HIGH REPRESENTATIVE, IN SECOND COMMITTEE, PRESCRIBES COHESIVE POLICIES, DEEPER CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT TO HELP POOREST COUNTRIES MEET DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Sixty-second General Assembly

Second Committee

21^st & 22^nd Meetings (AM & PM)

HIGH REPRESENTATIVE, IN SECOND COMMITTEE, PRESCRIBES COHESIVE POLICIES, DEEPER

CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT TO HELP POOREST COUNTRIES MEET DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Members Also Conclude General Debate on Information Technology for Development

Instituting cohesive policies at the national and international levels, boosting domestic and external financial resources, and deepening the involvement of civil society and the private sector were all critical steps towards helping the world’s poorest countries meet their development goals, Cheick Sidi Diarra, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) began its general debate on groups of countries in special situations.

He said that although international support for health and education had seen improved access to primary education, lower under-five mortality rates and declining HIV/AIDS incidences in an increasing number of least developed countries, daunting challenges remained.  While extreme poverty appeared to be falling, malnutrition had spread due to a combination of high population growth, low agricultural productivity, environmental degradation, recurrent natural disasters and challenges associated with climate change.  The incidence of HIV was rising in seven African and two Asian least developed countries, while maternal mortality seemed extraordinarily high in sub-Saharan Africa’s least developed countries.  Access to improved water and sanitation in rural areas remained a struggle for nearly half of the least developed countries for which statistics were available.

The Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries had been designed as a framework for partnership, he said, stressing that fostering those development partnerships was a matter of the highest priority for all stakeholders if the Programme’s goals were to be met by the 2010 deadline.  Priorities for the Office of the High Representative aimed at mobilizing international support and resources, conducting advocacy work to persuade development partners to take concrete measures in favour of least developed countries, and supporting efforts for the full mobilization and coordination of the United Nations system to assist least developed countries.

Mr. Diarra introduced the Secretary-General’s reports on groups of countries with special needs.

During the ensuing debate many other speakers, including the representative of Pakistan, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, said development partners must support the implementation of transition strategies for countries graduating from the least developed category to avoid abrupt disruptions to their development momentum.

The representative of Bangladesh, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries, said that while the Cotonou Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action illustrated positive economic growth, good governance, reform and strides in sustainable development, efforts to achieve the Programme’s goals had been stymied by low productivity, weak infrastructure, rapid population growth, unemployment and environmental degradation.  The share of least developed countries in the world merchandise trade had stood at just 0.83 per cent in 2006, less than the 1960 level of 2.5 per cent, and the current trading system discriminated against them in the form of subsidies, tariff escalation schemes, non-tariff restrictions and artificial standards imposed by industrialized countries.  Those trends must be reversed. 

Earlier, the Committee took up its agenda item on information and communication technologies for development, with several speakers pointing out that technology’s importance as a tool for poverty eradication and the dire need to bridge the ever-widening digital divide between developed and developing countries.  The representative of Indonesia, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said information and communications technology could be a powerful instrument for increasing productivity, generating economic growth, creating jobs, improving the quality of life and promoting dialogue among peoples and nations.

Other speakers today were the representatives of Tunisia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, India, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Russian Federation, Israel, Switzerland, Portugal (on behalf of the European Union), Lesotho (on behalf of the Southern African Development Community), Haiti (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), Mali (on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries), Benin, Sudan, Japan, Cambodia, Norway, India, Iceland, Bhutan and Afghanistan.

Also making a statement was a representative of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Prior to its consideration of the day’s business, the Committee heard several draft resolutions introduced.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday 6 November, to conclude its consideration of groups of countries in special situations and begin its debate on the eradication of poverty.

Background

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met today to begin its consideration of information and communications technology for development.  It was also expected to take up programme planning and groups of countries in special situations.

Prior to taking up those agenda items, Committee members heard the introduction of several drafts.  They included texts on Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (documents A/C.2/62/L.13 and A/C.2/62/L.23); Follow-up to and implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (document A/C.2/62/L.16); International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (document A/C.2/62/L.20); Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/62/L.12); and Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (document A/C.2/62/L.17).

Also introduced were drafts on the Convention on Biological Diversity (document A/C.2/62/L.15); Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twenty-fourth session (document A/C.2/62/L.14); Sustainable mountain development (document A/C.2/62/L.18); Promotion of new and renewable sources of energy, including the implementation of the World Solar Programme (document A/C.2/62/L.19); and Implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) (document A/C.2/62/L.22).

The Committee was also expected to take up its agenda items on information and communication technologies for development; programme planning; and groups of countries in special situations, including the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries and specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries:  outcome of the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation.

Before the Committee was a letter dated 17 October 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/492-S/2007/616), which transmits the Bishkek Declaration from the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on 16 August 2007.

Also before the Committee was a letter dated 8 October 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/488), which transmits the Ministerial Declaration adopted by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 and China at their thirty-first annual meeting, held at United Nations Headquarters on 27 September 2007.

