ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON ITS ROLE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF OUTCOMES OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

ECOSOC ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON ITS ROLE IN IMPLEMENTATION

OF OUTCOMES OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

Begins Consideration of General Segment On Implementation of Monterrey Consensus and Brussels Programme of Action

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 16 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this morning adopted a resolution on the role of the Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits in which it welcomed the General Assembly resolution on the same topic and decided to take the necessary steps for the effective implementation of provisions of that resolution relevant to the work of the Council and its subsidiary machinery, and to keep this implementation under review.

In the resolution, which was adopted without a vote, ECOSOC also welcomed the request by the General Assembly for the establishment of a multi-year work programme for the coordination segment of the Economic and Social Council, based on a focused and balanced list of cross-sectoral thematic issues common to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits.

The Council also expressed its determination to finalize the list of cross-sectoral thematic issues and the multi-year work programme, with the aim of reaching a decision before the substantive session of 2004, and in this regard invited the Bureau to initiate informal consultations by January 2004.

Concluding the coordination segment of the Council’s work, Murari Raj Sharma, Vice-President of ECOSOC, said that in many ways the work of the General Assembly had facilitated the task of the Council.  For example, the Working Group had clearly indicated the Council’s central role in implementing the outcomes of major international conferences.  In this regard, the Council’s Bureau would soon launch formal consultations on cross-sectoral themes for the Council’s future work.  There had been frank and informed debates and panel discussions during this segment, which together with the report of the Secretary-General had provided a range of ideas that would help the Council in informal consultations.  The Council was now viewed by many as the place where the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and other international institutions must come together.

The Council, this morning, also started consideration of its general segment and began its general discussion of sub-items on the follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development (the Monterrey Consensus) and the review and coordination of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (the Brussels Programme of Action).

Introducing the general segment of the Council’s work, Marjatta Rasi, Vice-President of ECOSOC, said that the complexity of the Council’s programme of work for this segment was a result of two factors:  the oversight role attributed to the Council, which reviewed 70 per cent of the work of the United Nations system; and the nature of the issues under consideration, which included almost the entire panoply of the economic, social and environmental issues before the United Nations.  Among others, the policy challenges to be dealt with this year were the implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations conferences, specifically those of Monterrey and the Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries; preparations for the forthcoming World Summit on the Information Society and the work of the ICT Task Force; and the situation of countries emerging from conflict.

Making a statement on the general segment as a whole, Sarbuland Khan, Director of the Division for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, noted that though the Council had been engaged on the issue of follow-up to conferences for some years, it now looked like the initial phase of the Council’s work in this regard was coming to a close.  The Council must now engage in launching the new phase of implementation in a coordinated fashion.

Introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action, Anwarul Chowdhury, High Representative and Under-Secretary General for Least Developed Countries, Land-locked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said that the structure of the report, which was the first comprehensive report on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), was based on the seven Brussels commitments of fostering a people-cantered policy framework; good governance at national and international levels; building human and institutional capacities; building productive capacities to make globalization work for LDCs; enhancing the role of trade in development; reducing vulnerability and protecting the environment: and mobilizing financial resources.

The report, said Mr. Chowdhury, showed that despite some progress, the implementation of the Programme of Action remained a challenge for most of the LDCs.  The three major challenges faced were the development of sufficient national capacities to implement the Programme, the cost associated with the implementation process and the assumption of its full ownership.  It was crucial that development partners paid particular attention to the LDCs, who were actively and effectively pursuing economic and political reforms in support of their development efforts, so as to enable their people to seize the opportunities offered by the Brussels Programme and become not just the beneficiaries of change, but also its agents.

The Council also took note of the Implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action:  report of the Committee on World Food Security through the FAO Council to the Economic and Social Council (E/2003/87).

Addressing the Council during its general discussion were representatives of Morocco (on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China), Italy (on behalf of the European Union) and Benin (on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries).

