ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL CONCLUDES GENERAL DISCUSSION OF UN OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Press Release
ECOSOC/5912

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL CONCLUDES GENERAL DISCUSSION OF UN OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Specialized Agencies Actively Participating in Council’s Work, Says Executive Director for Council Policy Coordination

It was precisely because economic issues and governance at the international level had not been addressed as a part of development strategy that inequities were rampant, the representative of Saint Lucia told the Economic and Social Council this afternoon.

As the Council concluded its general discussion on operational activities for international development cooperation, she said the Organization and the development process continued to be held hostage by the few that dictated the strategy. The decline in core resources also imposed a disproportionate share of development costs on small States. Furthermore, the little that was given was attached to so many conditionalities that it became meaningless in the context of development needs.

Ecuador's representative said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had to become the engine of change for promoting development and mitigating the effects of the natural disasters that devastated many portions of the world. Multilateralism should be given an opportunity to effect some development cooperation activities. Decentralization had produced good results. The multilateral cooperative mechanisms should be strengthened for a leveling of the uneven economic field.

Sarbuland Khan, Executive Director for Policy Coordination and Economic and Social Council Affairs, said that during the current segment, an impressive array of issues had been covered, such as the dialogues with country teams from Ghana and Madagascar and the discussion on the progress and implementation of the triennial policy resolution. The debate on the cross-cutting issues of funding and harmonization had also identified the kind of problems that needed to be addressed by the Council.

The discussion in the informal dialogue this morning had shown that the specialized agencies were actively participating in the work of the Council, he noted. The ground had been covered in the best possible manner. The deliberations of the Council provided guidance to the work of the Secretariat and would help it prepare for the next triennial policy review.

Economic and Social Council - 1a - Press Release ECOSOC/5912 29th Meeting (PM) 18 July 2000

The representatives of Belarus, Iran, Viet Nam, Angola and Indonesia also made statements this afternoon.

The Council will meet again tomorrow at 10 a.m. to begin consideration of its humanitarian affairs segment. A panel discussion with humanitarian coordinators on internally displaced persons is scheduled to take place during that session.

Council Work Programme

The Economic and Social Council met this afternoon to continue its deliberations on operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation.

Before the Council were the Annual report of the Executive Director for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to the Economic and Social Council (document E/2000/7); annual reports of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to the Economic and Social Council (document E/2000/9; report on the first, second and third regular sessions and annual session of 1999 of the Executive Board of the World Food Programme (WFP) (document E/2000/36). The Council also had before it, transmitted in a note by the Secretary-General, the annual report of the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, 1999 (document E/2000/54). (For more background details on the reports see press release ECOSOC/5911, dated 18 June.)

Statements

ALYAKSEI MAZHUKHOU (Belarus) said it was important to guarantee the reliability of operational activities by basing them on the principles of universality, neutrality and multifaceted scope. Attention should be focused on the quality of the service being provided and on its capacity for implementation. Mechanisms for monitoring responsibility and accountability should be increased at the same time that those in the field were given flexibility to respond. Reliable funding was critical and the multiyear funding frameworks would help reinforce it. Partnership and dialogue mechanisms should be strengthened. The relationship between funds and programmes on the one side and the Bretton Woods institutions on the other side should be further explored, both for better coordination and funding.

National programmes should be based on one or two long-term aims and a small number of medium-term goals, he said. Priorities set out on that basis would yield good results. Decentralization and delegation of authority to the field impacted well for those in the role of Resident Coordinators, who were a major avenue towards achieving better coordination among programmes. The relationship between Resident Coordinators and governments should be improved. High-level participation in meetings should be promoted.

Mentioning a number of programmes in which Belarus was involved with agencies on a co-finance basis, he cited the UNDP among those with whom such an arrangement was most successful. He said Belarus was looking for ways in which programmes and funds could play a greater role in mitigating the continuing effects of the Chernobyl disaster.

MOHAMMAD ALI ZARIE ZARE (Iran), associating himself with Nigeria’s statement on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that lack of funds and the continuing decline of financial contributions to the core resources posed a serious threat to the operational capacity of the United Nations system. The decline of Official Development Assistance (ODA) -- ironically at a time of unprecedented economic growth in major developed economies -- had been one of the principal factors contributing to the decline of core resources.

Shifting ODA resources from operational activities for development to other activities and initiatives, such as emergencies and debt initiatives, was another major constraint on funds and programmes. Despite such notable attempts as the Multi-Year Funding Framework (MYFF), aimed at increasing core resources, those resources were still declining. Strengthening and enhancing the political will of the donor community appeared to be the only measure for ensuring allocation of sufficient contributions, he said.

The simplification and harmonization modalities should focus on government's fundamental responsibility for the management and implementation of development programmes and projects. Those modalities and procedures should respond to the objectives, policies, conditions, procedures and practices prevailing in programme countries. Moreover, establishment of modalities and change in procedures should be pursued in full cooperation and consultation with the Government of the recipient countries, and flexibility was an essential element of that process.

RAMONA SONIA LEONCE-CARRYL (Saint Lucia) said that it was precisely because economic issues and governance at the international level had not been addressed as a part of development strategy that inequities were rampant. As a result, the Organization and the development process continued to be held hostage by the few that dictated the strategy. The decline in core resources had also imposed a disproportionate share of development costs on small States. That decline was taking place at a time when donor countries were more capable than ever of giving -- and while the needs of developing countries were increasing. In addition, the little that was given was attached to so many conditionalities that it became meaningless in the context of development needs.

