Economic and Social Council

2008 Substantive Session

34^th & 35^th Meetings (AM & PM)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL REAFFIRMS IMPORTANCE OF TRIENNIAL COMPREHENSIVE

POLICY REVIEW, CONCLUDING OPERATIONAL SEGMENT OF CURRENT SESSION

Also Opens General Segment on Work of Subsidiary Bodies, Conference Follow-Up;

Adopts Texts in Report of Commission on Science and Technology for Development

The Economic and Social Council today reaffirmed the importance of the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of United Nations operational activities, which aims to shape the Organization’s development work over the next three years, specifically on funding, national capacity development and development effectiveness.

Adopting without a vote a resolution on progress in implementing General Assembly resolution 62/208 on the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of operational activities of the United Nations system (document E/2008/L.12), the Council wrapped up the work of its annual operational segment -- which ran from 10 to 14 July -– before beginning its general segment today.  The text also covered the functioning of the resident coordinator system; a statistical analysis of the financing of United Nations operational activates for development in 2006; and simplification and harmonization of the Organization’s development system.

The resolution reiterated the Assembly’s call on the governing bodies of funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations development system to “take appropriate actions for the full implementation of 62/208” which, among other things, underscored that there was no “one size fits all” approach to development and that United Nations development assistance should respond to the varying needs of programme countries based on their national development plans and strategies. 

The main purpose of the Policy Review is to evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations support to developing countries, in line with the development agenda that emerged from the Millennium Summit’s landmark Declaration and other global conferences and summits.  The text adopted by the Council today requests the United Nations system “to undertake concrete efforts” to support capacity-building for development, the promotion and transfer of new and emerging technologies to programme countries, and the facilitation of developing countries’ access to those technologies in support of operational activities for development.

After that action, the Council immediately turned to the work of its annual general segment, which will review the reports of its subsidiary bodies and other United Nations entities working in the economic and social fields.  The segment will assess the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of, and follow-up to, major United Nations conferences and summits.

Taking up four relevant agenda items, the Council heard statements on the follow-up to the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development, at which countries committed to a new development partnership on six issues:  mobilization of domestic resources in finance and employment, foreign direct investment, trade, aid, debt and systemic issues.  A review of the landmark meeting is set to be held in Doha, Qatar, in late November.  The Council also considered coordination, programme and other questions, and progress made in the implementation of the Brussels Programme for Action for the Least Developed Countries.

Under its item on science and technology for development, the Council adopted, without a vote, one draft resolution and four draft decisions contained in the report on the eleventh session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (document E/2008/31).

By the resolution, on assessment of the progress made in the implementation of, and follow-up to, the outcomes of the two-phase World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva December 2003, and in Tunis in November 2005, the Council noted that, while in general the digital divide between developed and developing countries was shrinking, a new divide was emerging in terms of differences in quality and speed of access to information and communications technology.

Among other things, the Council called on stakeholders to increase their efforts to reduce the disparity in cost of access, through, for example, the establishment of exchange points and the creation of a competitive environment, both at the network and local levels.

The Council also called on stakeholders to increase efforts for funding of and investment in information and communication technology, to advance broadband access, including wireless access in areas and countries in which it was still limited or nonexistent.  It also called on those actors to continue to develop and disseminate easy-to-use applications and services for mobile phones and related devices, especially those that are useful in rural areas and work with low bandwidth and high latency.

The four draft decisions were on participation of non-governmental organizations and civil society entities in the work of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at its twelfth and thirteenth sessions; participation of academic entities in the work of that Commission; the report of the Secretary-General on science, technology and innovation to be submitted to the Commission at its twelfth session; and the report of the Commission on its eleventh session and provisional agenda and documentation for the twelfth session of the Commission.

In the afternoon, the Council turned to the Brussels Programme, taking up the report of the Secretary-General on the “implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010” (document A/63/77 – E/2008/61).  Introducing the report, Cheick Sidi Diarra, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, said that, while many of the least developed countries showed strong economic performance and were on track to meet the Programme’s goals, the food crisis jeopardized that progress.

Nearly 72 per cent of the people living in least developed countries lived in rural areas and depended on agriculture for employment, income and subsistence, but the agricultural sector remained underfunded and underdeveloped, he said.  Although they had been net exporters of agricultural products in the 1960s, they were today net importers dependent on food imports to meet their populations’ nutritional needs.  As food prices rose globally, the total food bills of least developed countries had risen by 19 per cent in 2007 alone.

