PRESS CONFERENCE BY ECOSOC PRESIDENT

 

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) had demonstrated that it could build real coalitions for action on the economic and social front, and that was a very positive development, its current President, Munir Akram (Pakistan), told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference. 

Noting that the current session had brought together the key decision-makers, who were focusing squarely on the internationally agreed development goals and related policies and problems, Mr. Akram said the Council was in a position to build consensus for real action on the development agenda at the September Summit.  The entire substantive session was to have been held in Geneva, but members decided to hold it in New York to ensure the ECOSOC’s contribution to the high-level event in September, informally known as the September Summit. 

The focus in ECOSOC had very much been on action and implementation, he said.  From the opening session yesterday and the concurrent deliberations in several round tables, it seemed that ECOSOC was well on the way to re-establishing itself as a forum, a platform, which could bring together all the relevant actors in the international community.  In the high-level segment, there were heads of State and governments, as well as approximately 50 ministers.  There were also representatives from the business sector and civil society.

He described the discussions so far as having been excellent, in terms of their depth and sincerity and level of commitment, from both the South and North.  There was a new spirit, which had been manifested in the European Union’s decision on official development assistance (ODA) and in the Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized nations’ decision on debt.  Of course, there was a long way to go and the challenges were monumental, but there was a good spirit to be captured in the outcome declaration and utilized for success in September.

Asked what practical decisions were likely to emerge that could make a real difference on the ground, including on poverty and health, Mr. Akram said that the mood at the session could be taken at two levels.  One concerned the way in which the discussions were impacting on the political environment, which appeared to be quite improved, in the sense of the commitment on the part of both sides to do something.  There were very specific objectives in the globally agreed development objectives, the Millennium Development Goals, or “MDGs”, to be used as benchmarks. 

At the level of “political environment-making”, there had already been a contribution, and that should impact on the subsequent process here and in other forums, he said.  Dealing with the major issues in more depth throughout the rest of the session would hopefully produce some decisions.  The ECOSOC was also negotiating a declaration, which should be able to register the progress and be able to reflect the improved environment.  The round tables should also contribute to advancing the decision-making at the substantive session. 

Replying to another question, he said he believed African debt was more than $1 trillion, with some $40 billion now cancelled as a result of the G-8 decision.  That would relieve those 18 countries of debt servicing in the amount of $1.5 billion per year.  For the countries concerned, that was a substantial improvement.  Of course, some 30 other countries were still under stress from debt.  So, there was still quite a way to go in terms of resolving third world debt, but hopefully the step taken would further advance the process. 

Another correspondent recalled that, at the Doha South-South summit, Mr. Akram had pointed out that the affluent countries were actually taking money out of the developing countries at an enormous rate, far more than the aid that they gave and far more than the translation of the debt.  How did he reconcile what he had said then, to the optimistic picture he gave here?

Mr. Akram said he did not think there was a contradiction.  There was a net outflow of resources from developing to developed countries; it was $340 billion in 2004.  Obviously, while there’s a net outflow from developing countries, one could not expect a major accelerated development.  Of course, when those figures were broken down, the situation was more complicated, in the sense that a large part of the resources outflow was in the shape of reserves and purchases of dollar currencies by developing countries for insurance against shocks.  And, some of the outflow was from very rich, or surplus, developing countries, such as China. 

Having said that, he added that there was also an outflow, such as African debt -- and that was where action was necessary for countries that could not service the debt. 

Did he not think it was time to hold the feet of the G-8 to the fire? the correspondent asked, noting that the conditionalities attached to the debt cancellation of even those 18 countries had been obscured.

As he had stated yesterday, he stressed that everyone should welcome the decision on debt, while continuing to demand more from the developed countries.  When someone took a positive step in the right direction, it should be welcomed.

Another correspondent, noting that Mr. Akram had been more pessimistic yesterday and had underscored the urgency of the issues that had not been addressed, asked exactly what the Ambassador expected.

Mr. Akram said it was important to distinguish what he was saying about ECOSOC and its ability to bring the actors together, to be reactivated, to make a contribution from the United Nations to the international debate on international development policy -- from the challenges facing developing countries and the world economy.  Those were what he had outlined in his opening statement. 

What he was saying today was that the United Nations, which was considered to be irrelevant to the whole discussion of international economic policy, had established that it was relevant.  The ECOSOC, as a central Charter body on economic policy, had the capacity that no other institution had, namely to bring together all of the actors.  That was something about which he was very positive.  He hoped the ECOSOC could be used in the future for building coherence and coordination in the international system.

Many people were talking about building new institutions for economic policymaking, but he added that the necessary institution -- ECOSOC -- already existed.  It had to be revived, and the first step had been taken towards that.  There were convergent proposals for reviving ECOSOC.  The Secretary-General had put forward some, as had he, following consultations -- to make ECOSOC into an effective policy dialogue, into a development cooperation forum, to build the nexus between peace and development, and to enhance the coordination of all of ECOSOC.  He hoped the September Summit would be able to take decisions to enact some of those concrete proposals.

He had repeatedly referred to an “implementation deficit”, so did he really think that ECOSOC would really be strengthened in the future, or were there still some difficulties to be overcome? another correspondent asked.

He replied there were many difficulties to be overcome.  One meeting did not change history.  There was an implementation deficit and the rate of implementation was much slower than what was needed to achieve the Goals.  But, there was momentum under way to accelerate the process, not only in ECOSOC, but internationally.  What was being done politically was still not enough from the perspective of the developing countries and from the perspective of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, but at least the trend was in the right direction. 

He added that the developing countries accepted that they had a responsibility for their own development, but they also recognized the need for solidarity and support for honest government and honest implementation.  There was pressure from the common people in the richer countries, who were asking that poverty be addressed in the third world.  There was pressure on the developed countries and international business to contribute to the end of poverty.  Those positive developments could only be captured coherently in the United Nations.

Replying to another question, he said that the whole process of international development would require both national and international action.  The broad elements of both had been identified and everyone knew what the policies should be.  What was needed was to mobilize the international community’s commitment, and the commitment of each developing country to follow those policies.  And, the emphasis must be on implementation.

Asked about sending a message to the G-8, he said the session would try to influence all the actors.  Some of them were here, and hopefully, they would take back some of the lessons, the information, the political environment.  Some of them were not here, but still ECOSOC would try to adopt a political declaration tomorrow.  It might not achieve everything that everybody desired, but the in-depth discussions and the political declaration would send the right message to the G-8, which would hopefully be able to take some additional steps forward.  The G-8 had taken a step on debt.  Hopefully, there would be something on trade, official development assistance, and on support for national strategies.  The ECOSOC’S endeavours here would inevitably have some impact, but just how much, remained to be seen. 

* *** *