ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE ON STRENGTHENING

TO ERADICATE POVERTY AND HUNGER

 

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 4 July (UN Information Service) –- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this afternoon concluded its general debate on the theme of the Annual Ministerial Review: “strengthening efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, including through the global partnership for development”, hearing from high-level representatives of Japan and Sweden, national representatives, representatives of specialized funds and agencies of the United Nations system, organizations associated with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.

The Council also held two parallel round tables on "ending the cycle of food crises: a home-grown green revolution in Africa"; and "poverty eradication: making it happen". 

Koji Tsuruoka, Director-General for Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, said the Millennium Development Goals and other development goals could not be achieved without both close partnerships between donor and recipient countries, and a commitment to national ownerships on the part of developing countries. 

Joakim Stymne, State Secretary for International Development Cooperation of Sweden, said that taking a multidimensional approach to poverty reduction as a point of departure meant seeing development as more than just higher income per capita.  Development was about empowerment: legal, economic, political and social.

Speakers welcomed the Annual Ministerial Review as an important component of the changes put in place last year to strengthen the Council, and the Review was seen as having the potential to serve as a powerful new tool in advancing the implementation of the United Nations development agenda.  A speaker said that it was good thing that the Review had not been another finger-pointing exercise, but rather had highlighted partnerships.  Another speaker said that what had been heard in the voluntary country presentations had been mostly good news, and many speakers welcomed both the progress reported in the Review, and the new forum to share experiences.

On development approaches, the Millennium Development Goals and other development goals could not be achieved without increased official development assistance, close partnerships between donor and recipient countries, and a commitment to national ownership on the part of developing countries, speakers agreed.  But while a global partnership for development was a necessity, concerns were voiced by developing countries – with regard to the need for increased, predictable, and untied development assistance, as well as access to markets in a rules-based international trading system – as well as by developed countries – with regard to the need for developing countries to fight corruption and ensure good governance, respect of human rights and the rule of law.  A number of speakers felt that the empowerment of women was a prerequisite for attaining sustainable national development.  Several speakers also felt that the issue of climate change, which had long-term implications on development, and which had a disproportionately greater effect on poorer countries, should be urgently addressed. 

Representatives of the following countries and organizations took the floor:  Denmark, Turkey, Indonesia, Madagascar, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, China, Iceland, France, United States, El Salvador, Israel, Republic of Korea, Algeria, Guinea, Iran, Norway, Colombia, Malawi, India, Albania, Netherlands, Guinea-Bissau, Costa Rica, Croatia, Chile, Cuba, Holy See, Common Fund for Commodities, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Organization for Migration.

At the end of the meeting, the Council heard statements from four non-governmental organizations: Mouvement International ATD Quart Monde, Legion of Goodwill, Droit à l’énergie, and China NGO Network for International Exchange.

When the Council meets on Thursday, 5 July, at 9.30 a.m., it is expected to adopt the Ministerial Declaration for the Annual Ministerial Review, hear a summary of the round tables that were held, and launch another of the new mechanisms of the strengthened Council: the Development Cooperation Forum. 

General Debate

KOJI TSURUOKA, Director-General for Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, said that when looking at the world today, while the proportion of people living on one dollar a day or less had declined overall, the disparities among regions were growing.  Poverty was one of the root causes of conflicts, organised crime and other threats to human life.  Since the end of the Cold War, as economic activities had expanded and globalization had progressed, the international community had come to face new threats to people’s lives and livelihoods, such as terrorism, environmental degradation, infectious diseases, and global warming.  In order to eliminate disparities and cope with new threats, individuals should be protected, and empowered to make choices and act on their own.  This was the essence of the concept of human security. 

The Millennium Development Goals and other development goals could not be achieved without both close partnerships between donor and recipient countries, and a commitment to national ownerships on the part of developing countries.  There was no panacea for the world’s problems, and neither financial nor food assistance alone could provide lasting solutions to poverty and hunger.  There was a need for a holistic, human centred approach to all of the threats to human life, one which sought to protect and build the capacities of individuals and communities.  Climate change was a challenge which humankind should face united.  In order to combat infectious diseases, predictable funding mechanisms were crucial.  Japan had already contributed a total of $ 660 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and reaffirmed its commitment to the Fund.

Africa was struggling to overcome poverty, hunger, conflict, infectious disease and other problems, and was lagging behind other regions in its progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Mr. Tsuruoka said.  At the Asian-African Summit in April 2005, then Prime Minister Koizumi announced that Japan would double its official development aid to Africa in the three years beginning 2005, and Japan had been making steady progress towards that goal.

JOAKIM STYMNE, State Secretary for International Development Cooperation of Sweden, said that progress had clearly been made but the pace needed to be stepped up, not least in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Developing countries must take the primary responsibility for poverty reduction and development within their own borders.  This could not, and should not, be done from the outside.  The approach to poverty reduction had to be broad-based – addressing not only one to two but all the different dimensions of poverty.  Taking a multidimensional approach to poverty reduction as a point of departure meant seeing development as more than just higher income per capita.  Development was about empowerment: legal, economic, political and social.  The crucial word here was coherence.  The need for coherent policies and action, however, was just as great in high-income countries.  Coherence also meant identifying and exploiting synergies.  The recommendations for country, regional and headquarter levels remained to be implemented.  In the multilateral system roles and relations between the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions as well as the regional development banks needed to be clarified. 