At the beginning of the meeting, the President of the Trade and Development Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development addressed the Council under its coordination segment.

The Council will reconvene today at 3 p.m. to continue its general discussion on implementing the follow-up to the Monterrey Conference on financing for development and the review of the Brussels Programme of Action for least developed countries.

Documents

Under its general segment, the Economic and Social Council has before it a Summary by the President of the Economic and Social Council of the special high-level meeting of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization (New York, 14 April 2003) (E/2003/62), which states that the meeting had provided a unique occasion for substantive deliberations on the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development at all levels.  Given the Council’s discussion, it suggests that the high-level dialogue of the General Assembly should address the key issues of improved measurement of national and international efforts and outcome for the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, including aid flows and their impact; additional steps that could be taken after the WTO Ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, to increase the chances that the multilateral trade negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda were completed on time; national and international measures to enhance debt sustainability of low-income countries in order to reduce the frequency and amplitude of debt defaults; further exploration of mechanisms for orderly debt workouts with multi-stakeholder participation; strengthened participation of developing countries in decision-making processes on economic policies, particularly in the international financial institutions; and increased coherence on a priority basis in the areas identified at the meeting.

There are also two addendums to this report.  The first, which provides a “Summary of the hearings and dialogue of the Economic and Social Council with members of civil society (New York, 20 March 2003)” (E/2003/62/Add.1), describes the panel discussions related to issues of external debt, international trade, reform of global governance, the Millennium Development Goals and official development assistance (ODA) and policy coherence held at this meeting.  The second, a “Summary of the hearings and dialogue of the Economic and Social Council with business interlocutors (New York, 21 March 2003)” (E/2003/62/Add.2), describes the morning panels held on identifying and eliminating business environment impediments to private investment, enhancing information, analysis and communication of country opportunities, risks and investment transaction services, improving developing country access to long-term finance for infrastructure development and domestic companies and establishing frameworks for collaboration and coordination between the public and private sectors in the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus.  During the afternoon session, business interlocutors provided progress reports on specific initiatives and projects set forth by them at the Monterrey Conference, as well as new ventures.

Also before the Council is a Report of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (E/2003/81), which details the policies adopted by least developed countries, as well as progress made and challenges remaining in implementing the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries.  It records and examines the decisions and programmes undertaken by the international development partners, including the United Nations system, the Bretton Woods institutions, other multilateral organizations, the donor community, civil society and the private sector in mainstreaming the Programme of Action, while the conclusions drawn and the recommendations put forward were intended to ensure the putting in place of monitoring mechanisms and follow-up procedures that would result in its coherent and coordinated implementation.  These actions were expected to assist least developed countries to overcome challenges to the implementation of strategies for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Action on Resolution

The Council adopted, without a vote, a resolution on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits (document E/2003/L.27) though which it welcomes the General Assembly resolution on the same topic (document 57/270 B) and decides to take the necessary steps for the effective implementation of the provisions of that resolution that are relevant to the work of the Council and its subsidiary machinery and to keep this implementation under review; and welcomes the request by the General Assembly for the establishment of a multi-year work programme for the coordination segment of the Economic and Social Council, based on a focused and balanced list of cross-sectoral thematic issues common to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits.

By the terms of the text, the Council expresses its determination to finalize the list of cross-sectoral thematic issues and the multi-year work programme, with the aim of reaching a decision before the substantive session of 2004, and in this regard invites the Bureau to initiate informal consultations by January 2004.

Before taking action, the representative of Morocco (speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China) said that the Council was already starting to implement the provisions made in the General Assembly resolution on follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits.  In this connection, he welcomed the statement by the President of the Trade and Development Board from whom the Council had high expectations in terms of monitoring.  Concerning the draft, he said that his group had accepted the draft during consultations, which had been very constructive.

The representative of France asked about the availability of the draft resolution in French.