The report laid out short-, medium- and long-term strategies to ensure the implementation of the Brussels Programme, including immediate humanitarian assistance in countries where people were starving, increasing agricultural investment and full trade liberalization.

The representatives of the United States, Antigua and Barbuda (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Japan and Benin spoke in explanation of vote on the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review text.

Speaking during the Council’s general consideration of the implementation of, and follow-up to, major United Nations conferences and summits and the implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including 61/16, were the representatives of Antigua and Barbuda (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China) and Belarus.

The representatives of France, Indonesia and the United States spoke on the follow-up to the International Conference on Financing for Development.

Speaking on science and technology for development were representatives of Iraq, Belarus and Saint Lucia.

A representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization also spoke.

Amy Weesner, Special Assistant in the Office for the Chief Information Technology Officer, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on international cooperation in the field of informatics.

The representatives of Antigua and Barbuda (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China), Bangladesh (on behalf of the least developed countries), China, Benin, Sudan, Solomon Islands, Haiti and Nepal spoke on the implementation of the Brussels Programme for Action for the Least Developed Countries.

The Council will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Monday, 21 July, to hold a panel discussion entitled “An inclusive and coherent approach to climate change:  the role of the United Nations system”.  Following that discussion, the Council will consider the reports of coordination bodies and the proposed strategic framework for 2010-2011 and hear an oral presentation by the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services on the system-wide knowledge management strategy.

Background

The Economic and Social Council today begins its general segment, during which it will review the reports of its subsidiary bodies and other United Nations entities working in the economic and social fields.  The subsidiary bodies include the Council's functional commissions, regional commissions, expert and ad hoc bodies.

During the segment, the Council plans to take up numerous reports under 15 items, beginning with its item entitled “Implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits”, under which it will consider two reports:  summary by the President of the Economic and Social Council of the special high-level meeting of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (document A/63/80-E/2008/67); and the Secretary-General’s report on implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (document A/63/77-E/2008/61).

For its consideration of its item on implementation of General Assembly resolutions, the Council will take up the updated Secretary-General’s report on the role of the Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including resolution 61/16 (document A/63/83–E/2008/77).

Under its item on “Coordination, programme and other questions”, the Council will consider a report on the work of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Informatics on the need to harmonize and improve United Nations informatics systems for optimal utilization and accessibility by all States, including the findings of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Informatics and an assessment of its work and mandate (document E/2008/65).

As part of its discussion of “economic and environmental questions”, the Council will take up the report of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its eleventh session (document E/2008/31, Supp. No. 11) and the report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional and international levels (document A/63/72-E/2008/48).

Action on Drafts:  Operational Activities Segment

Reconvening its operational activities segment, which ran from 10 to 14 July, the Council took action on the draft resolution entitled Progress in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 62/208 on the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review activities for the development of the United Nations system (document E/2008/L.12).

The draft resolution, as orally amended, was adopted by consensus.

Speaking after the vote, the representative of the United States said that his delegation had joined consensus because of the hard work done in the last year.  The United States placed great importance on the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review within the United Nations development system.  But, while the document worked towards that end, it had several flaws.  In particular, paragraphs 7 and 13 overstepped the normal practice that the funds, programmes and specialized agencies played.  He asked that his delegation’s reservation on that point be noted.

The representative of Antigua and Barbuda, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review gave important guidance to the United Nations system.  The draft that had just been adopted was an equally important one.  The Council’s role was an important organ of the United Nations and its role as a central forum for setting the development agenda should not be diminished.

The representative of Japan, welcoming the resolution, expressed hope that the funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations would continue to work towards the implementation of the development agenda of the Organization.

The Council then took note of several documents:  actions taken by the executive boards and governing bodies of the United Nations funds, programmes and specialized agencies in the area of simplifications and harmonization of the United Nations development system (document E/2008/CRP.4); report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund on its work during 2007 (document E/2007/35); report of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (document E/2008/5); annual report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund on its first regular session of 2008 (document E/2008/6-E/ICEF/2008/3 and Corr. 1); annual report of the Executive Director of the World Food Programme for 2007:  note by the Secretary-General (document E/2008/14); report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund on the work of its 2008 first regular session (document E/2008/34 (Part 1) – E/ICEF/2008/7 (Part 1); report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund on the work of its 2008 first regular session:  joint meeting of the Executive Boards of UNDP/UNFPA, UNICEF and WEP (document E/2008/34 (Part 1)/Add. 1) – E/ICEF/2008/7 (Part 1)/Add. 1); report of the World Food Programme on the first and second regular session of 2007 (document E/2008/36, Supp. No. 16); and extract from the report of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund on its 2008 annual session (document E/2008/L.8).