She said the record showed that corrupt countries received just as much or even more aid than other countries, and that stable democracies with acceptable institutional infrastructure were bypassed for foreign direct investment (FDI) and barred from concessional financing. Those democracies were instead punished for their progress and for upholding principles. Non-core resources were still allocated according to political, strategic and economic interests, she noted. Saint Lucia wanted to see those resources governed by the same rules and priorities as core resources and spent in a transparent way. The decline in core resources was undermining international development cooperation and marginalizing the United Nations, she warned.

Saint Lucia wanted that matter addressed in the next policy review in a comprehensive manner, she continued. Also, the continuing simplification and harmonization of procedures, while necessary and helpful, must also be conducted in close and full consultation with Governments. Her country could not feed good governance and reform to its increasing number of poor people. Their hunger pains must be addressed before ideals and principles could be credibly preached to them. Similarly, if those that were capable of financing development denied the Organization the resources to assist developing countries in meeting their needs, then they had no credibility or authority in pontificating on principles of good governance, corruption or even human rights.

NGUYEN XUAN ANG (Viet Nam) said his country shared the concern over dwindling core resources. If the situation were not reversed, all the ongoing result-oriented reforms would fail to bring about the desired outcomes. Moreover, the process of simplification and harmonization should not lead to extra burdens for programme countries and field offices of funds, programmes and agencies. That process should be guided by the fundamental principles generating the Organization’s operational activities -- their universal, voluntary and grant nature, their neutrality and their ability to respond to the voluntary needs of developing countries.

He said that collaboration between his country and the Organization dated back to 1977. On the whole the programmes had been effective and had been put to good use. The overarching goals were to facilitate sustainable and equitable development and reduce poverty from 10 per cent in 2000 to complete eradication by 2010. Viet Nam, however, still had to deal with numerous complex difficulties in the course of reforms to eradicate poverty and move towards modernization and industrialization.

MARGARIDA ROSA DA SILVA IZATA (Angola), associating herself with Nigeria’s statement on behalf of the “Group of 77” and China, said that during the last years her country had enjoyed extraordinary support by the United Nations system agencies, particularly by UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF. The three main areas of that support concerned good governance, eradication of poverty, and post-conflict capacity-building.

Other areas to which her Government had given special attention were the reintegration of former soldiers by means of job training programmes and reinforced capacities for the coordination of humanitarian, community rehabilitation and business management activities. Her Government was also receiving support for the implementation of emergency and recovery plans in the fields of health, education and water supply, she said.

She recognized that because of the financial crises that plagued the Organization and its agencies, it was not possible to increase the amounts allocated for those programmes. For the United Nations to play its part, she said, agreed levels of resources for development must be forthcoming. She expressed the deep appreciation of the Angolan people to the international community, especially to the donor countries, to the United Nations and to all those who “selflessly have contributed in a significant way to the alleviation of their long suffering”.

DJAUHARI ORATMANGUN (Indonesia) said the continuing decline and stagnation of funding posed an acute threat to the continued viability of some operational activities and severely constrained others, while the demands of the programme countries continued to increase. The funds and programmes as well as Member States should make additional efforts to achieve a substantial increase in resources for operational activities for development.

Some progress had been registered with regard to the harmonization and simplification of programming, operational and administrative procedures, he said, although there was still room for improvement. Further simplification and harmonization of procedures were required for United Nations operational activities at the field level, which should be pursued in full consultation and cooperation with the programme country. Procedures should be adapted to the needs of developing countries in the context of decentralization, in order to help integrate United Nations system assistance into the national development processes of programme countries.

He reiterated that changes in operational rules and procedures should not carry additional burdens for programme countries. He hoped, however, that the process of harmonization and simplification would be carried forward expeditiously, as that would help empower the developing countries to effectively manage the formulation and implementation of operational activities and increase ownership by the respective countries.

MARIO ALEMAN (Ecuador) said effective solidarity was essential for development cooperation in the present globalizing world. The UNDP had to become the engine of change for promoting development and mitigating the effects of the natural disasters that devastated many portions of the world. Similarly, present imbalances in the international economic system could cause social unrest. The UNDP’s restructuring had proved its commitment to the range of mandates the General Assembly had given it.

He said multilateralism should be given an opportunity to effect some development cooperation activities. Decentralization had produced good results and UNDP had demonstrated its ability to respond to the needs of developing countries. Multilateral cooperative mechanisms should be strengthened for a leveling of the uneven economic field.

SARBULAND KHAN, Executive Director for Policy Coordination and Economic and Social Council Affairs, said the Council had covered an impressive array of issues, such as the dialogues with country teams from Ghana and Madagascar and the discussion on the progress and implementation of the triennial policy resolution. The debate on the cross-cutting issues on funding and harmonization had identified the kind of problems that needed to be addressed by the Council. The discussion in the informal dialogue this morning had shown that the specialized agencies were actively participating in the work of the Council. The ground had been covered in the best possible manner. The Council’s deliberations provided guidance to the work of the Secretariat and would help it prepare for the next triennial policy review.

The impact evaluation exercise was under-way now, he said. That exercise aimed at covering six countries and would provide the depth of analysis needed to give more flesh to the issues that had been discussed in the Council. He hoped that the exercise would be taken as seriously by the Members of the Council as it was taken by the Secretariat. He was grateful for the Council’s response to the Secretary-General's report, and looked forward to the next phase, the triennial policy review. There the Council could play a critical role. It was the 50th anniversary of the inception of technical cooperation, he noted, and the Council’s role had been clearly established in that central aspect of the United Nations development work.

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