The Committee also had before it the Secretary-General’s report on Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (documents A/62/79—E/2007/63 and Corr.1), which finds continued strong economic performance by least developed countries, with fewer countries, mainly Pacific islands, lagging behind, and improved social indicators.  Despite international support for health in African least developed countries, socio-economic progress has been stymied by continued population growth, malnutrition, environmental degradation and challenges associated with climate change, resulting in food shortages, disruption of food supplies and famine.

To achieve the goals of the Brussels Programme of Action, the report calls for greater donor focus on enhancing productive capacity, increased aid allocations to infrastructure and technological development, and efforts to increase aid volumes to achieve agreed official development assistance (ODA) targets.  Future progress rests on strong commitments from least developed countries and their development partners to the Programme of Action’s objectives.  To do this, least developed countries need pro—poor policies aimed at bolstering agricultural and labour productivity and sustainable development.  Other steps include improving access to electricity, bridging the digital divide, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and nurturing South-South cooperation.

Also before the Committee was the Secretary-General’s report on the Advocacy strategy on the effective and timely implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (document A/62/322), which defines the approaches to be used in raising awareness about the Programme’s objectives, goals and commitments that will guide United Nations advocacy work targeting a broad range of stakeholders.

The overall objective of the Programme is to make substantial progress towards halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 and promoting sustainable development in least developed countries, the report states.  The advocacy strategy of the United Nations includes increasing awareness of the shortfalls, challenges and opportunities of in implementing the Programme, and of broader and stronger actions and partnerships at the national, regional and international levels.  These objectives are aimed at reaching the Governments of least developed countries, donor countries, United Nations system organizations, the media and others.  Areas of focus include financial resources for development, trade, infrastructure, employment, environmental vulnerability and health, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

A letter dated 3 August 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Benin to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/216) transmits the Istanbul Declaration on the Least Developed Countries:  Time for Action, adopted at the Ministerial Conference of Least Developed Countries on “Making globalization work for the Least Developed Countries”, held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 9 and 10 July 2007.

Also before the Committee was the Secretary-General’s report on the Status of preparations for the midterm review of the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action:  Addressing the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries within a New Global Framework for Transit Transport Cooperation for Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries (document A/62/216), which outlines United Nations activities to ensure effective preparation for the midterm review.

The report describes the midterm review as a major exercise that will provide the international community with an opportunity to assess the progress made in establishing efficient transit transport systems, and what needs to be done further; outlines the thematic and regional preparations, monitoring of the implementation of the Almaty Programme and advocacy efforts to mobilize international attention to the special needs of landlocked developing countries and the midterm review; and concludes, among other things, that the Almaty Programme should be considered in the context of international efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The Committee also had before it a letter dated 30 July 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Mali to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/62/256 and A/62/256/Corr.1), which transmits the report of the Thematic Meeting on Transit Transport Infrastructure Development held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 18 to 20 June 2007 as part of the preparatory process for the midterm review of the Almaty Programme’s implementation.

A letter dated 9 October 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the General Assembly (document A/C.2/62/4) transmits the report of the Thematic Meeting on International Trade and Trade Facilitation, which was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 30 and 31 August 2007 as part of the preparatory process for the midterm review.

Also before the Committee was a letter dated 5 October 2007 from the Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Mali to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/C.2/62/5), which transmits the text of the ministerial communiqué adopted by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries at their seventh annual ministerial meeting, held in New York on 28 September 2007.

Introduction of Reports

FARHAT AYESHA (Pakistan) introduced, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the draft resolutions on the protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/62/L.12); implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (document A/C.2/62/L.13); report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twenty-fourth session (document A/C.2/62/L.14); Convention on Biological Diversity (document A/C.2/62/L.15); and follow-up to and implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (document A/C.2/62/L.16).

Committee Chairperson KIRSTI LINTONEN (Finland), opening the general debate on information and communication technologies for development, stressed that the digital divide must be bridged through efforts by the international community, national Governments, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders.  The Committee’s principal interest in the development of a comprehensive information and communications technology strategy for the United Nations system rested not in its technological aspects, but in its value as a strategic tool to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and development impact of United Nations system programmes and activities.  Last week’s Connect Africa Summit had resulted in investment and other commitments amounting to more than $70 billion to bring broadband and high-speed, low-cost connectivity to the continent by 2012.  That would foster the realization of internationally agreed development goals.

Statements

MANUCHER BHANDARA (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said creating links between knowledge generation and development was one of the greatest challenges facing developing countries.  While the adoption of the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda had provided a vision for bridging the ever-widening technological divide between North and South, it was to be hoped that the implementation of their promises would allow developing countries to benefit fully from the potential of information and communications technology.

He said proper use of information and communications technology would assist in the eradication of poverty and the realization of the internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals.  Progress on the Geneva and Tunis Summits must be monitored and followed up.  The Group of 77 and China called for the full implementation of the outcomes of those summits.