The representative of Benin expressed concern on document E/2008/CRP.4, which was a conference room paper, saying the name of the document was a matter of concern.  It was difficult for her delegation to access the document and she suggested it should be made into an “official” document.

General Segment

Convening its general segment, the Council then took up joint consideration of its agenda item 6 on the “Implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits” and agenda item 8, entitled “Implementation of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265, including 61/16”.

Statements

JANIL GREENWAY (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, noted that Member States were currently preparing for the high-level international conference to be held in Doha to review the Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development, which would be the most significant international meeting on financing for development since 2002.  The current session of the Council was a welcome signpost on the road to Doha, giving the international community important information on what lay ahead and how to navigate the many roadblocks and recognize warning signals about challenges and setbacks to the development agenda.  During the session, however, developing countries had faced an extremely difficult battle on securing agreement on full and proper treatment of thematic issues that were critical to achieving the international agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.  The message had been “Wait for Doha.”  She said the developing world would do so, with the full expectation that those issues would then be given appropriate treatment.

Nevertheless, the Council had a significant role to play in tackling persistent and emerging global economic and social challenges and in ensuring the full and effective implementation of the outcomes of the major United Nations summits and conferences, she said.  The international community was behind schedule in achieving most of the Millennium Development Goals targets, making the role of the Council even more pertinent.  It should, therefore, methodically review progress on implementing various agreements and commitments and determine how to meet the emerging challenges.  The current session had made explicit the impact of the continuing lack of coherence in global macroeconomic, financial and trade polices.

Emphasizing that greater overall progress was needed, she called on developed countries to meet their longstanding commitments, including those made at the Monterrey Conference.  The Group of 77 and China fully expected a comprehensive and thorough review of the six themes of Monterrey in Doha.  In addition, an efficient follow-up mechanism on financing for development should be established.  A fair and balanced approach to the analysis of the implementation of both developed and developing countries should be assumed and the discussion and outcomes of the Council’s current sessions should form a part of the analysis.

ANDREI METELISTA ( Belarus) said that his delegation regarded discussion in the Economic and Social Council as supplementary to those that had taken place in Monterrey.  Further, the ongoing global financial crisis also required countries to step up their actions to live up to the commitments they had made in Monterrey.  The Council should promote efforts to boost cooperation among United Nations agencies and organs to better support economic reforms in middle-income countries and transition economies.  The international financial institutions should also do their part for that group of countries, especially to build their capacities to combat current challenges, including climate change.

Statements on Follow-up to Major United Nations Conferences and Summits:  International Conference on Financing for Development

EMMANUEL LEBRUN-DAMIENS (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that his delegation remained entirely devoted to the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, the integrity of which must be fully preserved.  The European Union also appreciated the Economic and Social Council’s meeting with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the outcomes of which would be helpful in the run-up to the Doha follow-up meeting.

The European Union supported the participation of civil society and non-governmental organizations in the implementation and follow-up of the Monterrey Consensus.  The European Union looked forward to the outcomes of several upcoming conferences, including the Accra Third International Forum on Aid effectiveness, and the upcoming meeting on Africa’s development to be held ahead of this year’s General Assembly debate.

ARTAULI R.M.P TOBING ( Indonesia) said the world was facing many pressing challenges today and, with rising food and energy prices, financial instability and the continuing threat of climate change, “we are perhaps entering the worst global situation the world has faced in a long time.”  Indeed, the food crisis and the slowing world economy were already starting to impact many countries, especially those in the developing world.  Addressing such a dire situation required not only national Governments to refocus their development policies and strategies, but the international community to act on and strengthen the global partnership for development.

In that context, she said the review of the 2002 Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development, set for later this year in Doha, Qatar, was very timely, as it would provide an opportunity to assess the progress of the commitments made by both developed and developing countries.  More importantly, it would provide an opportunity to reflect on the current global situation to identify ways to strengthen the consensus towards better mobilization of national and international financial resources for sustainable development.   Indonesia believed that the review should take up all six priority areas identified at Monterrey and address new and emerging challenges.   Indonesia also hoped that Doha produced an outcome document that was a “dynamic, evolving instrument”, aimed at bolstering the important commitments taken at Monterrey.