After the adoption of the resolution, the representative of the United States said it was meant to give a head start on the work on implementation.  The United States looked forward to the multi-year programme of work, but would have preferred a much more substantial debate during the segment, focusing on content rather then process.  A relevant programme of work was essential but insufficient.  ECOSOC needed to strengthen its role in order to achieve the implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits.

Statement Under ECOSOC's Coordination Segment

DIMITER TZANTCHEV, President of the Trade and Development Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, presented the progress made in the implementation of the outcomes of the major United Nations Conferences and Summits under the relevant agenda items of the Trade and Development Board.  As the focal point within the United Nations for the integrated treatment of trade and development and the interrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development, UNCTAD had been integrating into its work programme the relevant outcomes emerging from the WTO Doha Ministerial Conference and the Monterrey Consensus.  Within the United Nations secretariat, UNCTAD also acted as the coordinator of the Working Group on Trade of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs, which brought together the work of UNCTAD and the United Nations regional commissions on trade issues.

In the new context of international consensus on the role of trade as an engine of growth, development and poverty eradication, the Trade and Development Board had been conducting its annual review of developments in the international trading system and their implications for trade and development, as well as progress in the implementation of the outcomes of the major conferences and summits.  The Board’s deliberations on the Doha work programme were useful in highlighting the concerns and expectations of member countries and in enhancing the awareness of the development dimensions of trade negotiations.  It was hoped that they would also assist in elaborating further the trade and development interface, thereby contributing towards the ongoing multilateral trade negotiations, which had placed development as their central theme.

The Board had reviewed and approved technical assistance and capacity-building work in the area of multilateral trade agreements and negotiations, including accession to the World Trade Organization.  The need-based, demand-driven support programme would provide much needed practical assistance to countries in articulating their development interests in crucial areas of negotiations such as agriculture, services, and competition policy and investment.  Such assistance had also been important with respect to discussions in the new working groups established under the Doha Work programme to address trade and technology transfer, trade, debt and finance, trade and investment, and trade and competition.  In conclusion, he highlighted two meetings held during 2002 which had helped to advance understanding of some of the major investment-related issues.  The first had addressed issues related to bilateral and regional approaches to multilateral cooperation in the area of long-term cross-border investment, and the second had dealt with the development dimension of Foreign Direct Investment, taking into account the trade-investment interface, in the national and international context.

Statements Under ECOSOC's General Segment

MARJATTA RASI, Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, said that the complexity of the Council’s programme of work for this segment was a result of two factors:  the oversight role attributed to the Council, which reviewed 70 per cent of the work of the United Nations system; and the nature of the issues under consideration, which included almost the entire panoply of the economic, social and environmental issues before the United Nations.  Among the policy challenges to be dealt with this year were the implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations conferences, specifically those of Monterrey and the Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries; addressing major topical questions and ways in which United Nations organizations could best work together on them, including preparation for the forthcoming World Summit on the Information Society and the work of the ICT Task Force; and the situation of countries emerging from conflict, particularly a request by Burundi to establish a working group to study and assess the economic and humanitarian situation in that country.

The Council also had some “housekeeping” to do, she said.  It should give clear guidance to the Secretariat for the preparation of the consolidated report on the work of the Functional Commissions next year and agree on the cross-sectoral themes for next year’s work.  A number of changes had been suggested to make the work programme of the Council more efficient, such as grouping closely-related items, starting informal consultations in New York and reaching agreement and referendum on some recommendations contained in the reports of the commissions.  Several events had also been planned to facilitate the informal exchange of ideas, including side events on the review and coordination of the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action on Least Developed Countries, a half-day dialogue session with the chairpersons of the functional commissions, a panel on gender mainstreaming in the United Nations system, and a dialogue session with the executive secretaries of the regional commissions on regional cooperation.