Reaffirming that the international management of the Internet should be a multilateral, transparent and democratic process, he said it must have the full involvement of Governments, the private sector, civil society and international organizations, as well as a more active role for the General Assembly.  The Group of 77 and China would table a short procedural resolution requesting the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, containing recommendations on the follow-up process.

ADIYATWIDI ADIWOSO ASMADY (Indonesia), speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said that under favourable conditions, information and communications technology could be a powerful instrument for increasing productivity, generating economic growth, creating jobs, improving quality of life and promoting dialogue among people and nations.  Still, the digital divide remained a challenge.  While the 2007 Millennium Development Goals Report acknowledged the growing use of the Internet and mobile phones, it also emphasized that it remained relatively low in developing countries.

She said ASEAN was committed to achieving the Vientiane Action Programme, including its provisions on telecommunications and the information and communications technology sector.  Under that Programme, ASEAN was striving for universal access to information and communications technology infrastructure and services, and for stronger cooperation and assistance concerning regulatory policy and strategy.  There had been continuous progress in ASEAN’s cooperation in the information and communications technology field, including the creation in 2006 of the ASEAN Information and Communications Technology Centre, and the first disbursement plan of the ASEAN Information and Communications Technology Fund for 2007 and 2008.  The latter would support the implementation of 11 priority projects and initiatives focusing on capacity-building in next-generation networks, early warning systems for tsunamis, and Universal Service Obligation programmes; on studies on the legal infrastructure of e-commerce, mobile roaming charges and information and communications technology skills standardization; and facilitating the telecommunications equipment trade.

HABIB MANSOUR ( Tunisia) said information and communications technology and development were closely linked, but the differing dynamics of technological advances among countries had turned those links into a source of exclusion and marginalization.  The World Summit on the Information Society had been organized to identify solutions to developing information and communications technology throughout the world, and indeed had produced results.  But it was now the responsibility of the international community to implement those solutions to create a balanced digital field.

The world had not overcome the digital divide, he said, describing that divide as an obstacle to development.  In the future information and communications technology would determine standard of living, especially among developing countries.  A target and framework were needed to move forward.  Two issues closely linked to the results of the World Summit on the Information Society were the document on implementation of the meeting’s outcome, and the upcoming gathering in Rio, which would host the second forum on Internet governance.

CHEN MING ( China) said that in the 1990s the Chinese Government had launched major information and communications technology application programmes, including the Gold Customs Programme, the Gold Card Programme and the Gold Tax Programme.  China’s information network had become an important part of the infrastructure to support socio-economic development.  The country now had the most telephone users and the world’s largest telecommunications network, while ranking second in terms of Internet and broadband access users.  The information and communications technology industry’s contribution to the economy was steadily rising.  In 2005, the value added to the information and communications technology industry had accounted for 7.2 per cent of gross domestic product and 16.6 per cent of economic growth.  Manufactured electronics and information and communications technology products had accounted for more than 30 per cent of total exports.

Still, China was grappling with inadequate capacity for home-grown innovation, and its potential for information and communications technology and related security remained untapped, he said.  The country lagged seriously behind the developed world in the level of information and communications technology application and had an imbalance in network coverage among different regions.  The National Strategy for Information and Communications Technology Development for 2006-2020 aimed to build integrated information infrastructures throughout the country, greatly enhance indigenous capacity for innovation, optimize the industry’s structure and provide national information security, achieve tangible results in socio-economic development, create a new industrialization model, develop suitable institutional infrastructure, and boost application capacity.

MOHAMAD RAZIF ABD. MUBIN ( Malaysia) said the digital divide was another yawning chasm confronting developing countries.  In Africa, home to 14 per cent of the world’s population, the number of Internet users made up only 3.5 per cent of the global total, compared with 19.4 per cent of the total in North America, which contained only 5 per cent of the world’s population.  Current means of conventional development and institutions were becoming less adequate for a knowledge-driven economy and society unless appropriate changes were made.

Beyond issues of physical access and connectivity, advancement in information and communications technology had a huge impact on economic and social development, he said.  The promotion and advancement of information and communications technology must be facilitated by a proper intellectual property framework that would benefit the poor and disadvantaged.  Malaysia suggested that the United Nations and other multilateral agencies champion the implementation of information and communications technology for development; that development programmes in that field become networking platforms for creating economic wealth and enhancing societal value; and that programmes needed to focus on content, applications, cultures and other non-technical issues to benefit as many people as possible.  Information and communications technology for development must focus on information security and provide a trusted environment for the information society to realize its economic growth potential while enhancing societal value.

PILANYA NIYOMTHAI (Thailand), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and ASEAN, said it was imperative that the United Nations system help developing countries, especially least developed countries, in enhancing their access to information and communications technology.  Thailand anticipated fruitful discussions on that issue in the upcoming United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) XII in Accra, Ghana, next April.  The private sector played an essential role in developing information and communications technology, and the United Nations system should explore ways to foster public-private partnerships.