The financial needs of developing countries were also changing as new sources and mechanisms of development finance became available, Mr. Stymne said.  With a number of new emerging donors, increasing numbers of vertical funds, dynamic civil society organizations, and new sources and instruments for financial development assistance, one would have to learn to live with increasing complexity.  A pro-poor private sector development was needed.  The challenge lay in identifying and removing the constraints faced by poor people. The importance of recognizing and promoting the role of women as economic agents and a key to sustainable poverty reduction was stressed.  Responsible business practices led to social and economic inclusion, helping to advance international cooperation, peace and development – a pro-poor development.          

CARSTEN STAUR ( Denmark) said the first Annual Ministerial Review was welcome, as was the timely Secretary-General’s report taking stock of the progress so far towards the Millennium Development Goals.  This year, halfway to 2015, the international community was at a significant milestone, and all had to face the basic question of whether the cup was half-full or half-empty, and what had been achieved and what the basic trends were with regards to the Millennium Development Goals.  On the positive side, it could be concluded that there was progress.  All major regions were on the track to reducing the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, with one notable exception: sub-Saharan Africa, where it would be difficult to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and where special efforts therefore had to be made in the years to come. 

On the negative side, overall progress was too slow; so the message was clear, Mr. Staur said.  Efforts by developing countries and donor countries should be stepped up.  One important stepping stone towards the eradication of poverty and the fulfilment of the interlinked Millennium Development Goals was the achievement of gender equality and the empowering of women.  Gender equality and the economic empowerment of women were ends in their own right, but they were also important means by which to achieve poverty reduction and promote economic growth. 

Climate change was vitally important: global warming was occurring faster than had been thought, and human activity was primarily responsible.  A sound strategy to ensure environmental sustainability needed to be part of a poverty-focused development strategy.  This therefore would be one of the major challenges for the international community over the next two and a half years.  To achieve the Millennium Development Goals, there was a need to do more and do it faster.  There was solid ground to build on - the cup was already half full - but it would take a common and determined effort in a number of areas, including climate change, to make sure that, come 2015, it would not only be full, but spilling over. 

AHMET UZUMCU ( Turkey) said that Turkey’s delegation shared the view that the Annual Ministerial Review had the potential to serve as a powerful new tool in advancing the implementation of the United Nations development agenda.  The theme of the substantive discussions this year was especially well chosen.  The challenges were immense.  Eight million people, most of whom lived in Asia and Africa, died every year due to malnutrition and poverty.  Poverty and hunger were also economically wrong and politically dangerous.  Development and eruption of conflicts were closely interrelated.  The percentage of the developing world that was living in extreme poverty had fallen from 28 per cent in 1990s to 18.4 per cent in 2004.  Employment in developing countries as well as the primary gross employment rate had steadily risen from 2000 onwards.  On the implementation side, attaining the Millennium Development Goals required a comprehensive, balanced, interdisciplinary and coordinated approach. 

Developed countries must fulfil their commitment to a genuine and mutually beneficial global partnership for development, Mr. Uzumcu said.  International cooperation and greater policy coordination at the global scale was crucial.  Turkey attached utmost importance to strengthening its bilateral, multilateral, technical and economic cooperation with developing countries in order to increase the effectiveness of its development assistance as well as to reinforce its emerging donor country status at the regional and global levels.  Turkey also shared with partner countries its experience and know how in areas where it had been successful.  Eradication of poverty was neither an unattainable aspiration nor an unreachable goal.  It was essential for the United Nations to support a more comprehensive and coherent development agenda, to ensure greater coordination of the activities of its specialized agencies, funds and programmes.   

MAKARIM IWIBISONO ( Indonesia) said for many people around the world, the issue of poverty eradication and hunger was an issue of life and death.  This was an opportunity not only to create stronger political impetus, but also to match will with action for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  The proportion of people living in extreme poverty around the world was declining, and there had also been global progress in other dimensions of poverty such as access to education and healthcare.  Be that as it may, uneven and slow progress towards the Millennium Development Goals persisted, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Every country should shape its own destiny, but in the globalized world, destinies were unavoidably entwined, and so in the course of development, growth could only flourish in a global partnership for development.  Financing for development should flow.  Experts of developing countries should gain access to markets in a rules-based international trading system.  Holistic approaches should be taken into account, particularly the complementary roles of the Government, the private sector, and the donor community.  This effort should aim at enabling environments and positive investment climates by considering factors such as education and development of entrepreneurship, improving the quality of public services and infrastructure. 

While not losing sight of the main objectives, emerging issues such as climate change which had long-term implications on development should be borne in mind.  In this regard, there was a need for immediate urgent attention to counteract the impact of climate change, taking into account the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities.  Discussion on the issue of climate change in the context of the substantive session of the Council, the General Assembly and other events were important building blocks to raise greater political awareness and momentum. 

ZINA ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY ( Madagascar) noted that the report of the Secretary-General focussed on the eradication of poverty, and the promotion of partnerships.  These were naturally interlinked.  The success of the Annual Ministerial Review could be measured by the extent to which these linkages were recognized, promoted and accomplished.  To deal with the challenges of poverty required action by everyone.  Governments, civil society and the private sector must be partners.  It was therefore significant that three major meetings were taking place in and around the United Nations in Geneva within the span of a week – the Economic and Social Council, the Civil Society Development Forum, and the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit. 

Growth was essential for poverty reduction, but the relation was not automatic.  The challenge was to encourage growth and ensure that everyone benefited.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation, which had been recently launched as a further manifestation of the growing recognition of the importance of multi-stakeholder cooperation, was mentioned.  The Foundation was a participant in the United Nations Global Compact.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation aimed to be a dynamic organization dedicated to the positive role business could play in promoting development.

