SECRETARY-GENERAL OPENS FOLLOW-UP CONFERENCE IN DOHA WITH CALL

 

FOR BOLDNESS, WILL TO LEAD IN ‘TAMING’ GLOBAL ECONOMIC TURMOIL

General Assembly President Says Transformation of ‘Faltering’ Economic,

Financial System Is Moral Duty as Emir of Qatar Calls Development ‘Umbrella of Peace’

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

DOHA, 29 November -- “Now more than ever, we must be bold and summon up the will to lead,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today as he urged a summit of world leaders in Doha, Qatar, to take decisive action to tame the global economic turmoil and reinvigorate the international development financing agenda to reduce its impact on poor countries.

“Without exaggeration, it can be said that the well-being of the world’s peoples and societies, even the future of our planet, depend on what we do today and in the coming weeks,” Secretary-General Ban said as he opened the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus.  The Summit, which today heard statements by 26 Heads of State and Government, including 13 African Presidents, runs through 2 December, and will discuss trade, aid, taxes, debt relief and innovative measures to bolster sufficient financing to meet key development targets, while renewing the commitments made at the 2002 International Conference in Monterrey, Mexico.

The Secretary-General said the global financial crisis had brought a long era of global growth to an abrupt end and also compounded other major threats -- climate change, food insecurity and the terrible persistence of poverty.  In response, the fiscal measures to address the crisis must be bold, decisive, and strongly coordinated.  “To promote that coordination, we need to build a bridge between the G-20 and the rest of the world -- the entire community of nations,” he said, recalling the recent meeting in Washington, D.C., of the world’s major industrialized and emerging economies.

He said such a bridge must stand on three pillars:  cooperation; sustainability; and inclusive governance.  There was a need to support “green” technologies, battle climate change and create jobs.  Further, rescue and assistance packages should not stop at the borders of rich and powerful countries.  “Are we to ‘economize’ on official development assistance (ODA), worth some hundred billion dollars, while trillions are mobilized in the rich countries to fight their financial problems?”  Also, inclusive multilateralism was of key importance since virtually all growth in the next year would come from emerging economies.  “Without them, the global economy would sharply contract.”

The Monterrey Consensus was a major achievement that, at the time, had been seen as opening a new era of cooperation bridging the old North-South divide, he said.  “The Monterrey vision could yet deliver all that and more.  Faithfully implemented, it is a path out of our current predicament,” he added, highlighting key aspects of the development financing agenda in the current context, including:  ensuring liquidity; reaffirming the Millennium Development Goals; stepping up debt-relief programmes; mobilizing local resources; fighting climate change; and ending protectionist policies.

In his opening remarks, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, Emir of Qatar and President of the Conference, emphasized the role that the meeting would play, especially in the economic and social fields, in forming a broad vision for development.  History had shown that development could not be achieved without cooperation, stability and security.  Indeed, the current global financial crisis showed that the well-being of all people was linked.  Moreover, the parallel credit and financial crises were impacting development for all.  “It is clear that there is no special privilege or exception for any country or peoples.”

The international community should learn from the current crises -- and from history -- while striving to ensure comprehensive development for peoples, societies and countries, he continued.  Such efforts should focus particularly on ensuring economic and social equality and growth, while also encompassing health care and constitutional and legal rights, among other things.  Development was multidimensional and related to the vitality and movement of societies, their capabilities and resources.  Indeed, comprehensive development did more to protect peoples and countries than any stockpile of weapons.  “Development is an umbrella of peace that protects everyone,” he said.

Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the comprehensive and sustainable development of the countries that needed it most could not be sacrificed to the current economic crises.  On the face of it, the international community had two choices: it could adopt a business-as-usual stance and let its institutions and mechanisms remain as they were; or it could see the economic turbulence as an opportunity to change the way in which global institutions operated to ensure the ability of developing countries, especially those in Africa, to achieve broader growth and sustainability.  The European Union hoped the international community chose the latter path and used the platform provided by the Conference to “jump-start” such efforts.