Noting the Organization’s ongoing work on the use of open source software for development, she said her country had launched an e-Government Roadmap in 2003.  It set out comprehensive plans to improve governmental online services, establish proficient infrastructure and information networks, and advance security and regulation.  In 2006, the number of Thai people with access to the Internet had risen to 14.2 million, or 23 per cent of the population.  Further, Thailand had implemented programmes to incorporate information and communications technology into the education and development fields.

S.Y. NAIK ( India) said that as countries moved up the development ladder, their contributions to economic output shifted from an agricultural, to a manufacturing, and then a services base.  Buoyed by the revolution in information and communications technology since the last decade of the 20^th century, the global economy had witnessed such a shift to the services sector, which presented a special opportunity for developing countries.  By effectively using their comparative advantage in labour and human capital, rather than relying on materials resources, those countries could hope to reap more equitable benefits from that global phenomenon, which also led to employment generation.

He said the primary challenge was that of developing appropriate human resources, which was crucial in order to take advantage of information and communications technology.  There was also a need to focus on making technology more affordable and user—friendly.  Only then could there be progress towards bridging the digital divide.  The international community should extend financial support, particularly through the United Nations, so that developing countries could fully bring information and communications technology within the reach of millions.

India supported the role of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, and had been striving to take advantage of the information technology revolution, he continued, noting that the information technology-enabled services sector had seen astronomical growth rates, accompanied by employment.  The sector’s contribution to national economic output was now over 5 per cent, compared to a mere 1.2 per cent at the turn of the century.  Committed to harnessing the benefits of information and communications technology in diverse areas, India had launched an ambitious programme to promote e-governance at all levels.  As a part of South-South solidarity, the country was using fibre optics and a dedicated satellite to help establish a connectivity project in Africa, to support tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance, infotainment, resource mapping and meteorological services for 53 countries across the continent.

MOHAMMED HAMAD AL-KHAILI ( United Arab Emirates) said his country was building information and communications technology societies nationally and regionally.  National legislation focused on individual freedoms and dignity, as well as the introduction of various technologies nationwide.  In November, the country would hold the first Middle East conference on information and communications technology.  The United Arab Emirates had been pursing a national strategy to promote information and communications technology by creating infrastructure and services that would enable all stakeholders to gain access to the technology’s benefits.

The United Arab Emirates had also set up a $54 million fund to enhance information and communications technology in the Middle East, he said.  The country was hosting the Gulf Information and Communications Technology Unity initiative to promote development goals relating to information and communications technology.  Further, it was trying to introduce information and communications technology curricula at all education levels and had the specialized institutions required to provide the necessary training.  It was important to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries, so as to contribute to the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and international prosperity.

NANDA KUMAR PRASAI ( Nepal) said information and communications technology had driven globalization but had not reduced inequality among rich and poor nations.  The digital divide posed serious challenges to sustainable development, and the lack of information and communications technology slowed the integration of poor countries, particularly least developed countries, into the globalized world.  Information and communications technology for development should be a shared global responsibility.

He stressed the need to address the special needs of least developed countries by investing in their human capacity and infrastructure.  The Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technology and Development should be strengthened further, so as to seize information and communications technology-related opportunities.  The Geneva and Tunis outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society should be implemented effectively and that process further enhanced to widen opportunities for the application of information and communications technology.

New advances in information and communications technology could benefit millions of people, he said.  For example, wireless technology had started to show tremendous benefits for people in rural Nepal, who otherwise had no access to information and communications technology.  The availability of inexpensive computers made it easier to make information and communications technology accessible to users in the developing world.  Nepal supported the “one laptop per child” proposal, especially in least developed countries, and had integrated information and communications technology into its national development priorities and programmes.  It had also started to expand, albeit on a limited scale, the network of broadband Internet service.

SERGEI KONONUCHENKO ( Russian Federation), underlining the importance of bridging the digital divide in order to ensure the realization of the Millennium Development Goals, said the international community must focus on developing institutional and technological infrastructure to provide training for qualified specialists.  The Russian Federation was ready to do everything necessary to achieve those goals.  The country had a rich experience in gradually implementing modern information and communications technology, a process that was important for countries with limited institutional capacity and investment resources.

He also stressed the importance of implementing the World Summit on the Information Society, noting that the Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technology and Development was making tangible contributions in that regard.  The international community must take the Alliance’s mandate into account, and organize its practical work in a way clearly oriented to implement the goals agreed by countries in terms of information and communications technology and development.

ANDA FILIP, Observer for the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said the world must address urgently the question of Internet access and governance, as well as institutional transparency and the rights and obligations of users.  The information society, particularly the Internet, must be made to flourish under the flag of democracy.  Additional reflection on the role of parliaments in the information society was necessary and timely in order to achieve the aims of the World Summit on the Information Society.

She said that the Union, in conjunction with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and with the assistance of several parliaments, had launched an inclusive project in 2006 known as the Global Centre for Information and Communication Technology in Parliament.  Its aim was to promote the sharing of good practices among parliaments.  For example, an international conference hosted by the Italian Chamber of Deputies in March 2007 had addressed the role of parliaments in the information society.