DON MACKAY ( New Zealand) said that, in 2000, all Member States undertook to reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day by 2015.  While some progress had been made, there were still over one billion people living in extreme poverty, and over 850 million under-nourished and/or food insecure.  A disproportionate number of these were women and children.  Moreover, there was a significant degree of variation in progress towards the eradication of poverty and hunger across regions, between countries, and among communities.  Global figures masked regions and countries where not only the number, but also the proportion of poor and food insecure households had grown. 

There was particular concern by the looming crisis faced by food import-dependent least developed countries, most critically in sub-Saharan Africa.  There was a compelling need to improve the collaboration and effectiveness of the key multilateral food and agriculture agencies in support of strong nationally led strategies for food security.  Development was a multi-faceted and wide-ranging process, in which the different elements were interlinked and mutually reinforcing.  Naturally, the eradication of poverty and hunger was an important focus of the official development assistance efforts, including through the targeted delivery of aid and appropriate debt relief.  An ambitious, truly liberalising World Trade Organization Doha Round outcome was the best way to increase global incomes, and more fully integrate developing countries into the world economy.  Donors and recipient Governments, international agencies, civil society, and the private sector should all work together over the next eight years to realise the goals that were set in 2000. 

ROBERT HILL ( Australia) said Australia wanted to come back to some statements from yesterday because this was a really innovative segment.  The presentations were excellent and well prepared.  It was refreshing to hear what was working and not what was not.  It was good that it was not another finger-pointing exercise but rather showed partnerships, all working together to achieve better outcomes.  The importance of good governance, democracy, transparency and the rule of law for ongoing economic growth were appreciated as well as the critical investments in human resources.  If yesterday was to indicate a change in the environment, there was hope for the future. 

CLAUDE HELLER ( Mexico) said by assessing the progress made in fulfilling the commitments made at the various high-level meetings, the Annual Ministerial Reviews allowed to promote, on one hand, enhanced international attention to the challenges still faced, and on the other to the necessary changes to be made to the organization’s actions in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals.  It was essential for the United Nations system to focus its efforts in supporting national strategies for the fight against poverty, thus maximising the effectiveness and efficacy of its actions on the ground. 

While economic growth was an essential requirement for development, in itself it was insufficient.  In this regard, the fight against poverty and hunger could not be disconnected from the promotion of policies that fostered a favourable environment for productive national and foreign investment as well as the strengthening of the private sector in strategic areas for economic growth such as infrastructure, thus favouring an increased productivity.  Due consideration should be given to the consolidation of access of the most vulnerable groups to the financial sector, as well as to the reduction of the flight of capital.  The incentives to capital markets and particularly access to micro-financing services were important tools to improve the quality of life of the populations which needed it most in both rural and urban areas.  While important progress had been made in reducing poverty and hunger, significant challenges still remained, and technical cooperation among countries facing similar problems constituted a powerful tool to face them.

LI BADAONG ( China) said that the United Nations sixtieth anniversary Summit had affirmed that security, development and human rights were the three pillars of the United Nations work.  The Summit had also stressed the need for a more effective Economic and Social Council as a principal body for policy dialogue, review and coordination, aiming to promote economic and social development and speed up the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.  As economic globalization was deepening, international development cooperation faced new opportunities and challenges.  Since 2001 the world economy had kept growing and developing countries in particular had maintained sound momentum for growth.  This would help facilitate international cooperation on development and realize the goal of common development.  Poverty elimination was on top of the agenda of the Millennium Development Goals.  China wanted to make some proposals.  First, moving toward a true global partnership for development was suggested.  The core of the global partnership for development lay in common responsibility and cooperation.  Second, efficient financial and technological support to developing countries should be provided.  Lack of capital and technology had long hindered the poverty alleviation efforts and economic growth of developing nations.

Third, the Doha Round of trade negotiations should be pushed forward, Mr. Li said.  A successful Doha Round was conducive to the steady growth of the world economy and an orderly conduct of international trade.  Fourth, development policies should be coordinated.  All relevant parties should better coordinate their policies and pool the existing resources so that all positive factors may work together for the same goal.  However, China was clearly aware that China was the biggest developing country and that its development still faced many difficulties and challenges due to imbalance between urban and rural areas, among different regions, between economic growth and social progress.  Poverty alleviation in China was an important part of the global efforts.  As China’s economy grew further, China would continue to actively participate in international cooperation, share experiences, conduct practical cooperation, diversify means of poverty relief and make unremitting efforts to achieve further progress in the global cause of poverty alleviation.

HJALMAR W. HANNESSON ( Iceland) said that it was now more important than ever that overlap and duplication of work were avoided.  The theme for this first Annual Ministerial Review was well chosen.  It emphasized the important role of the Council in reviewing the progress made in implementing the Millennium Development Goals and promoting stronger efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger and to encourage global partnership of all stakeholders for development.  The global partnership rested on the principles of transparency, accountability, good governance, equity and commitment to poverty reduction.  There were many different ways to strengthen the common efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger; all very important, Iceland wanted to only highlight a few.  Increased official development assistance was crucial.  Over the next two years, Iceland’s development assistance would almost have tripled in size and it was determined to do even more.  The importance of promoting gender equality was stressed.  Women were the key to development.  By empowering women and ensuring equal opportunity, countries could achieve great gains.  Iceland wanted to see more determined efforts by development partners and United Nations agencies to pursue gender equality. 