A major step in the right direction would be overhauling global institutions to ensure they were adapted to the new political, economic and financial realities, he said, noting the presence in Doha of so many African Heads of State and Government.  That continent must have a seat at the international decision-making table and representation in global financial institutions.  It was unrealistic that not a single African State held permanent membership on the Security Council.  How could the world’s problems be solved if 1 billion people were not represented?

He said the representation and participation of African and other developing nations in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and similar institutions must also be expanded.  While the G-8 format had been useful in the past, it was clear that comprehensive decisions could not be made without the participation of such countries as China, India, Brazil and Mexico -- or any South American country, for that matter.  Moreover, the importance of South Africa was widely known, but it could not represent an entire continent on its own.  “This is the twenty-first century and we are still working with twentieth century institutions,” President Sarkozy declared, calling on delegations to pull together for reform.  “Let us reject paralysis […] we cannot continue with business as usual.”

Echoing that sentiment, General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann (Nicaragua) said the world desperately needed to move away from the logic of “I and mine” towards the logic of “We and ours”.  Six years after Monterrey, the Group of 8 (G-8) had only reluctantly expanded its ranks to become the G-20, but some countries still wished to keep systemic issues outside the United Nations -- the G-192, he said, referring to the world body’s full membership.  “There is no doubt that the international community has been dragging its feet with regard to compliance with the commitments assumed at Monterrey.”

Therefore, he said, it was imperative for the Doha outcome document to be as strong and clear as possible.  The democratization and reform of the United Nations system included the international financial and trade institutions as part of the architecture of the international economic order.  New proposals on innovative sources of finance for development had been put forward, including for climate change and food security.  Innovative solutions on debt should also be identified.  Developing countries needed support to strengthen domestic-resource mobilization.  Negotiations on the Doha Development Round must also be restarted.  “The above measures should be seen, rather than as expressions of charity, as a moral duty of social justice,” he stressed.

Concurring, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the African Union, said the longer the Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations remained stalled, the more disadvantageous it was for developing countries.  While Africa welcomed the “Aid for Trade” initiative, it was taking too long to put into operation.  Moreover, donors were not on track to meet their commitments to double aid to Africa in 2010, and progress on systemic issues had been limited.  African countries still lacked fair representation in the international financial and other bodies, including the Security Council.

The current financial crisis posed great dangers to Africa’s development and threatened to reverse its gains, he warned.  As the crisis affected all nations, the search for solutions should, therefore, involve all.  There was a need to correct the fact that the least developed countries were not involved in the current arrangements.  There was an urgent need to reform the financial architecture and institutions.  African countries must be given a greater voice in the World Bank and the World Trade Organization and get a permanent seat on the Security Council.  The time had come to look at the pricing mechanisms for such commodities as oil.

The Conference began on a sombre note as Heads of State and Government observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the attacks in Mumbai, India.  The Secretary-General Ban reaffirmed the solidarity of the United Nations with that country’s Government and people.  “No cause or grievance can justify indiscriminate attacks against civilians, and the perpetrators must be brought swiftly to justice,” he said.

The afternoon plenary session, which ran concurrently with a round table on “Mobilizing Domestic Financial Resources for Development”, opened with a statement by Léo Mérorès ( Haiti), President of the Economic and Social Council, who said the current challenges provided an opportunity to ensure that global financial institutions operated in a more coherent manner.  In its quest to identify innovative and creative solutions, the Council would enhance its participation and interaction with the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly at its annual high-level meetings.  “Investing in development is investing in the future -- a future for which we are all responsible,” he said.

Also speaking this afternoon was Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Minister for Development Cooperation of Germany, and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Conference, who said the international community was set to “take on difficult work at a difficult time”.  Nevertheless, Doha provided an opportunity to work up a global “New Deal” for social and economic development, which should be built around, among others:  strong, reliable governance structures; a “real” voice for developing countries; Africa’s participation in all international decision-making forums; an enhanced civil society; and the empowerment of women.