While the information society brought new opportunities, it also created new risks that required political choices, public debates, political guidelines and the creation of an appropriate institutional framework, she said.  Parliaments had a central role to play in determining those political choices, as a political guarantor against the technocratic risks of the information society and as a protector of fundamental rights, including those of socially weaker groups.  In countries with weak resources, a primary objective of a democratic parliament must be to ensure that legislation was widely accessible to citizens.  Access to information and knowledge was a fundamental right, and parliaments could help fulfil that access by small and concrete steps like publishing legal texts online.

Introduction of Draft Resolutions and Reports

ILAN FLUSS ( Israel) introduced a draft resolution on agricultural technology for development (document A/C.2/62/L.23), saying research showed that growth in agricultural sectors triggered twice the amount of economic growth as other sectors.  The text called upon Member States to make more technology available to developing countries, which would help boost their efforts to achieve the Millennium Goals.

THOMAS GASS ( Switzerland) introduced the draft resolution on sustainable mountain development (document A/C.2/62/L.18).

CHEICK SIDI DIARRA, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (document A/62/79 – E/2007/63).

International support for health and education was paying dividends, he said, pointing to rising access to and completion of primary education, as well as improved prevention and treatment policies that had reduced under-five mortality rates in an increasing number of least developed countries.  HIV/AIDS incidence had also declined in most of them.  However, challenges remained.  HIV incidence was increasing in seven African and two Asian least developed countries, while maternal mortality seemed extraordinarily high in sub-Saharan African least developed countries.  Access to improved water and sanitation in rural areas remained a problem for nearly half of the least developed countries for which data was available.  While extreme poverty appeared to be declining, malnutrition had actually worsened due to a combination of high population growth, low agricultural productivity, environmental degradation, recurrent natural disasters and challenges associated with climate change.  As a result, those countries faced food shortages, a disruption of food supplies and famine.

He said the Brussels Programme had been designed as a framework for partnership, which had been identified as the key principle in the Programme’s implementation.  Fostering partnerships was a matter of the highest priority if the Programme’s goals and objectives were to be met by 2010.  Coherent national and international policies, the scaling up of domestic and external financial resources, and greater involvement by civil society and the private sector were also crucial to the Programme’s success.

Introducing the Secretary-General’s report on the advocacy strategy on the effective and timely implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (document A/62/322), he said the conclusions of the midterm review included proposed advocacy activities focusing on, among other things, increased mobilization of both domestic and external resources for poverty eradication in the least developed countries, as well as enhanced transparency, accountability and efficiency in the use of those resources.  The challenges facing least developed countries remained daunting but not insurmountable.  Increased and timely international support was vital to overcoming those challenges.  The priorities for the Office of the High Representative were the mobilization of international support and resources for least developed countries, advocacy with development partners for concrete measures in favour of least developed countries, and the full mobilization and coordination of the United Nations system in support of those countries.

He also introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the status of preparations for the midterm review of the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action:  addressing the special needs of landlocked developing countries, countries within a new global framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries (document A/62/226).  He said high transport costs and undue long delays were both a symptom and a result of negative factors that fell into two major categories:  physical infrastructure bottlenecks and non-physical barriers.  Cumbersome procedural requirements and documentation had a strong negative impact on external trade performance in landlocked and transit developing countries, problems whose magnitude was illustrated by statistics contained in the report.  The midterm review provided an opportunity to further galvanize global partnerships to do better in assisting one of the three most vulnerable groups of countries.

Statements

HAJRA TARIQ AZIZ (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said least developed countries had made tremendous efforts to build an enabling national environment for the implementation of the Programme of Action.  The voluntary presentations made by several developing countries, including four least developed countries, at the first Economic and Social Council Annual Ministerial Review, further confirmed their commitment to fulfilling their obligations.  The Group of 77 called on Member States, United Nations organizations and other relevant entities to implement the Cotonou Strategy recommendations.  Development partners must support implementation of the transition strategy of countries graduating from the list of least developed countries to avoid any abrupt disruption in their development.

He said the midterm review of implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action would give countries the opportunity to agree on what remained to be done in further galvanizing global partnerships to help landlocked developing countries.  Multilateral institutions must do better in encouraging public and private sector investment in transit transport infrastructure development in landlocked developing countries through investment guarantee schemes.  Donor countries and multilateral and regional financial and development institutions should give technical and financial assistance in the form of grants or concessionary loans to implement the Almaty Programme, as well as voluntary contributions to the trust fund set up by the Secretary-General to support the follow-up to the Almaty Programme.