Food security had been an important aspect of the country’s partnership for development, Mr. Hannesson said.  Fish was one of the principal sources of protein for many of the poorest.  The campaign against hunger would continue to be an important aspect of Iceland’s development cooperation.  Education and capacity building were important tools for the eradication of poverty and hunger.  A special emphasis had been placed on education and capacity building of people living in poverty.  There was no simple formula for eradication of poverty and hunger.  However, the formula would need to include increased official development assistance, food security, gender equality, infrastructure development, access to energy, education and health services, fair trade, good governance respecting the principles of sustainable development and a clear legal environment as well as an improved investment climate for private sector development. 

JEAN-MAURICE RIPERT ( France) said in keeping with the wishes of heads of State and Government, the Council was meeting this year as a strengthened body, endowed with new functions.  The Annual Ministerial Review and the Forum for Cooperation were new tools to allow the Council to fully play its coordination role.  The efficiency of the Council needed to be enhanced as the main tool for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.  There was a clear need for mobilisation for development, and it was correct therefore to choose the topic of eliminating poverty and hunger for this first Review.  France was working to continue to increase its official development aid. 

As stressed by the Secretary-General, the numerous challenges facing emerging countries made it incumbent on the developed countries to sustain this, including by continuing to provide aid in the years to come.  A number of development finance initiatives had been launched which had had significant effects in the field.  The Solidarity Contribution to Health was an example of this.  The life expectancy of poor people was one of the important goals.  Giving more assistance only made sense if there was better assistance.  The Paris Declaration aimed to ensure national ownership, without which sustainable development was not possible.  Development called for pooling energies and for a real spirit of shared responsibilities, and this was the meaning of the global partnership. 

RICHARD T. MILLER ( United States) said that there had been remarkable presentations yesterday by countries on their challenges and achievements in eradicating hunger and poverty.  The United States commended them all for their efforts.  What had been heard in the presentations was mostly good news.  Hunger was decreasing, but not as fast as one would like.  Poverty was above all a social problem, and its eradication involved a complex array of social changes, such as respect of human rights and the rule of law.  To eradicate poverty, a culture had to be created where no one was left behind.  Inclusive systems of democratic governance were essential.  National ownership had frequently been discussed within the framework of the United Nations.  Freedom was corroded by corruption.  Corruption had to be fought through transparent public sector management and limits to the absolute power of the State. 

The fundamental realignment of financial flows from public to private underlined the importance of the private sector.  A clear definition of property rights was also important.  Another vital component of growth was the liberalization of trade.  The countries that benefited most from liberalization were the countries that liberalized.  Countries must be prepared to remove trade barriers to achieve a breakthrough in the Doha negotiations.  Countries undertaking such measures walked a path of prosperity for all their citizens.  The role of the United States in driving the world economy had been mentioned.  The United States would keep on working to continue being a significant source of investments and a leading developer of the technological change, among others.

CARMEN MARIA GALLARDO HERNANDEZ ( El Salvador) said the reform of the Council should strengthen coordination and standard-setting activities through a coordinated and integrated view of economic and social activities.  It was hoped the Ministerial Declaration would set the standard for the future so that cooperation for development would increase in effectiveness.  There was a challenge with regard to the complex relationship in developing countries with regards to equity.  The concept of pro-poor growth expounded in the Secretary-General’s report pointed to a kind of growth that was broadly based and enhanced a climate of confidence among all partners, including external ones who could contribute to macroeconomic policies. 

El Salvador noted that gender inequality was regrettably still the rule in some countries.  The empowerment of women was a prerequisite for attaining sustainable national development, and working to ensure their participation in active economic life was of utmost importance.  The commitments given at the various high-level international summits had found their expression in the various development policies in El Salvador, as a result of which there had been growth in gross domestic product and in exports.  Consistent strategies had also made it possible to attain a number of the Millennium Development Goals, including with regard to reducing poverty and infant mortality.  International cooperation played a vital role in assisting countries to break out of the poverty cycle, and that was why middle-income countries urged a coherent and harmonized policy for development. 

ITZHAK LEVANON ( Israel) said that Israel hoped that the enhanced and reinvigorated Economic and Social Council would serve as a beacon of light, inspiration, and direction for the development of the world.  Israel recognized that good governance and the rule of law were essential for constant economic growth, development, and the eradication of poverty and hunger.  Each State had to take primary responsibility for its own economic and social development by strengthening governance, combating corruption and mobilizing domestic resources.  At the same time, Israel also recognized that national efforts should be complemented by supportive global programmes, measures and policies aimed at expanding the development opportunities of developing countries, while taking into account national conditions and ensuring respect for national ownership, strategies and sovereignty. 

Israel reiterated its strong support for the global development initiatives and bilateral coordination.  A core component of Israel’s development activities was the formation of international partnerships with like-minded Governments and members of civil society.  Israel encouraged the international community to cooperate in researching and developing approaches and solutions to global challenges such as poverty, desertification, water management, agriculture, climate change, management of energy resources and public health.  Israel had always considered its relations with Africa to be among its highest priorities.  The ancient Jewish moral imperative of giving back to the community found expression in Israeli foreign policy from its earliest years of statehood.  Giving back was rooted deeply in Israel’s hallowed traditions and carried in its daily practices.