SARBULAND KHAN, Director of the Division for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, reviewing the work programme of the Council, said that the Council had been engaged on the issue of follow-up to conferences for some years.  However, it now looked like the initial phase of the Council’s work in this regard was coming to a close and the Council must now be engaged in launching the new phase of implementation in a coordinated fashion.  Therefore, the Council should recognize and review the several mechanisms available to it in this regard.  It needed to review such questions as:  how did it want to deal with the gamut of issues so as to provide a clearer and more coherent view of what needed to be done in terms of follow-up to and linking of the work of the Council’s spring meeting and of the General Assembly.  The Council had been attributed a major role in ensuring the coordinated implementation of conference outcomes and, thus, must assess how it wanted to deal with the consolidated report on the Functional Commissions, especially in terms of the content of information that would be requested therein.

ANWARUL K. CHOWDHURY, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Development Countries and Small Island Developing States, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the Programme of Action of the Least Developed Countries.  He said it was the first comprehensive report on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).  It was based on inputs received by his Office from the least developed countries and their development partners.  The structure of the report was based on the seven Brussels commitments:  fostering a people-centred policy framework; good governance at national and international levels; building human and institutional capacities; building productive capacities to make globalization work for LDCs; enhancing the role of trade in development; reducing vulnerability and protecting the environment:  and mobilizing financial resources.

It was important to bear in mind that poverty eradication, gender equality, employment, governance, capacity-building, sustainable development, special problems of landlocked and small island developing countries, and challenges faced by LDCs affected by conflict had been recognized in the Brussels Programme as cross-cutting priorities.  The report indicated that despite certain progress, the implementation of the Programme of Action remained a challenge for most of the LDCs.  The three major challenges faced were development of sufficient national capacities to implement the Programme, the cost associated with the implementation process, and thus assuming its full ownership.  Successful implementation would ultimately depend on the spirit of shared responsibility and global partnership forged at Brussels.  The conclusions drawn and the recommendations put forward were designed to ensure that effective monitoring mechanisms and follow-up procedures were put in place for a coherent and coordinated implementation of the Programme of Action during the ongoing decade.

According to recent United Nations estimates, the population in the LDCs had risen to an estimated 718 million, about 11 per cent of the world’s population.  If the present trend continued, the number of people living on less than one dollar a day in the LDCs would reach 420 million by 2015.  Of the 41 LDCs for which data were available, 15 recorded a fall in per capita GNP in 2002.  Only seven LDCs, five less than in 2001, achieved growth in their per capita GDP exceeding 3 per cent more in 2002.  Given the challenge, the development in LDCs had been slow and required efforts both from within these countries, as well as from the entire international community.  The report showed that there was a reason for deep concern in several areas, including due to health issues and HIV/AIDS; low financial flows and low levels of Foreign Direct Investment; and high levels of external debt.

Concluding, he said the human spirit of the people living in LDCs was that of irrepressible resilience.  They had to cope with so many adversities and obstacles and had managed to stay afloat even in the face of increased marginalization.  The development process of LDCs was not only about increasing GDP but also about building capacity, both human and institutional, involving them in decision-making, and opening up opportunities for the people to improve the conditions of their lives.  Therefore, it was crucial that development partners paid particular attention to these LDCs who, despite many hurdles, were actively and effectively pursuing economic and political reforms in support of their development efforts.  This would enable the people of the LDCs to seize the opportunities offered by the Brussels Programme and become not just the beneficiaries of change, but also its agents.

ABDELLAH BENMELLOUK (Morocco), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said that the main objective of future ECOSOC meetings should be to evaluate the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus and to mobilize political will to make progress in this context.  Despite generalized awareness of the need to implement rapidly the outcomes of the Monterrey Consensus, little progress had actually been made; declarations of support were out of step with action.  There had been no progress in increased market access; protectionist tendencies and agricultural subsidies continued to damage developing countries’ prospects for turning international trade into a motor for economic and social development; the situation of commodity-dependent developing countries was more complicated than ever.  In this atmosphere, the success of the Cancun Conference depended largely upon actually taking into account the interests of developing countries during trade negotiations.