MIGUEL SILVESTRE (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the recently approved “European Union Strategy on Aid for Trade:  Enhancing support for trade-related needs in developing countries” would support developing countries, including least developed countries, to better integrate into the rules-based world trading system and use trade more effectively to promote the overarching objective of poverty eradication.  The strategy would ensure the quality of “Aid for Trade”, as well as the due implementation of pledges made.  The European Union was striving to increase its collective expenditures on trade-related assistance to €2 billion per year from 2010, so as to complement the “Everything But Arms” initiative that gave exports from least developed countries duty- and quota-free market access.  The regional body was also making other efforts to promote trade as a tool for economic growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The European Union intended immediately to implement its Code of Conduct for Development Cooperation in all partner countries, particularly fragile States, he continued.  The Code of Conduct sought to strengthen the Union’s efforts to implement the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.  It also aimed to help reduce transaction costs, and to better synchronize partner countries’ programming calendars, national planning and budget cycles.  While important progress had been made in increasing debt relief for the world’s poorest countries, innovative financing mechanisms and solutions should be explored further to fund environmental activities, particularly climate change activities in developing countries.  In addition the recently approved European Union-Africa Partnership on Infrastructure aimed to support programmes that would facilitate interconnectivity in Africa and strengthen regional integration.

ISMAT JAHAN ( Bangladesh), speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries, said the Cotonou Strategy for the further implementation of the Programme of Action illustrated positive strides for least developed countries in economic growth and sustainable development.  Most of the least developed countries had adopted sound macroeconomic policies and relatively open trade regimes.  They had also instituted reforms to promote good governance, democracy, human rights and public management, and others for combating graft and protecting and empowering the vulnerable.

However, low productivity, weak infrastructure, rapid population growth, unemployment, environmental degradation and climate change remained big challenges, she said, adding that lack of security was seriously detrimental to the realization of the goals of the Brussels Programme of Action.  Despite significant efforts, least developed countries could not gain effectively from trade, she said, noting that their share in world merchandise trade had stood at just 0.83 per cent in 2006.  Their share in world exports was still less than the 1960 level of 2.5 per cent.  The current trading system was biased against least developed countries because of a wide array of harmful subsidies, tariff escalation schemes, non-tariff restrictions and artificial standards imposed by industrialized countries.

That must be reversed, and the Doha trade negotiations must conclude as soon as possible, she said, calling also for duty- and quota-free market access for all least developed country exports without any restrictions.  That access should be provided by simple and transparent rules of origin.  Least developed countries were also increasingly marginalized in South-South trade, and the duty- and quota-free market access granted by some developing countries was welcome.  Others should follow suit.  ODA, an important resource, had stagnated at around 0.08 per cent, compared with 0.09 per cent in 1990.  Assistance to least developed countries was highly concentrated and associated with high transaction costs.  Donor countries should fulfil their ODA commitment to least developed countries by ensuring they earmarked 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product by 2010.

LEBOHANG FINE MAEMA ( Lesotho), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said the Brussels Programme of Action remained the essential framework for a global partnership between least developed countries and their development partners, providing goals and targets with action-oriented commitments.  That development compact should also provide a framework for development partners’ ODA strategies and plans.  To achieve the Programme’s goals, specifically halving by 2015 the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, the United Nations system and other development partners should focus on enhancing the productive capacity of least developed countries, particularly in the agricultural sector.

He said SADC continued to face several challenges that undermined economic growth and sustainable development gains, including poor infrastructure, food shortages, climate change effects and the spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other communicable diseases.  The Community needed assured and effective partnership from the international community.  Donors must fulfil ODA and debt-relief commitments; ensure predictable aid flows, technology transfer and improved market access; and increase FDI.  Unless those commitments were met, SADC would be hard pressed to move towards attainment of the Millennium Goals.

On the Almaty Programme of Action, he said SADC continued to tackle the transit transport challenges facing many States, particularly landlocked ones.  Some strategies involved the accelerated implementation of spatial development initiatives, followed by the mobilization of private investment and programmes to harmonize and streamline customs procedures and instruments as part of trade facilitation efforts.  SADC called on the international community to support it in those efforts.

WILLIAM EXANTUS (Haiti), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the challenges facing least developed countries were a global problem, and the Brussels Programme of Action outlined the steps needed to improve conditions in least developed countries by 2010.  But despite efforts by Governments and development partners, the socio-economic situation in those countries remained precarious, with few chances of attaining the Programme’s goals, and much fewer chances of realizing the Millennium targets.

While meeting the goals for 2010 was possible, that would only happen with the assistance of development partners that took a firm stand to adopt innovative measures, he said.  CARICOM appealed to development partners to implement their commitments to work towards success in 2010, including in the areas of FDI, technical cooperation, trade and debt relief.  CARICOM also requested a complete restructuring of the debt owed by least developed countries.  Progress on the Brussels Programme had been modest, and the least developed countries should not be allowed to continue to struggle on the margins.

AMI DIALLO ( Mali), speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, said those countries could theoretically compete in global trade, if only they could physically reach the markets.  The Almaty Programme showed the way to improve the conditions of people living in landlocked developing countries, but the reality was bleak.  A recent UNCTAD report showed that Africa had just 7 kilometres of roads per square 100 kilometres.  Railways covered 3 kilometres per square 100 kilometres, and the situation in Asia and Latin America was not much better.  Transit times in landlocked developing countries were much longer than in other countries.