LEE SUNG-JOO ( Republic of Korea) said, at this midpoint in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, it was appropriate and timely that the Council had chosen the eradication of poverty and hunger as the theme of the first Annual Ministerial Review.  It was hoped the discussion would help in reaching the remaining goals by their target year.  It was a welcome development that economic growth had increased in most developing countries since 2001, but economic growth did not necessarily bring poverty reduction unless such growth was supported by appropriate pro-poor policies and equitable distribution measures.

The urgent priority was rural development.  As three quarters of the world’s extremely poor lived in rural areas, effective rural development should be central to any strategy aimed at drastically reducing poverty levels.  Science and technology should also be harnessed, and greater effort needed to be made to integrate information and communication technologies into poverty reduction strategies.  Promoting gender equality was also central to the development process.  Moreover, development goals could not be fully accomplished in the absence of sufficient and reliable financial resources.  This year marked a milestone for the Council since the session was taking place in the context of the strengthened framework.  The Republic of Korea hoped that this year’s discussion would lead to a productive and policy-oriented outcome. 

IDRISS JAZAIRY ( Algeria) said Algeria endorsed the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77.  This session was occurring in an international context which was in considerable flux, marked by ongoing and disquieting disparities between countries in the various regions of the world.  The topic for the thematic discussion was therefore timely and appropriate, and the thinking behind it should be considered further in the context of international peace and development.  Collective peace would only help with development.  The economic and social situation in the world was highly alarming, and poverty and hunger were affecting Africa in particular.  It was urgent to find solutions to give most of mankind hope for a better future. 

The Council could and should be the main weapon in the collective fight against poverty and hunger in the world.  In that connection, the Council's collective work should be part of an attempt to consolidate achievements, aiming at comprehensive implementation of the various commitments made at high-level summits.  The situation of Africa obliged all to be vigilant and to show solidarity, drawing on enhanced and better international cooperation.  Globalization had always been a source of hope, but it had been implemented in a very irregular fashion.  Even in countries of the North, globalization raised hitherto unexpected problems, and thus the implications of the phenomenon should be further examined in order to better channel its benefits.  The Global Partnership for Development should be the joint response to deal with hunger and poverty. 

ALPHA IBRAHIMA SOW ( Guinea) said the high-level debate was reaching an important stage this year in the assessment of development commitments.  That followed directly on the Global Summit in 2005, which had enshrined the central role of the Council in the economic, social and humanitarian spheres.  The establishment of the Global Forum for Development and the Annual Ministerial Review had been positive steps.  Only a new and efficient Council would be able to truly meet the mandate incumbent upon it.

For its part, a new chapter had taken place in Guinea when a new Prime Minister and Government had been nominated in March.  Since then, Guinea had committed itself to tackling the deteriorating situation, in particular with regards to the declining standard of living of the population.  National reconciliation, mobilization of the necessary financial resources, development of infrastructure, full employment for youth and the consolidation of the rule of law, reinforced political and social dialogue and the holding of credible elections were all important elements, and the Government should be able to count on effective and urgent support by the international community as a whole, in particular the development partners.  The implementation of the Millennium Development Goals was so complex that there was no alternative to a global partnership for development.

ALI REZA MOAIYERI ( Iran) said that the report of the Secretary-General, focusing on the concept of pro-poor growth not only contained a high quality of technical and conceptual analysis but above all should be credited for its broad vision and scope that covered the much-neglected human aspects of the economic growth.  The strong performance of the world economy during recent years set crucial questions before the Council, particularly with regard to its equitability and sustainability for the long term.  The report of the Secretary-General referred to the growing social and income inequalities in many countries and regions and dealt with the reality that such disparities had become a major source of concerns for the international community.  Instabilities arising from inequitable distribution of growth not only would be detrimental to long-term sustainability but also would have severe social consequences. 

That was why synergy between growth and social equity was gaining more importance in terms of formulating domestic and international development policies and strategies.  The Millennium Development Goals, in particular Goals 1 and 8, clearly established the linkage between a rule-based, non-discriminatory trading and financial system on the one hand, and development and poverty reduction, on the other.  The United Nations, particularly through the Economic and Social Council, its development agencies and the regional commissions, assumed a leading role in promoting dialogue and in cementing cooperation.  External imbalances and pressures needed to be dealt with through multilateral mechanisms.  

WEGGER STRØMMEN ( Norway) said the question of fair distribution, not only between countries, but equally important, fair distribution between groups and individuals within countries, had been largely missing in the international development debate over the past decades.  Growth without equity was neither morally acceptable, nor politically sustainable.  Pro-poor sustained economic growth required first and foremost good governance at all levels.  There were three specific policy measures that were vital to ensure pro-poor growth and an equitable and stable society: a strong, transparent and non-corrupt State; an active and ambitious policy towards not only entrepreneurship, investment and growth, but towards decent work for all; and a proactive policy to promote the rights and opportunities of women. 

The international community also played a role in promoting pro-poor growth.  There should be a more efficient, and therefore more relevant and legitimate, United Nations at the country level, and where the efficiency dividend directly benefited the development strategies of the recipient countries.  It was hoped that that would represent a breakthrough in endeavours to achieve better and more coherent governance of the globalized world economy.  The Council could play a more prominent and active role in facilitating and coordinating increased coherence amongst all relevant international organizations, and help bridge those efforts to policies at the national level.  The Council should facilitate the sharing of experiences in promoting pro-poor sustained economic growth at the national levels and within the United Nations system. 