WILLIAM A. HEIDT ( United States) said that his delegation had participated very actively in the review process on Monterrey and, while not perfect, the process, which had been partly initiated by the United States, had been “serious and substantive” and the discussions had touched on a wide range of issues that included many stakeholders.  The United States applauded the efforts of the Council President to convene a meaningful earlier in the year meeting.  It was a “step in the right direction”, especially as it came close to meeting the goal called for in Monterrey.  At the same time, the United States believed that more space could be given for participation of the countries who were members of the Bretton Woods institutions.

Economic and Environmental Questions:  Science and Technology for Development 

When the Council turned to its agenda items related to coordination, programme and other questions, AMY WEESNER, Special Assistant in the Office for the Chief Information Technology Officer, introduced the Secretary-General’s report on the international cooperation in the field of informatics (document E/2008/65).  She said that the report focused on the work being done to upgrade, and in some cases completely overhaul, the information and communication technology systems at Headquarters and throughout the United Nations system.  She told the Council that great changes were coming to Web portals system-wide, led by the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Informatics.

She said that information technology played an important role in the work of the United Nations.  However, the true effectiveness of information technology was directly related to how involved a user community was in defining what needs information technology should address.  The Working Group provided the bridge between the needs of the diplomatic community and the Secretariat.  Indeed, the Working Group had created an effective body that focused, without much fanfare, on practical information technology enhancements that benefited the entire diplomatic community, and which had been accomplished within existing resources.

Statements

YOUNES SARHAN ( Iraq) said communication and information technology received so much attention by developing countries, not only because they were an essential factor for achieving development, but for accelerating economic development.  Because knowledge and information technology could play an important role in combating hunger, disease, illiteracy and environmental degradation, international efforts should be directed towards making theme universally available.  Underlining how their use could enhance their efforts for achieving sustainable development, he welcomed the provision of relevant statistics to guide the decision-making of governmental institutions.  While Iraq had been one of the information field’s pioneers, current circumstances had negatively impacted its information sector.  Efforts were being made to establish Internet networks, promote electronic commerce and further Government coordination, and should be supported.

BORIS FALATAR, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said scientific advice was increasingly a necessary part of policy-making.  All Governments should, therefore, devise mechanisms allowing them to acquire timely technical information from the best, most expert sources.  Scientific advisory programmes should be incorporated into regional and national conventions and legislation.  Developing the scientific human resource base, the integration of science into the national culture and the promotion of innovation and scientific policies should be a priority.

UNESCO had been engaged in scientific and innovation policy throughout the developing world, he continued.  In Africa, it had launched a science and innovation technology programme.  It was also planning to hold the fourth World Science Forum in Budapest in 2009 to take stock of progress made in implementing the agenda of promoting science and technology.

ANDREI METELITSA ( Belarus) said his country was switching to an economy of knowledge, paying attention particularly to the innovation of information technology, and had constructed an information technology park to that end.  The role of information and communication technology as a catalyst for development was now widely recognized, but a digital gap between developed and developing countries remained and should be closed.  Because of its worldwide standing, the United Nations bore the main responsibility for ensuring that information and communication technology became a main area of development, and for preventing a widening in the digital divide.  He stressed that transitional countries should also be assisted in expanding their use of science and technology and member countries should be provided guidelines on how to such expansion.

DONATUS ST. AIMÉE ( Saint Lucia) said the use of science and technology was critical, especially for small island States.  While technology transfer had been much discussed, efforts to harness these tools to date may have been too unfocused.  It might be more effective to concentrate on those areas of science and technology -- particularly the latter -- that would be most beneficial and have a multiplier effect.  He suggested that agricultural development and climate change adaptation technology would be relevant areas on which to focus, without forgetting renewable energy and water.

Action on Texts

The Council then took up a number of draft texts contained in the report of the Commission on Science and Technology, adopting first, without a vote, a resolution on assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society.

Next, the Council adopted, without vote, four draft decisions, including on participation of non-governmental organizations and civil society entities in the work of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at its twelfth and thirteenth sessions; participation of academic entities in the work of that Commission; the report of the Secretary-General on science, technology and innovation to be submitted to the Commission at its twelfth session; and the report of the Commission on its eleventh session and provisional agenda and documentation for the twelfth session of the Commission.

The Council also took note of the Secretary-General’s report on progress made in implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional and international levels (document E/2008/48).

General Discussion

In the afternoon, the Council took up matters related to the review and coordination of the implementation of the programme of action for the least developed countries for the decade 2001-2010.

CHEICK SIDI DIARRA, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on that topic (document A/63/77 – E/2008/61), which assesses the progress in implementing the programme of action against 30 international goals and targets.