She insisted on the quick implementation of the Almaty’s Programme regarding trade and the facilitation of trade, expressing the hope that the Doha Round would meet a speedy and successful conclusion.  Unfortunately, not many of the landlocked developing countries were World Trade Organization members.  They should be included.  The landlocked developing countries faced many challenges, among them climate change impacts that destroyed transport infrastructure.  Hopefully donors would keep their promises of adequate, immediate and predictable aid.

TATIANA ZVEREVA ( Russian Federation) said her country was taking tangible steps to foster development in least developed countries.  It had lowered import duties and created a preferential import regime for exports from least developed countries.  It had no protectionist measures and was working in a targeted way with the Paris Club and other organizations to lower the level of indebtedness of least developed countries.  The Russian Federation was working with the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative, which was a good tool for combating underdevelopment in least developed countries.

She said her country had written off $11.3 billion in African countries’ debt through the HIPC Debt Initiative, and had set up a special trading regime for least developed countries.  The Russian Federation supported implementation of the Almaty Programme, as well as international and intergovernmental mechanisms like the UNCTAD Council for Trade and Development.  The Russian Federation also supported regional cooperation arrangements and had signed tripartite transit cooperation agreements with Mongolia and China.

FERNANDE AFIAVI HOUNGBEDJI ( Benin) said the Brussels Programme established the responsibilities of all stakeholders in the race to achieve the Millennium targets.  With that in mind, Benin had, since 2001, honed its economic performance and honoured its own commitments.  The country’s political, social and economic horizons showed an investment-friendly environment.  The Government had bolstered economic growth and adapted a financial system tailored to its primary actors.  In addition, improved management of public funds and social well-being allowed Benin to create the necessary conditions for achieving the goals of the Brussels Programme.

She said agriculture fuelled her country’s economic growth, but jobs in that sector were low-paying.  The Government had therefore set up a programme to modernize the agricultural sector and, among other things, create favourable conditions for exports.  But in order to succeed, Benin needed help from the international community, particularly the removal of trade barriers so the country could participate in international trade.  It was to be hoped as well that the international community would address the question of cotton subsidies, which had caused 20 million African farmers to lose $450 million in 2004.

HASSAN YOUSIF NGOR ( Sudan) said most least developed countries had put national development strategies in place, improved governance and created a macroeconomic climate conducive to economic growth, trade and investment.  Despite such sincere commitments and positive economic growth, they had not been able to bring about the socio-economic structural changes required for a substantial reduction in poverty levels, due to structural systemic impediments beyond their control, such as a lack of resources, the adverse impact of climate change, unfair international terms of trade, weak capacities and poor infrastructure.  Despite the debt relief extended to several least developed countries, many others with significant debt burdens remained outside of the HIPC Debt Initiative and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI).  In many cases, conditions attached to those initiatives were difficult to meet, and Sudan called for flexible policy conditions to help least developed countries reach the completion point.

Inadequate infrastructure and capacity-building had plagued least developed countries for a long time, he continued.  Sudan had created a high-level commission comprising various ministries and institutions.  It carried out studies of the seven Brussels commitments and issued periodic reports on the various phases of their implementation.  In May, the Government had updated its country report, indicating the strides made in development, governance and trade, as well as the obstacles it faced, particularly the lack of funding.  Sudan called for the cancellation of its $27 billion external debt, which would allow the country to fund reconstruction.

MOTOYUKI ISHIZE ( Japan) said his country had been working with the secretariat of the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to support infrastructure development in least developed countries, in line with national ownership and leadership.  Japan also continued to provide Aid for Trade through its “Development Initiative for Trade” to help least developed countries boost exports and improve competitiveness.  Japan also provided technology transfer through South-South and other technical cooperation projects aimed at diversifying exports, the importance of which was highlighted in recent reports by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and UNCTAD.

He said that last year, his country had enhanced duty- and quota-free market access to least developed countries by expanding the coverage of their exports to 98 per cent, which surpassed the target agreed to in the World Trade Organization’s Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration.  Japan was also steadily moving towards its goal of doubling ODA by the end of 2007, and it remained committed to implementing the HIPC Debt Initiative.  Japan had also been providing wide-ranging of support for infrastructure development and capacity-building in landlocked developing countries, including grant aid, ODA, loans and technical cooperation projects.

KOSAL SEA ( Cambodia) said least developed countries needed greater financial inflows through aid, reduced debt servicing and increased current account flows to foster development.  Developed countries should fulfil their commitment of providing 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product in aid to least developed countries.  That could be further strengthened by effective partnerships between donors and recipients.  Aid for Trade initiatives should be expanded as soon as possible to help the poorest nations with poor infrastructure benefit from market access opportunities.

Since 2000, Cambodia had adopted reforms for growth, employment, equity and efficiency within the framework of a national strategic development plan, he said.  Thanks to those efforts the Cambodian economy had grown on average 11.4 per cent annually from 2004 to 2006.  Cambodia could achieve the Millennium Development Goals, provided that its development partners and the global community took bold initiatives to offer financial, technical and other support, and by creating win-win partnerships.  Cambodia supported the creation of a Doha trade package that would provide duty- and quota-free access for all products from least developed countries.