CLEMENCIA FORERO UCROS ( Colombia) said Colombia associated itself with the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77.  This meeting was a very special forum for Member States, the private sector and others concerning new trends and measure of global scope.  Colombia supported the choice of the theme for this first Annual Ministerial Review.  It pointed towards the Millennium Development Goals.  Deliberation in the Council must result in substantive interaction and contributions.  Colombia welcomed the presentation of the Secretary-General's report.  Development was a multifaceted broad process.  Development was not only dependent on national rules and efforts; systemic issues of global economic governance required equal attention on the development agenda. 

Since eradication of poverty was the main challenge, it was desirable that progress in that field was shared by all.  Despite the imbalances, middle-income countries had contributed to the world effort to combat poverty.  That contribution might be harmed if there was no system of cooperation.  Countries needed to be assisted in their efforts to achieve total consolidation.  On access to markets, middle-income countries shared their difficulties with least developed countries.  On the issue of the reform of the International Monetary Fund, that reform should be geared to the objectives of ensuring financial stability and providing access to short-term financial means.

JANE ASARI-NDELEMANI ( Malawi) said through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy, the Government of Malawi had determined priorities that would fast-track socio-economic growth for its people.  Those were agriculture and food security, irrigation and water development, transport and communications infrastructure, energy, integrated rural development, and prevention and management of HIV/AIDS.  Malawi was convinced that improvement of transport and communications infrastructure was critical for growth and development. 

Alongside those priorities, the Government of Malawi continued to focus on the fight against corruption through the zero-tolerance stance to corruption, free primary school education with focus on the girl child, the empowerment of women and gender equality, health, water and sanitation, youth development and social groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities as well as orphans and vulnerable children.  With debt cancellation, Malawi was on the way towards economic recovery and sustainable development.  The objective now was to ensure that there was continued implementation of prudent economic, fiscal and financial management in order to consolidate the sound macroeconomic stability Malawi had achieved.  All stakeholders within the international community, individually and collectively, should continue to support policies and programmes that had shown potential to deliver tangible results for the poor.

SWASHPAWAN SINGH ( India) said that India believed that the Annual Ministerial Review was an important component of the changes put in place last year to strengthen the Council in fulfilling its crucial role.  The objectives of eradication of poverty and hunger should be the guiding principles of all development strategies at all levels; therefore the theme of the Annual Ministerial Review was an appropriate one for its inauguration.  Efforts towards eradication of poverty and hunger had to be seen in the context of developing and implementing targeted policies that benefited the poor and disadvantaged.  Despite recent economic growth and reduction in poverty in many developing countries the economic benefits had not reached all, and inequalities and imbalances remained between different regions and sections.  Effective international cooperation had to support national strategies towards those objectives.  The launch of the biennial Development Cooperation Forum was also to be welcomed.  The eradication of poverty and hunger required progress in an array of inter-linked areas.  There was no “one-size-fits-all” solution to the problem of drawing up a development strategy. 

Efforts of developing countries in eradicating poverty and hunger had to be effectively supported by global partnerships involving, inter alia, official development assistance (ODA).  India was concerned that despite commitments by the developed world and the donor countries, ODA had actually fallen during 2006, and was far lower than 0.7 per cent of gross national income agreed target.  While economic growth was a necessary condition for the effective implementation of a country’s development strategy, the role of national governments in pursuing targeted policies that focused on the poor and the disadvantaged, particularly towards the eradication of poverty and hunger, could not be overemphasized.  A strengthened Council had a crucial role to play in fostering and promoting international cooperation for implementing the global partnership for development, in order to support the efforts of developing countries in the eradication of poverty and hunger and in achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

ADRIAN NERITANI (Albania) said, while welcoming the positive signal that came from the report of the Secretary-General on the fact that absolute poverty continued to decline at the global level, they should remain very concerned over low expectations in sub-Saharan Africa.  That part of the world should not stop being considered as a priority for concerted efforts.  Poverty and hunger had multidimensional root causes and symptoms, and efforts to eradicate them required simultaneous progress in all the combined areas with measurable goals and indicators.  That assumption was compatible with the theme of the Annual Ministerial Review, as only through concerted efforts at a global level with responsible and accountable national Governments could poverty and hunger be eradicated, and the Millennium Development Goals achieved in time.

The global partnership and cooperation were an interlinked process where the donor countries and agencies worked complementarily with the recipient countries.  Preventive actions at the international and regional level should be accelerated as part not only of a long-term strategy, but also as part of a short-term action plan to combat climate change.  Albania was committed to continue with the fulfilment of its obligations while fully engaging in a constructive global partnership to meet the Millennium Development Goals not only in the national but also at the regional and international level. 

FRANK MAJOOR ( Netherlands) said that Netherlands aligned itself with the statement by Portugal on behalf of the European Union.  Yesterday there had been presentations by recipient countries on their progress towards reaching Millennium Development Goal 1.  That was very interesting innovation.  Sustainable poverty alleviation was the overarching goal of development cooperation for the Netherlands.  Poverty could not be addressed without addressing all Millennium Development Goals.  Income growth as such was not enough to eradicate extreme poverty.  The fruits of economic growth were unevenly distributed and inequality within countries was increasing.  Responsibility for attaining the Millennium Development Goals was shared by developed and developing countries alike.  The Netherlands, for its part, was a big provider of development assistance. 

More international aid was required for developing countries if the Millennium Development Goals were to be met in 2015.  However, in calling for more aid, the significant and growing contribution the international community was making in supporting peace and security and in providing humanitarian assistance should be acknowledged.  It was not just the quantity but also the quality of aid that was important.  Global partnership for development went beyond the commitment from the governments of developing and developed countries to meet the Millennium Development Goals.  The Netherlands would continue to fully involve all partners in international cooperation.      