Trevor Manuel, Minister for Finance of South Africa and another Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Conference, expressed concern about the lack of urgency in the negotiations on the Doha draft outcome document, which “did not speak to the reality of the world”.  Indeed, the world would judge diplomatic and political leaders harshly “if, at the very moment that history requires us to join hands in global solidarity, we were unable to overcome […] petty differences”.  The task of the Conference was to lead the world through to the change that was required.  Compromise was necessary, as was a real commitment to the task at hand.  There was a need for all negotiating blocs to find workable solutions that would resonate in the wider world.  Such solutions required a hard look at both the G-8 and the “Group of 77” developing countries and China.  “We cannot allow this conference to end in failure.”

In other business today, the Conference elected its Vice-Presidents:  African Group:  Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Namibia, Senegal United Republic of Tanzania; Latin American and the Caribbean:  Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Venezuela; Western European and Other States Group:  Andorra, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, United States; Eastern European States:  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Russian Federation and Slovakia; and the Asian States Group:  Iran, Philippines, Syria and Tajikistan as Vice Presidents.

It elected Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, as Vice President ex officio and designated Kaire Mbuende, representative of Namibia, as its Rapporteur-General.

In other business, the Conference adopted its rules of procedure, as well as its agenda, amid other organizational matters.  It also established its Main Committee and adopted the body’s proposed organization of work.  It elected the General Assembly President Chairman of the Main Committee.  Botswana, China, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mozambique, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis and the United States were elected members of the Credentials Committee.

Speakers this morning included the Presidents of Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire, Costa Rica and the Comoros.

In the afternoon, the plenary heard statements by the Presidents of:  Croatia; Burkina Faso; Kenya; Zimbabwe; Sudan; Malawi; Benin; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Chad; and Burundi.

The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian Authority also spoke.

The Vice-Presidents of El Salvador and Gambia also addressed the Conference, as did the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Korea, Lesotho, Mozambique and Guinea.

Others speaking today were the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Innovative Financing for Development.

The President of the European Commission and the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development (OECD) also spoke.

Presentations were made by: the Representative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Union (on the Civil Society Forum); the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for the International Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Business Sector Steering Committee (on the Business Sector Forum); and the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU, on the Parliamentary Hearing).

The plenary of the International Conference will reconvene at 9 a.m. tomorrow, 30 November.

Opening Remarks

BAN KI-MOON, Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving as temporary President, opened the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus by proposing the election of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, as President of the Conference.

The Conference then elected Sheikh Hamad by acclamation.

SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL-THANI, Emir of Qatar and President of the Conference, said in his opening remarks that the international community had gathered to discuss development financing, and emphasized the role that the meeting would play, especially in the economic and social fields, in forming a broad vision for development.  History had shown that development could not be achieved without cooperation, stability and security.  Indeed, the current global financial crisis showed that the well-being of all people was linked.  Moreover, the parallel credit and financial crises were impacting development for all.  “It is clear that there is no special privilege or exception for any country or peoples.”

With that in mind, he said, the international community should learn from the current crises -- and from history -- while striving to ensure comprehensive development for peoples, societies and countries.  Such efforts should focus particularly on ensuring economic and social equality and growth, while also encompassing health care, as well as constitutional and legal rights.  Development was indeed multidimensional and related to the vitality and movement of societies, their capabilities and resources.  It went beyond financial activities.  While the international community gathered to discuss financing, it should be recognized that “finances” should only be seen as an incentive to keep pressing ahead and working together to ensure legal, economic and social rights, and development for all.  Such efforts should be undertaken in such a manner as to ensure proper checks and balances, including integrity and transparency.

He said the expectations being placed on oil-producing countries were too great, and noted that:  “Sometimes we have a feeling that there are some attempts to put the whole burden of development on the oil-producing countries.”  Nevertheless, such countries, including Qatar, would continue, within their capabilities, to ensure that they could make progress towards their own development while cooperating in international efforts to ensure comprehensive development for all.  At the same time, it was important to emphasize that developed countries did not have the right to dictate what others should do, especially when those countries then decided for themselves the manner in which -- or if at all -- they would contribute to international development activities.  Indeed, comprehensive development did more to protect peoples and countries than any stockpile of weapons.  “Development is an umbrella of peace that protects everyone.”

