development partners require certain conditionalities to increased ODA or concessional funding for projects. The conditionalities, at times, are dependent on meeting the required paperwork for drawdowns to be effected. If such is the handicap, then it can only be evidence that we are indeed limited in appropriate manpower needs and skills necessary to prepare documentation to meet the required criteria. I can only request that our international partners make provision for technical assistance in this area, so as to alleviate this handicap.

Like other small island developing States, Papua New Guinea experiences similar problems of the environment, increasing pressures in urban areas, low internal market capacity and high transport and export costs. These constraints are compounded by heavy reliance on imports, increased competition, illicit and illegal drug trafficking and the erosion of preferential access to markets. Education and capacity-building are powerful tools and we call on the United Nations to increase its assistance with education requirements and a better use of local authorities. We are proud that our policies for maintaining economic growth through resource management are geared towards popular participation in environmental protection, habitat and sustainability.

My Government has taken measures to strengthen pollution control in environmental management and monitoring, including stringent conditions on the issuance of licensing and permits for resource use and development and are currently reviewing the effects of mining activities. Our firm commitment has been manifested in such initiatives as our regional stand against the transportation, storage and dumping of nuclear and other toxic and hazardous wastes. We urge closer cooperation to resolve the ongoing problems related to solid and liquid wastes generated from ships. It is disconcerting that the long- and short-term costs from the resulting pollution, including oil spills in ports and bilging at high seas, have to be borne by small island developing States.

ROBERTO FLORES BERMUDEZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Honduras: About 40 islands compose the small island developing States. They have made tremendous efforts to meet their Barbados commitments. They have established and implemented national action plans and set up national councils for sustainable development. Resource donors have also made efforts to meet their share of commitments. Yet, there is still much to be done. Small island developing States face difficult challenges. Meanwhile, the needed financial resources continue to diminish. The small island States are subject to external conditions, including international financial crises and trade regulations. They are also subject to natural disasters, which have increased over recent years.

Declining ODA is of concern to all of us, developed and developing countries. The main challenges facing small island developing States must be a priority to the entire international community in the twenty-first century. Climate change not only affects small islands but also the entire world.

In addition to climate change, natural disasters, potable water, tourism, the resources of the sea and coast and biodiversity are among the problems facing small island States. To ensure that the objectives are met, we need monitoring machinery, that requires effort and a large amount of resources. As the Secretary- General said, there is a new role that regionalism can play.

AHMED ABOUL GHEIT (Egypt): Small island developing States represent the weakest developing economies and suffer from persistent marginalization in a new economic order that is governed by the tense relationship between globalization and development. The blind liberalization of the economies of developing countries threatens their growth, especially when imbalances in the current international trading system persist. While being at the threshold of the next trade negotiation round next November, we call on the developed countries to implement measures pertaining to preferential treatment for small island developing States.

This special session has the responsibility of reminding the international community about the organic relationship between trade and international development. The persistent erosion of trade preferences and the application of restrictive measures against the products of developing countries makes the application of sustainable patterns of production and consumption a kind of luxury. In this context, the question of small island developing States is one of survival. The General Assembly can, today, exercise the right once again to design international economic policy.

The special session should prove that the question of sustainable development could not be defined by one limited framework. There is need for a change in the international environment, so that developed countries can rectify the imbalances of this century that today affect many developing countries.

GELSON FONSECA JR. Brazil: Small island developing States have made considerable progress in the five years since the Barbados Programme of Action was adopted. Joint endeavours in the Pacific, in the Caribbean and in the Indian Ocean regions have shown that these countries can and will achieve sustainable development, sustainable tourism, fisheries policies, waste legislation and adaptation to climate change, with the assistance of the international community. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go.

Further effective financial backing from the international community is needed. Access to appropriate technological innovation and the foundations for science and technology research should be broadened. Capacity-building should receive much stronger support from overseas. The Brazilian Cooperation Agency, in the spirit of the Barbados Programme and of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, has developed programmes geared to the needs of small island States, including technical assistance in restructuring the Ministry of External Relations in Haiti, administrative reform in Cuba, urban development in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, teacher training in Sao Tome and Principe and water management assistance in Cape Verde.