ALFREDO LOPES CABRAL (Guinea-Bissau) said it was a good sign that this year’s substantive session was being held under the sign of change and renewal, as this was the only way to ensure the credibility of the body, and that it could play the role which it was meant to play according to the Charter of the United Nations.  The collective responsibility should be realised, as this would get things moving, and ensure that the people who had suffered the most in this world would be able to reap the benefits of the collective endeavours.  Yesterday, the Minister of Luxembourg had shared his concerns and frustrations given the situation in Africa and the lack of progress, the lack of hope which characterised the situation in many countries. 

In global terms, the planet had become a village, the common village in which all were doomed to live together.  It was possible to agree on issues, mechanisms and other issues.  There was a need to make progress in the right direction, to make new projects, and question what was being done.  There were shared collective responsibilities.  No donor country was going to give without guarantees of where and for what purpose the donation was going.  Developing countries had to show that they deserved the trust of the donor countries.  There was a need for international cooperation to face up to today’s challenges. 

SAUL WEISLEDER ( Costa Rica) said Costa Rica associated itself with the statement of the Group of 77.  All agreed on the aims but not on the means.  The tasks should be lowered down to the scale of the need.  All needed to be self-critical.  It was important for the citizens themselves to increase their ability to be the owners of their own destiny.  The international community had been making headway in the fight against these scourges.  A roadmap allowed the establishment of a set of goals leading to a better world.  What was achieved so far was not enough.  The world enjoyed wealth as it had never enjoyed before. 

This was no excuse for those who were born in societies where widespread poverty was prevalent.  It was not their fault that they were condemned to a life of poverty and deprivation.  It was not about blaming one or another.  It was important to create the necessary conditions to do this.  It was not fair that the honest commitment was not taken up to heal once and for all these open wounds.  Costa Rica had developed a model on social development from which its citizens were benefiting.  Costa Rica did not want the strengthened Economic and Social Council to be yet another figure, but to play an active role.  Mankind had begun to take the first steps in the right direction.  One should not be arrogantly but creatively optimistic.   

AMIR MUHAREMI ( Croatia) said the strengthening of coordination between the United Nations system and other multilateral financial, trade and development institutions was welcome as this supported sustained economic growth and sustainable development.  The initiatives to enhance the quality of aid and to increase its impact were also welcomed, bearing in mind that progress could only be facilitated by harmonisation of efforts at the international and regional levels. 

Active participation in international efforts in financing for development was not only a political and moral obligation, but a common responsibility of all: Governments, but also the private sector and civil society.  If all joined together, then they could still meet the 2015 Millennium Development Goals deadline, and could advance against poverty and hunger and build a true partnership for development.

JUAN EDUARDO EGUIGUREN ( Chile) said that the revitalization of the main basis of the system was important for enhancing the well being of all people.  Development meant stronger institutions, nationally and internationally.  The launching of the Development Forum was welcomed.  The strengthening of activities to eradicate poverty and hunger could not have been better chosen.  Hunger and poverty had universal scope, with environmental, cultural and social dimensions.  A fair social society could not be built if individuals still continued to die from hunger.  It was difficult to think that 25,000 died from hunger every day.  Some 205 million people continued to live in poverty in Latin America.  The report of the Secretary-General was a challenge, which should unite all countries, regardless of their level of development. 

The best way out of poverty was coordinated activities.  This multidimensional approach would not be effective without the assistance of the international community.  There was a need for a global alliance.  It was agreed that new sources should be sought for financing.  With the return of democracy in the country, Chile had managed to reduce poverty from 45.1 per cent 1987 to 13.7 per cent in 2006.  Chile would not rest until hunger and poverty were fully eradicated.  There were several reasons for the progress made by Chile, such as the duplication of the economy, the strengthening of social public activities and social expenditure.  Chile wanted to renew its commitment to fight against hunger and poverty.

JORGE FERREY ( Cuba) said the strengthening of efforts to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals could not be achieved unless development was achieved.  The current global system was discriminatory against developing countries, and the prospect that the World Trade Organization concluded its Doha Round successfully were misleading, given that all the timeframes had already elapsed.  Many believed that the current proposals in the World Trade Organization would only benefit the developed countries, and a handful of agricultural exporters.  The main problem was the agricultural policies of rich countries, and their lack of political will to comply with the Millennium Development Goals and the Doha Round.  They subsidised exports, distorting trade and flooding their products into developing markets. 

Rich wealthy countries were also committed to facing the problem of debt in developing countries; however, this commitment had not come to fruit.  Developed countries were going against the current, trying to impose their priorities at the WTO and the World Intellectual Property Organization.  On official development assistance, industrialised countries had still not fulfilled their commitments, taken up over 35 years ago - only five countries had fulfilled and complied with this.  More effective aid was important as well as increase in volume.  More bilateral aid was needed.

SILVANO M. TOMASI, Holy See, said that the continued effort to address the plight of people trapped in poverty and to search for new ways and means to free them from its destructive consequences remained essential if the international community wanted to achieve truly integral human development.  The Holy See believed that the question of poverty should be given the highest attention and priority, for the sake of poor and rich countries alike.  Wealth had increased in recent decades lifting millions of persons out of extreme poverty as a result of the opening of markets, of scientific and technological progress, and the circulation of capital.  In several regions of Africa and Asia, life expectancy was almost half of that in rich countries and illiteracy reached high levels.  Poverty elimination demanded integration between the mechanisms that produced wealth and the mechanisms for the distribution of its benefits at the international, regional and national levels.  Exclusion from technological and economic progress, even within the same national community, led to entrenchment, not elimination, of poverty. 