Statements

MIGUEL D’ESCOTO BROCKMANN, President of the United Nations General Assembly, said the Conference had gathered to reflect on the lives of half the world’s people who knew “only squalor, hunger and levels of poverty that contradicted their inherent human dignity and rights”.  Transforming a “faltering economic and financial” system was a moral duty.  The fact that tens of thousands died from hunger every day was a systemic war against the poor and the most pervasive form of terrorism.  Given that trillions were being spent on wars of terror, that process could be reversed.  The world desperately needed to move away from the logic of “I and mine” towards the logic of “We and ours”.

He said that six years after Monterrey, the Group of 8 (G-8) had only reluctantly expanded its ranks to become the G-20, but some countries still wished to keep systemic issues outside the United Nations -- the G-192.  According to the Monterrey Consensus, free trade was to be the main force to eradicate poverty, but the massive agricultural subsidies and protectionist policies of the European Union, Japan and the United States had made that impossible.  The commitment by the wealthy countries to provide 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product for development assistance also remained unrealized.  “There is no doubt that the international community has been dragging its feet with regard to compliance with the commitments assumed at Monterrey.”

It was imperative for the Doha outcome document to be as strong and clear as possible, he stressed, noting that the democratization and reform of the United Nations system included the international financial and trade institutions as part of the architecture of the international economic order.  New proposals on innovative sources of finance for development had been put forward, including for climate change and food security.  Innovative solutions on debt should also be identified.  Developing countries needed support to strengthen domestic resource mobilization.  Negotiations on the Doha Development Round needed to be restarted.  “The above measures should be seen, rather than as expressions of charity, as a moral duty of social justice.”

He noted that some important players in the international arena were not in attendance at the Conference because they honestly wished the world to continue on the same course that had led to the present situation.  Others had not come because they had honestly lost hope in the capacity of the international community to come up with meaningful change.  However, the vast majority of the world’s countries represented in Doha wished to see an open, inclusive process unfold in the months ahead.  “Together we must rise to the occasion and send a clear message of hope to our dispossessed brothers and sisters who are hungry not only for food, but also for the good news that their voices are finally being heard.”

Secretary-General BAN KI-MOON prefaced his statement by stressing that the attacks that had taken place in Mumbai, India, could not be excused under any circumstances and that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

He said the Conference was taking place at a fateful moment and it could be said without exaggeration that the well-being of the world’s peoples and societies -- “even the future of our planet” -- depended on what world leaders and other actors gathered in Doha did today and in the weeks to come.  The global financial crisis had brought a long era of global growth to an abrupt end and also compounded other major threats -- climate change, food insecurity and the terrible persistence of poverty.  “No nation has been spared.  But it is the poorest countries that will feel the blow most sharply.”

If not handled correctly, today’s financial crisis would become tomorrow’s human crisis, he continued.  Social unrest and political instability would grow, exacerbating other problems.  Ultimately the danger was a cascading series of crises, each building on the other, with potentially devastating consequences for all.  The major economies had responded with fiscal and monetary rescue packages and stimulus plans.  The recent emergency G-20 meeting in Washington, D.C., had shown that Governments were deeply concerned and trying to coordinate their actions.  “This is welcome.  But we need to do more.  Probably much more.”

The Secretary-General said that, whenever possible, fiscal measures must be “bold and decisive”.  Such measures would be more effective if they were strongly coordinated.  To promote such coordination, there was a need to build a bridge between the G-20 and the entire community of nations, which must stand on three pillars:  cooperation; sustainability; and inclusive governance.  Virtually all growth in the next year would come from emerging economies.  “Without them, the global economy would sharply contract.”