MONA JUUL ( Norway) said sound policies and good governance at all levels were of crucial importance for development in least developed countries.  Since 80 per cent of the world’s worst performers concerning corruption were least developed countries, better anti-corruption policies were essential for them.  It was encouraging that more least developed countries were pledging adherence to the principles of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, as well as to the Kimberley Process.  But more progress was needed in combating corruption and economic fraud on a broad basis. 

It was encouraging that investment rates were going up in many least developed countries, she said.  But while optimism was strong in the private sector and among officials in countries like the United Republic of Tanzania and Ethiopia, there was a large group of least developed countries where investment rates remained low and the business climate unfavourable.  Accountability and Government effectiveness as a whole had been weakened, and infrastructure development had been slow.  All those factors were serious obstacles to developing the private sector in least developed countries.

She said her country was ready to help least developed countries alleviate those obstacles and build better human and institutional capacities.  Developed countries must honour their ODA commitments, and more donors must join in to make the scaling up initiative of the Commission for Africa and the G8 countries a success.  Norway had tabled a development budget for 2008 to earmark 0.98 per cent of gross domestic product and was aiming for 1 per cent and beyond in the next few years.  Norway strongly supported targeted debt relief and measures to complement, not replace, development assistance.

A. KRISHNASWAMY ( India) said developed countries should provide enhanced market access for exports of special interest to landlocked developing countries.  India had taken special steps to enhance its friendly and historical links with its landlocked neighbours through cooperation on transit trade and transport issues, including special bilateral cooperation agreements in force for easy transport of their goods through India.  The country had also extended economic and technical support for infrastructure development and capacity-building, besides promoting regional transport and trade connectivity.

It was important to move from the paradigm of offering palliatives to tackling the root causes of underdevelopment, so that least developed countries could truly meet their development goals, he said.  That required a proactive approach, involving support for national development strategies through new and additional financing, enhanced market access and technology transfer at affordable rates, among other measures.  The international community should help the poorest countries graduate from the list of least developed countries and help them sustain their achievement after graduating.  India supported requests by many least developed countries for a re-examination of the graduation criteria.  Exports to India from least developed countries would face zero tariffs by year’s end.  There was also a need for greater collective efforts to address the debt problem through innovative mechanisms, such as an international debt commission overseen by the United Nations.

HARALD ASPELUND ( Iceland) said the bulk of his country’s bilateral ODA had gone to least developed countries, which needed urgent and substantial international support in their efforts to fight poverty.  Iceland had provided assistance in areas including fisheries projects, food security, education and health.  It also supported efforts for gender-specific projects in least developed countries, and the sustainable use of renewable energy sources.

He said landlocked developing countries could benefit from Aid for Trade initiatives, which his country supported.  Iceland would also continue to advocate for the liberalization of international trade, since a breakdown in the Doha Development Round would have negative consequences for developing countries, especially least developed countries and landlocked developing countries.

DAW PENJO ( Bhutan) said developing countries must redouble efforts to institute sound national policies and development strategies, and the international community must be serious in meeting their commitments to the Brussels Programme of Action, as well as the Millennium Declaration and other international obligations.  Active cooperation among landlocked developing countries, transit developing countries and their developed-country partners was necessary to implement the Almaty road map.  The 2008 midterm review of implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action should be comprehensive and held at the highest level, with inputs from various preparatory processes.  Adequate resources from both the regular and extraordinary budgets should be mobilized to ensure the success of the review.

He said his country had made tremendous socio-economic progress since the early 1960s.  That had been possible due to support from development partners, particularly India.  Bhutan was striving for self-reliance, but as a landlocked developing country, it faced obstacles and needed international support for some time to come.  Early next year, Bhutan would hold its first parliamentary elections.  It would adopt a constitution that would transform the country into a democratic constitutional monarchy.  Sustained socio-economic progress was necessary for democracy firmly to take root.

MOHAMMAD WALI NAEEMI ( Afghanistan) said landlocked developing countries’ lack of material access to the sea, their remoteness from world markets and their dependence on the transit services of neighbouring countries, in addition to long customs and administrative delays, coupled with cumbersome procedures, added to their high trade transaction costs and significantly hampered their competitiveness.  The Almaty Programme of Action must create efficient transit transport systems to maintain and facilitate their external trade.  Afghanistan and other post-conflict countries had to overcome special infrastructure problems.  With highways, health care and education completely destroyed by war and violence, landmines had increased the costs of social and economic development.

Special attention was needed to help countries emerging from conflict develop trade capacity, he said.  Road building had been a top national priority for Afghanistan, which had almost completed a road network connecting Kabul to major Afghan provinces and neighbouring countries.  The new road system would give users access to seaports in Pakistan and Iran within two hours.  Afghanistan was also building a land bridge to link it with Central Asia and the Middle East.  Afghanistan had sponsored the 5 December 2005 Kabul Conference on Regional Economic Cooperation.

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For information media • not an official record