The projects of multilateral institutions and developed countries aimed at reducing poverty and improving growth in poor regions.  They had made some limited progress.  Work was the only possibility for a community to generate its own value added that paid the way out of poverty.  Education was a long-term economic investment for everyone, and health provided a durable character to that investment.  The value of education went beyond its relationship with health.  Transnational corporations carried a particular responsibility to facilitate the transfer of technology, sponsor capacity building in management, and enable local partners to provide more employment opportunities.  Together with foreign aid, corporate transfer of resources, cancellation of external debt for the poorer countries, and the wisely managed increase in flows of migration could contribute to the elimination of poverty.

ALI MCHUMO, Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities, said the thematic discussion was of crucial importance and relevance to the mandate of the Common Fund for Commodities.  It was impossible to eliminate poverty and hunger and achieve sustainable development and attain the targets of the Millennium Development Goals without addressing the commodity problem and improve the conditions and prospects of commodity producers.  This was because for many developing countries, commodities remained the backbone of their economies.  More than 70 per cent of the world’s poor lived in rural areas and directly or indirectly depended on commodities for their livelihood.  In this context, any discussion or subsequent policy recommendation relating to poverty and sustainable development should bring to centre stage the issue of commodities. 

It was important for commodity-dependent countries that benefited from the current positive commodity market situation to use their rich natural resources to transform commodities into an engine of growth and development and use this momentum to escape poverty and marginalisation.  At the same time, this was the best time for the international donor community to seize this opportunity and increase their assistance to countries so that they had the right capacity and conditions to benefit from the upswing in commodity prices and thereby could lay the strategy for growth and sustainable development towards eradication of poverty. 

IBRAHIM OSMAN, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said that the International Federation was a strong supporter of the objectives contained in the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals.  Its own Global Agenda, which was adopted in 2005, created a framework for action, which was designed to support the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals.  The International Federation’s work with other organizations introduced the eradication of poverty and hunger and a number of important health standards, as part of this effort.  The themes for the international conferences all had a bearing on efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, for they focused on the biggest challenges now confronting humanity as a whole.  There were four themes, including environmental hazards and climate change, migration, violence and emergent and recurrent diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

The essential element in any programme to deal with poverty and other humanitarian challenges was the empowerment of the affected people and their communities, the empowerment of all groups in those communities, and the readiness of governments and other decision-makers to listen to the messages these communities sent.  Programmes must also address factors, which retarded or prevented development from taking place.  This was why public health programmes aimed at preventable diseases were essential, and why whole communities needed to be involved in their design and implementation.  In the International Federation, the key to eradication of poverty and hunger was through the building of partnerships which included the affected communities themselves as groups empowered to make an effective contribution to the design, implementation and monitoring of programmes which met their needs.  

LUCA DALL’OGLIO, International Organization for Migration, said the focus on the first Millennium Development Goal was particularly significant for the IOM, which had repeatedly underlined that, while migration did not feature prominently in the original framework of the Millennium Development Goals, migration phenomena could significantly impact on the successful accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals, both positively and negatively.  In order to maximise the development benefits of migration and minimise its negative consequences, IOM had consistently advocated for integrated approaches to assist developing countries in the set-up of comprehensive migration management strategies, including technical assistance. 

International migration could be a positive force for development both in countries of origin and destination, provided that it was supported by the right set of policies, including mainstreaming into national development agendas.  As progress in the fight against poverty was discussed, the international community should remain alert to new challenges.  Recent reports indicated that by 2010 there would be an additional 50 million environmental migrants, persons or groups of persons who had to move from their habitual homes to temporary or durable new homes, either within their country or abroad.

THIERRY WEIRD, of Mouvement International ATD Quart Monde, said that it wished to stress the need of participation of the most disadvantaged.  The history of poverty demonstrated that economic growth did not automatically lead to the eradication of poverty.  The conditions for the participation of the most underprivileged should be considered.   October 17 was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. 

MARIA ALBUQUERQUE, of Legion of Goodwill, said poverty was not only a social and economical issue; to overcome this challenge it was mandatory to educate, furthermore to re-educate the human being upon solidarity values of peace, understanding and fraternal love.  It was in the minds of men that the defence of peace should be constructed, therefore it was urgent to combine education of the minds with the one of the hearts to strengthen a global consciousness open to a planet of justice and peace.

MICHEL CLERC, of Droit à l’énergie, said that it was a non-governmental organization regrouping 60 million people in 70 countries aiming to improve access to energy.  If there was no energy, there were no Millennium Development Goals.  Energy was a key element.  The organization was waiting for countries to recognize the access to energy as an essential need.  Civil society should be involved in the strategy.     

CUI JIANJUN, of China NGO Network for International Exchange, said peace and stability were the basic conditions for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  Therefore it was vitally important to safeguard them in both the international and domestic arena.  Governments should honour their commitments to the Millennium Declaration.  Major international financial institutions should take the Millennium Development Goals seriously.  The private sector should fulfil its social accountabilities.  Non-governmental organizations should incorporate the Millennium Development Goals into their agendas and form partnerships with Governments, United Nations agencies and the private sector to push for pro-Millennium Development Goal policies. 

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For information media • not an official record