Highlighting several aspects of development, he said regarding liquidity that the developed countries had moved to keep credit flowing at home and the international community must now ensure that developing countries could do so as well.  That would require additional emergency funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the central banks in advanced countries.  Without it, the credit crisis would spread to emerging economies; growth would stall, hurting those nations, as well as the world as a whole.  Next, an increase in grants and long-term lending from development banks should be part of the response to ensure achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  “Above all, we must hold to our pledges of assistance.”

He called on the international community to step up debt-relief programmes granted to the poorest nations so that a greater number could benefit and noted with regard to mobilizing local resources that, in the current climate, financing for development would come increasingly from within.  National Governments must develop new ways to raise revenues while encouraging domestic firms to make productive investments.  “We need to help show the way.”  Specifically, the global community needed more cooperation to minimize harmful tax competition and stem the loss of tax revenues, especially in resource-rich nations.

“Beggar-thy-neighbour” trade policies benefited no one, he said, stressing that this year’s food crisis had only grown worse when some nations had placed restrictions on exports.  Indeed, “Aid for Trade” was the only sustainable path for the future.  Further, the Doha Round must be revived and concluded successfully and world leaders must come together once again to do so as soon as possible.  All nations and peoples were facing the current troubled times together.  “Now more than ever, we must be bold and summon up the will to lead.”

PASCAL LAMY, Director-General, World Trade Organization, noted that the names of that agency and Doha had been “married” over the past seven years.  The purpose of the Doha Development Round was to deliver on the aspirations of developing countries and to achieve better living standards due to a better and fairer trade system.  The Doha Round was based on the belief that trade could be an engine for development.  The World Trade Organization had been translating the aspirations of the Millennium Development Goals into its activities.

However, he said, a new realization had emerged that for trade to contribute to development it must be accompanied by financial resources in order to bridge supply-side restraints.  The World Trade Organization was working to mobilize more resources and greater political support so that additional flows of trade would supplement the results of the Doha Round.  In 2007, the principles of “Aid for Trade” had been discussed but that initiative would not be possible if promises were not kept.

The Doha Development Round would address distortions in agricultural trade such as subsidies, he said.  By reducing barriers in industry and technology, new opportunities would be created.  The Round would deliver on duty-free access for exports from the world’s poorest countries and impose discipline on fishing subsidies.  Many elements were on the table but nothing would materialize until the whole package was concluded.  Recently, the world had been confronted by unprecedented fluctuations in commodity prices, a world food emergency and a financial crisis.  It was now obvious that the world was globalized and that only multilateral solutions could address emerging challenges.  The Doha Review Conference must, therefore, signal the urgent need to deliver on trade and on aid.  “Please keep the Doha promises alive,” he said in conclusion.

NICOLAS SARKOZY, President of France, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that comprehensive and sustainable development of the countries that needed it most could not be sacrificed to the current economic crises.  Indeed, in the face of the unprecedented credit and financial turmoil, Europe had called for the inclusion of the Presidents of the African Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council in the recent meeting of the G-20 in Washington, D.C.  It was regrettable that they had not been able to attend and hopefully they would be present at the next G-20 summit, to take place in London next April.

He went on to say that Europe had sought an inclusive summit because the crisis was so unprecedented.  On the face of it, the international community had two choices:  it could adopt a business-as-usual stance and let its institutions and mechanisms remain as they were; or it could see the economic turbulence as an opportunity to change the way in which global institutions operated to ensure the ability of developing countries, especially those in Africa, to achieve broader growth and sustainability.  The European Union hoped the international community chose the latter path and used the platform provided by the present Conference to jump-start such efforts.  Indeed, it was clear that, in order to ensure global economic stability and growth, the developed world needed developing countries to grow.