The goal of an annual $12 billion for development aid had not been met, he noted, and the international community was far from realizing the $50 billion judged necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  Developed countries must honour their commitment to devote 0.7 per cent of GDP to official development assistance (ODA); in this context there was a real need for a monitoring mechanism.  Furthermore, there had been no notable progress in the field of debt reduction and relief, while in terms of financial, monetary and trade policy consistency, much remained to be done to comply with the agreements reached at Monterrey.

Recent developments regarding the participation of developing countries, particularly those in Africa, in the decision-making processes of international financial institutions were not promising, he added.  Their present role corresponded neither to their economic size nor place in international trade.  Thus, it was necessary to identify measures to allow the voice of developing countries to be heard and represented, particularly in the Bretton Woods institutions.  Finally, the lack of progress in implementing the Monterrey Consensus was due to the lack of political will.  Improvement in this regard would come without the support of the international community; thus, it was important for a high-level dialogue to be held during the next session of the General Assembly to examine further the question of how to make progress in implementing the Monterrey Consensus.

VALENTINO SIMONETTI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the European Union was committed to the goals and targets of major United Nations conferences and summits.  It was important to recall that as each country was primarily responsible for its own economic development, a sound national macroeconomic environment and an enabling investment climate were the basis for sustainable development and economic growth.  In a conducive environment, the private sector was a potentially very strong driving force for development.  Trade and integration in the world economy were essential for economic growth.  The important occasion at the WTO Cancun ministerial meeting to progress in all areas of the Doha Development Agenda must not be missed.  The European Union was committed to help developing countries benefit from trade.  A key element was enhanced trade related capacity-building, in particular to address supply-side constraints.  The European Union would provide increased support for trade related assistance and was implementing a new strategy for this.  Regional integration and south-south cooperation was also essential in this context.

The European Union was already the largest provider of official development assistance to developing countries.  A significant increase in overall ODA must be accompanied by greater effectiveness and accountability in ODA financed programmes, as well as greater harmonization of donor policies.  Developed countries could also contribute to development financing by assessing alternative financing instruments and by working actively to further clarifying issues related to Global Public Goods.  The European Union would continue to take an active part in discussion of these ideas and would continue to support the work of the International Task Force.

The European Union was in favour of working towards coherence and a participatory process at the global level, and welcomed the efforts to strengthen the voice of developing countries in international economic decision-making as discussed this weekend in the Development Committee.  The WTO decision to facilitate LDC accession was also important.  The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank must continue to play an important role in strengthening the international financial system.  The cooperation among the United Nations, international financial institutions and the WTO was key to this.

ROGATIEN BIAOU (Benin), speaking on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), said that the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action had not appropriately used the recommended innovative approach and had only appeared late and in English, thus, handicapping the many French-speaking LDCs from making proper reference to it.  An opportunity had been missed to provide real information on internationally agreed issues.

Among others, the criticisms he levelled at the report were that while the first commitment under the Programme of Action dealt with helping LDCs to overcome structural obstacles to sustainable development through empowering all peoples, the report did not shed much light on the specific measures taken by LDCs and their partners in this context.  With regard to the third commitment, the Secretary-General’s report obscured the principle task of providing information on social infrastructure and services; population; education and training; health, nutrition and hygiene; and social integration.  In terms of the seventh commitment, the report did not provide an accurate global picture of the financial resources mobilized during the period under review or of the activities undertaken in this regard.

The Office of the High Representative, he said, should be strengthened and reports should be available on time –- at least six weeks before the Council’s session -– and in all official languages.  Furthermore, the Office of the High Representative should strengthen its collaboration with the presidency of the Office for Coordination of the Least Developed Countries.  Finally, among other recommendations, he said that the Council should ask the agencies and organizations of the United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization, to incorporate the Brussels Programme of Action into their work programmes and to take stock of progress in this respect on an annual basis.

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