Economic and Social Council

2008 Organizational Session

3^rd Meeting (PM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ISSUES OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY

ERADICATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DURING 2008 THEMATIC DISCUSSION

The Economic and Social Council, meeting briefly this afternoon in an organizational session, decided that the theme of its 2008 thematic discussion would be “promoting an integrated approach to rural development in developing countries for poverty eradication and sustainable development, taking into account current challenges”.

In light of that decision, the discussion during the high-level segment of the Council’s 2008 substantive session would be similarly entitled “promoting an integrated approach to rural development in developing countries for poverty eradication and sustainable development”.

The Council also decided that the theme for its item on regional cooperation during the 2008 substantive session would be “The regional dimension of the themes of the high-level segment for 2008”.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union following the decision on the 2008 thematic discussion, Slovenia’s speaker said that the “periodicity” of those discussions should be revisited and re-evaluatedin the future, in order to strengthen the Council and balance the work it conducted in New York and Geneva.

Antigua and Barbuda’s representative, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, welcomed the fact that the Council had agreed on the thematic discussion’s theme, adding that it should focus on current critical issues that impacted development overall.  While the Group had compromised in order to reach agreement, it wanted to ensure that the debate was meaningful.  In preparing the document for the Council, the issue of the current global financial situation -- sure to be a future major challenge -- should be a main element.

Turning to the points raised by the European Union, he emphasized that the Council had the guidance of a resolution, which was clear in terms of holding an annual thematic debate.  The structure was in place and should be carried forward.  The thematic debate had to take any major developments into account.  All three areas of the Council’s thematic discussion should continue to receive priority, without putting one against the other.

That position was supported by Benin’s representative, who insisted on the need for the Council to have thematic debates every year.  Not having them would mean turning the Council into a forum, where Member States would not have a chance to speak on topics important to them.  Topics discussed every year allowed the Council to create political frameworks on important matters at the end of the debate.  The Council should hear everyone’s voice and make recommendations on important matters.  It should focus on development this year and, hopefully, next year, the need to go back to periodicity would not come up.

The United States’ representative said the term “current challenges” was broad and could include many areas.  However, the Council’s debate on rural development concerns must be sincere and honest, and should focus on challenges that had a documented link to rural development.

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For information media • not an official record