With all that in mind, global institution must be adapted to the new political, economic and financial realities, he said, noting the presence in Doha of so many African Heads of State and Government.  The continent must have a seat at the international decision-making table and have representation in global financial institutions.  It was unrealistic that not a single African State held permanent membership on the Security Council.  How could the world’s problems be solved if 1 billion people were not represented?  The representation and participation of African and other developing nations in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other institutions must also be expanded.  While the G-8 format had been useful in the past, it was clear that comprehensive decisions could not be made without the participation of such countries as China, India, Brazil and Mexico -- or any South American country, for that matter.  Moreover, the importance of South Africa was widely known but it could not represent an entire continent on its own.  “This is the twenty-first century and we are still working with twentieth century institutions.”

He went on to stress that it was clear today that all regions of the world were demanding change and that all nations must, therefore, be included in the search for and implementation of solutions that would ensure a comprehensive transformation leading to comprehensive development.  Europe had made a choice not to sacrifice the Millennium Development Goals and reaffirmed its commitment to meeting its official development assistance (ODA) targets.  That was important because the bloc provided 60 per cent of development assistance.  One of the main reasons for its presence in Doha was to reaffirm Europe’s commitment to stand by its international obligations.  Europe had, in fact, just decided to boost its development assistance by €1 billion to deal with food insecurity in light of the current crisis.

The current economic, financial and political difficulties required that nations choose fundamentally to stand by past obligations, he stressed.  The world could only feed itself if the international community invested more in agriculture, especially agricultural sectors in poor countries.  For its part, Europe had decided to remove all agricultural subsidies on products from the world’s poorest countries.  While ODA was important, other initiatives, such as microcredit, were also critical.  France and Europe had made African development a priority.

He concluded by stating that the world had skirted financial and economic catastrophe thus far but it had been brought to the brink because it had chosen financial speculation over economic development and had pursued profits at all costs.  “We have an historic opportunity to change things,” he said.  The European Union would stand by its commitments.  “You need our financial support, we need your political will.”  Europe was in Doha because the Conference was vitally important.  “Let us all pull together for reform, let us all pull together for change.  Let us reject paralysis […] we cannot continue with business as usual.”

JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the African Union, recalled that countries of the South had committed themselves at Monterrey to implement sound policies, assure good governance and establish a climate conducive to investment.  Developed nations had agreed to scale up financial and technical assistance.  African nations had made progress on good governance, rule of law and protection of human rights.  Overall, they had made progress in mobilizing domestic resources, but those resources were inadequate to finance accelerated growth for poverty reduction.

Africa had also made progress on the realization of capital flows to the continent, he said.  The challenge was how to attract more foreign direct investment in sectors other than extraction, and those that were employment-intensive and environmentally friendly.  Africa had done all it could to implement the commitments of the Monterrey Consensus but developed countries continued to under-perform in the areas of trade, development assistance and systemic actions.  The longer the Doha Round remained stalled, the more disadvantageous it was for developing countries.  While Africa welcomed the “Aid for Trade” initiative, it was taking too long to put into operation.  Moreover, donors were not on track to meet their commitments to double aid to Africa in 2010, and progress on systemic issues had been limited.  African countries still lacked fair representation in the international financial and other bodies, including the Security Council.

The current financial crisis posed great dangers to Africa’s development and threatened to reverse its gains, he warned.  As the crisis affected all nations, the search for solutions should, therefore, involve all.  There was a need to correct the fact that the least developed countries were not involved in the current arrangements.  There was an urgent need to reform the financial architecture and institutions.  African countries must be given a greater voice in the World Bank and the World Trade Organization and get a permanent seat on the Security Council.  In addition, the time had come to look at the pricing mechanisms for such commodities as oil.

JOSE MANUEL BARROSO, President of the European Commission, recalled that, in Washington two weeks ago, he had called on the G-20 nations to reach out to the rest of the world, noting, “We need human rescue, as well as financial rescue.”  As the first international meeting to follow that summit, the Doha Conference “should try to build a bridge as a basis of understanding on what needs to be done, between all economies, whether developed or developing”.  Doha was a not the place to fuel confrontations, but to build for the future.  While retaining commitments to the goals of the Millennium Declaration, the Conference must also define and refine global financial and economic governance.  “We need a stronger, more inclusive multilateralism for fast and coordinated action when necessary.”