Small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, and Brazil welcomes specific initiatives to assist in adapting and responding to those changes. Brazil also urges all countries to have the case of small island States in mind during the Fifth Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Bonn.

ELIAS GOUNARIS (Greece): The global cause and principles of sustainable development enunciated in the Barbados Declaration, Programme of Action and Agenda 21 of UNCED are relevant and valid not just for small island developing States, but for the international community as a whole. This special session will allow small island developing States to voice their most pressing concerns, especially in view of the altered and changing circumstances since the adoption of the Programme of Action. It will also allow the international community to take stock of the progress achieved so far and renew its firm commitment for more decisive action.

As a sea-going nation of some 3,000 islands, Greece fully acknowledges the ecological fragility and vulnerability of most small island developing States, not only to climate change, extreme weather phenomena, sea level rise and natural disasters, but also as a result of serious economic and other constraints that hamper their admirable efforts. It is imperative that the international community redouble its efforts to accommodate the specific difficulties of small island developing States, in close partnership with individual governments, the private sector, as well as the AOSIS, whose recent communiqué deserves particular attention.

The downward trend in development finance and ODA is disquieting and must be reversed to augment positive domestic and regional efforts by the small island developing States. It is also essential that small island developing States be properly assisted not only to combat and eradicate poverty, but also to build capacity and fully reap the benefits of expanding globalization and trade liberalization, while forestalling the risks of marginalization. In the context of international cooperation, Greece will be willing to share with other small island developing States its increased experience and expertise in the areas of particular relevance to them, such as promoting sustainable tourism, managing coastal resources, and dealing with the catastrophic effects of earthquakes and other national disasters.

JUAN CARLOS VIGNAUD (Argentina): We have a set of proposals, but we do not know when or how they are to be implemented. First, we must reach agreement on a chronology by which to implement the strategies to achieve the objectives of the Barbados Programme of Action. This could take some time. I do not think that the sense of urgency felt by small island developing States means that solutions can be found immediately. One of the first measures to be adopted should be an analysis of priorities. We need a short list of priorities, so we can focus on those activities that will have the quickest impact. We should also focus on the geographic areas that are most vulnerable.

As to the question of how, it would be good if we, after making the list, try to convene a donor conference to which countries and regional and non-governmental organizations would be invited, making it possible to raise enough money to implement projects. I would like to conclude by welcoming the draft resolution declaring the Caribbean Sea as a special zone in the context of sustainable development, which was important in acknowledging the special characteristics of the Caribbean.

IVAN SIMONOVIC (Croatia): As both a central European and Mediterranean country, Croatia has followed the implementation and development of the Barbados Programme with particular interest. Croatia has a lengthy coastline and over 1,100 islands and it is ready to share its experiences and policy responses developed through the implementation of its national island sustainable development programmme with other small island developing States.

The world’s small island developing States are on the front line of the global struggle to protect the environment and pursue sustainable development. To that end, it is important to note that the actions of States, most particularly the developed ones, have an impact on all others. The greenhouse effect is only one example of the way in which the interdependent nature of the world has resulted in the ordinary activities of some having a profoundly negative effect on others. The effects of natural and environmental disasters are also more keenly felt by small island States. It is the obligation of the United Nations to work on solutions for man-made problems and the management of those that result from nature.

There must be an internal response from the small island States themselves, as well as an appropriate response by the international community in solving the problem of sustained development. Direct investment cannot be an adequate replacement for ODA. It has different motivations and objectives. An appropriate balance of both is required. So far, however, the international donor community's obligations under the Barbados Programme of Action have only been partially fulfilled. International cooperation and a sense of partnership between donors and the small island States is critical. It is also important for international support in the area of trade to offset the attenuating circumstances of globalization.

FAROUK KADDOUMI, Observer of Palestine: The small island developing States face supplementary challenges outside those currently faced by developing nations, because of their climates and geographic positions. We are behind the claims and legitimate aspirations of small island States to achieve and ensure a reasonable degree of material security, with the help of international community. We hope the session will give fresh and substantial impetus to the process of confronting the problems faced by island States. We would also like to pay tribute to the very substantive efforts by these States and welcome the attempts by the AOSIS to achieve their aspirations.

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