The report also assesses the commitments of least developed countries and their development partners in seven interlinked areas:  fostering a people-centred policy framework; good governance at national and international levels; building human and institutional capacities; building productive capacities to make globalization work for the least developed countries; enhancing the role of trade in development; reducing vulnerability and protection of the environment; and mobilizing financial resources.

The report had found that strong economic performance continued among the least developed countries, except in the Pacific.  Indeed, they had met or were on track to meet the growth and investment targets of the Brussels Programme of 2010.  Merchandise exports had been growing at double the rate of world exports since 2000 and net foreign direct investments and remittances had more than doubled.

While progress on human development targets had been noticeable, targets in health and education depended on improved access to water and sanitation, where progress had been far lower, says the report.  Progress had also been lower than previously thought in attaining gender parity in education and no progress in maternal mortality had been made.  Almost 50 per cent of the populations of least developed countries lived in extreme poverty and the rising cost of food was exacerbating malnutrition and jeopardizing the programme of action. 

Notwithstanding its importance for the economy and livelihoods, agriculture remained underdeveloped and agricultural productivity had been declining in the least developed countries, according to the report.  Many least developed countries, net exporters of agricultural products in the 1960s, had become net importers and were dependent on food imports to meet the nutritional needs of their populations.  According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s analysis, 47 of 49 least developed countries were “low income food deficit countries”, and 20 of them had been identified as countries in food crisis.  Total food bills in these countries had increased by 19 per cent, with those for vegetable oils and dairy products rising 37 and 63 per cent, respectively.  Cereal costs were up by 26 per cent.

In light of that, the report recommended immediate humanitarian assistance to countries in food crisis, which would require international assistance to be scaled up and a $750 million gap in the World Food Programme’s budget.  It further recommended social protection programmes like cash support, food-for-work and school-feeding programmes, as well as financial lending and crop insurance schemes for smallholder farmers.  Over the medium-term, farmers’ access to financing and markets should be improved and investments made in better irrigation, transport infrastructure, electricity, research and development and improvement of market information systems.  In the long term, the State-led “green revolution” should facilitate the transition of least developed countries to a high-value agricultural revolution led by the private sector.  Full trade liberalization would also be necessary.

The report concludes that the individual paths of least developed countries could certainly vary.  Most importantly, least developed countries needed to make progress in the value chain to create wealth and decent jobs and to compete on the international market.

Statements

JANIL GREENAWAY (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the Secretary-General’s report on the status of the Brussels action plan painted a “mixed picture”, which should give “renewed impetus and invigoration” to its full implementation, taking into consideration the precarious nature of the modest gains that had been achieved thus far.  The Group of 77 and China continued to view the Brussels Programme for Action as a strong global partnership framework between the least developed countries and all development actors.  The Programme was also vital for the achievement of all the globally agreed development goals.

Given the little time remaining before the end of the decade, the Group of 77 and China was deeply concerned by the uneven and insufficient progress in achieving the targets set at Brussels.  There were obvious areas of weakness in implementation, such as access to water and sanitation, education and maternal mortality.  Even more disconcerting was the lagging progress on enhancing the role of trade and development in the least developed countries, largely due to the stalled Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations.  To that end, she said that the Group welcomed the report’s conclusion that it was absolutely crucial that the Doha Round be concluded urgently, and that trade be allowed to work for poverty reduction and sustainable development in the least developed countries.

She went on to say that the Group remained deeply concerned that the number of people living in extreme poverty remained alarmingly high in the least developed countries, while at the same time, malnutrition was deepening, particularly among the most vulnerable groups.  With that in mind, she urged “greater and more decisive” action by the international community to implement the Brussels commitments on poverty and hunger reduction.  She also said that the combined impact of the food crisis, financial downturn, rising fuel prices, climate change, compounded by declining levels of ODA, meant that, now more than ever, concerted efforts were required by development partners, the United Nations system and the Bretton Woods institutions to combat those new and emerging challenges.  The Group also called for grater investment in agriculture, including in physical infrastructure and technological development.

ISAMAT JAHAN (Bangladesh), speaking on behalf of the least developed countries, said that, while those countries had made steady improvements in a number of areas of human development and governance, significant challenges remained in a number of other areas, such as water, sanitation and maternal mortality.  Further, structural weaknesses of least developed country economies, and their lack of capacities related to sustained economic growth and sustainable development, were largely responsible for those ongoing challenges.  The countries were highly vulnerable to both internal and external shocks and the current food crisis had left many least developed countries exposed.

