EFFORTS TO REMOVE ROADBLOCKS TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT GAIN SUPPORT IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE

Press Release
PI/1186
SOC/4517

EFFORTS TO REMOVE ROADBLOCKS TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT GAIN SUPPORT IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE

Pivotal Role Emphasized for Special Session on Social Summit Follow-up

NEW YORK, 11 October -- Next June’s five-year follow-up conference to the Social Summit could provide a significant opportunity to clear the roadblocks that have prevented progress in improving the social conditions for people everywhere. This view was expressed by representatives of many countries during the three-day General Assembly debate on progress made since the Summit that ended last Friday at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

While countries expressed disappointment that more was not achieved since the Summit, which was held in Copenhagen in March 1995, there was broad agreement that new ideas and initiatives were needed at next year’s special session of the General Assembly to overcome obstacles that have prevented full implementation of the Copenhagen agreements. In Copenhagen, 186 countries -- including 117 that were represented by a head of State or government -- agreed on ten commitments and a programme of action to improve social development in their countries, focusing on eradicating poverty, working toward full employment, and improving social integration.

Too Many Constraints

The Social Summit agreements remain as valid today as they did when they were negotiated, according to countries participating in the General Assembly debate. Most countries, both developing and developed, reported that substantial efforts were underway to implement the Copenhagen accord. Many countries -- especially developing countries -- said that their efforts to improve social conditions were severely constrained by the forces of globalization, financial crises, and a chronic lack of resources and assistance from the developed countries.

Guyana Ambassador S. R. Insanally, speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China which represents 133 developing countries, said that the Geneva special session will provide countries the opportunity to propose new measures for the implementation of the Social Summit agreements. It will provide an occasion for governments and the international community to “recommit themselves to the enhancement of social development for the peoples of the world”, he said. Economic growth was vital in order to promote social development, he added, observing that “our experience since 1995 has taught us

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that the achievement of social development goals set in Copenhagen will depend in large measure on sustained domestic economic growth and an enabling international environment. Developing countries need to be assured of a more level playing field for the marketing of their products, and of more favourable and fairer terms of trade”.

Speaking for the European Union, Finland’s Ambassador Anna-Maija Korpi said the Summit “has clearly had an impact” on governments’ policies and on the development policies of the United Nations and the World Bank. Noting that preliminary assessments showed that “much remains to be done”, she said the European Union supported efforts of their members to increase the levels of official development assistance, and added that “the European Union shares the view that the social dimension should be integrated in all aspects of the multilateral system, including trade”.

High-Level Representation Urged in Geneva

To maintain a high-level of interest and visibility for the social development agenda, a number of countries, including the host country Switzerland, have called for “representation at the highest levels”, at the General Assembly special session to be held in Geneva from 26 to 30 June.

The General Assembly, today, also approved a resolution that would enable broad non-governmental organization (NGO) participation in the conference process. According to the unanimously-approved resolution, virtually all NGOs that participated in the Social Summit at Copenhagen in 1995 will be accredited, and new applications will be considered.

John Langmore, Director for the Social Policy and Development Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the General Assembly debate showed that there was “intense interest” on the part of the Member States to use the Geneva special session to push forward the Social Summit agenda. “I think countries, more and more, see the special session as a real opportunity to find solutions to the problems that matter most to their people, like health, education, and jobs. Countries have expressed the hope that at the special session, we can develop, agree upon, and implement new ideas and initiatives that will allow governments to provide the services and the environment that people need.”

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