ANGEL CURRIA, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), said that body was focusing on designing a robust, reliable and flexible financial system and on restoring growth along a low-carbon path, while protecting the most vulnerable.  Members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee had reaffirmed their aid commitments, issued a trade pledge and agreed to conclude the Doha Development Round.  They had also pledged to maintain official support for trade credits.

LÉO MÉRORÈS ( Haiti), President of the Economic and Social Council, said while opening the afternoon plenary session that the will to ensure prosperity for all and secure broad national and international development was being tested by the current convergent global crises.  At the same time, the fallout from the financial turbulence had revealed how interconnected all nations and peoples were.  As such, tackling current challenges required broad collaboration among diverse international actors, including those within and outside the United Nations.

He said the Economic and Social Council played a leadership role in the effort to ensure cooperation and harmonization of activities, especially towards implementation of the United Nations development agenda.  The current challenges provided an opportunity to ensure that global financial institutions operated in a more coherent manner.  In its quest to identify innovative and creative solutions, the Council would enhance its participation and interaction with the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly at its annual high-level meetings.  “Investing in development is investing in the future -- a future for which we are all responsible.”

PHILLIPE DOUSTE-BLAZY, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Innovative Financing for Development, said:  “Yesterday, the financial crisis; today, the economic crisis; tomorrow, the jobs crisis.”  In the face of unprecedented challenges, it was imperative to find long-term solutions.  There was an urgent need to act because the poorest countries were the most vulnerable, and because the crises, which had begun in the North, were spreading to the South, becoming a common burden.  As budgets were certain to be cut in almost all nations, political leaders must be brave and innovative; it would no longer do to think that certain States or certain markets could spur growth and development.

Indeed, development was a “chain of solidarity” and all nations and actors must seek solutions together to ensure the success of a new economic world order, he said.  Innovative financing methods and mechanisms must be in the vanguard of such change.  One example was UNITAID, the global drug purchase facility founded in 2006, which was largely financed by a solidarity levy on airline tickets.  Everyone should start by pledging to bolster international solidarity.  The world community was at a turning point and in Doha, stakeholders could either choose to let the inequalities between nations deepen, or choose solidarity to address common challenges.

HEIDEMARIE WIECZOREK-ZEUL, Minister for Development Cooperation of Germany, and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Conference, said the international community was set to “take on difficult work at a difficult time”, recalling that she had participated in the Monterrey Conference.  The current gathering, as well as the earlier Millennium Summit, was laying the groundwork for a new global order.

At the same time, she noted, since the Millennium and Monterrey summits, progress towards ensuring development for all had not progressed quickly enough.  Doha, therefore, provided an opportunity to work up a global “New Deal” for social and economic development, which should be built around, among others:  strong, reliable governance structures; a “real” voice for developing countries; Africa’s participation in all international decision-making forums; an enhanced civil society; and the empowerment of women.

TREVOR MANUEL, Minister for Finance of South Africa and another Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Conference, said the visionary commitments made at Monterrey had only continued to resonate because they had been based on the spirit of cooperation.  Those commitments were being tested as the global engine that had driven progress to the present point was now being tested.  The reality of a global recession called for swift and decisive action to avoid a downturn that threatened to erase broad growth across much of the developing world.

Calling for concerted action to reflect the reality of the day, he expressed concern that there was a lack of urgency in the negotiations on the Doha draft outcome document, which “did not speak to the reality of the world”.  Indeed, the world would judge diplomatic and political leaders harshly “if, at the very moment that history requires us to join hands in global solidarity, we were unable to overcome […] petty differences”.  The task of the Conference was to lead the world through to the change that was required.  Compromise was, therefore, necessary, as was a real commitment to the task at hand.  There was a need for all negotiating blocs to find workable solutions that would resonate in the wider world.  Such solutions required a hard look at both the G-8 and the “Group of 77” developing countries and China.  “We cannot allow this conference to end in failure.”

* *** *

For information media • not an official record