She said that the Secretary-General’s report had noted that 20 of the 49 least developed countries were considered to be hardest hit by the food crisis.  In societies where families spent nearly 70 per cent of their incomes on food items, a sharp rise in food prices had a powerful adverse effect on poverty, malnutrition and overall human development.  The Rome Declaration had called on all donors and the United Nations system to increase their assistance for developing countries, particularly the least developed.  “This needs to be implemented as soon as possible,” and all States should seriously consider the Comprehensive Framework for Action launched by the Secretary-General’s recently established Task Force on the Global Food Crisis.

Highlighting other factors that magnified the challenges facing the least developed countries, including rising energy prices and global warming, she stressed the importance of trade and market access as key to helping those countries attain the Millennium Development Goals.  Indeed, preferential market access, special and differential treatment and trade capacity-building were the cornerstones of the Brussels action plan, and commitments to that end should be fully complied with.  She added that the “aid for trade” initiative could particularly help the least developed countries address supply-side constraints and the erosion of preferences.  Finally, she joined others in recalling that Brussels had called for the holding of a forth relevant conference by the end of the decade, and the least developed countries were looking forward to concrete decisions by the General Assembly during its upcoming sixty-third session.

YAO WENLONG (China), associating himself with the statement made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, noted that the least developed countries had registered good economic performance and achieved obvious progress in health and education in recent years.  Most were expected to realize the growth and investment targets set forth in the programme of action by 2010.  Yet, as a vulnerable group in the world economic system, they had not yet fundamentally overcome their weakness in sustainable economic and social development.  Given the recent financial turmoil, global inflation and rising food and oil prices, the least developed countries faced more uncertainties and challenges in their development efforts.  They were also enduring economic shocks from rising oil prices.

Stressing it was the common responsibility and obligation of the international community to help the least developed countries realize sustainable development, he said concerted efforts should be made to increase the effectiveness of development assistance.  The current level of official development assistance received by least developed countries was not sufficient to meet the economic and social development targets of the programme of action.  The commitments of the developed countries, in particular, to least developed countries, should be honoured.

Further, there should be a focused response to the food crisis to help the least developed countries realize sustainable agricultural development and enhance their food self-sufficiency.  Continuous expansion of trade preference was also needed, he said, underlining that for years the 49 least developed countries had accounted for less than 1 per cent of international trade.  The international community should expand its scope of duty-free and quota-free market access for products from least developed countries.  For its part, China had provided aid to other developing countries under the framework of south-south cooperation and had strengthened support measures in debt relief, trade preference, personnel training and technical cooperation.

JONAS DJEBOU ( Benin), associating his statement with those made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and on behalf of the least developed countries, said one of the objectives of the Brussels Programme was to contribute to the revitalization of the relationship between the least developed countries and their development partners.  But, despite the efforts by the least developed countries to maintain a national environment that could promote financing for development, there had been a gap in reducing the poverty of the least developed countries.  Moving forward, there should be an examination of why international support did not always arrive at the right time to aid least developed countries in their development efforts.  A study should also be conducted with the aim of fostering greater coordination between the least developed countries and the Bretton Woods institutions.

It was clear that a great number of least developed countries would not achieve the targets set forth in the programme of action, he said.  Action should be taken to improve the economic growth of the least developed countries, taking into account globalization, international trade, foreign direct investment, technology, agriculture, energy sources, climate change, desertification and other challenges stemming from the international financial crisis.  The strategies for pursing this programme of action, drawn up in the mid-term progress review, should be adopted by the least developed countries.  Over and above its routine work, the actions of the Office of the High Representative should be made more dynamic, to achieve the hoped for results.   Benin called on the Secretary-General to reinforce the efficacy of the Office of the High Representative.

YASSIN EISA MOHAMED ( Sudan) said the Brussels Programme was the foremost framework for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals by the least developed countries.  With the target date of the Programme just a few years away, it was important to consider the impact on those countries of the current parallel crises, including rising prices for food, fuel and other commodities.  He went on to say that, while the Sudan had made significant strides in human development and governance over the past eight years, it still faced challenges, especially in areas such as maternal mortality and poverty reduction.  The Government was committed to achieving the aims of the Programme and, to that end, had set up a comprehensive national poverty reduction framework.

At the same time, he said the Sudan, as a country emerging from war, still needed international assistance, not only to carry out its poverty reduction programme, but also to improve infrastructure and boost access to health and education services.  All that required financial resources and qualified market expansion.  Therefore, the role of development partners was essential in providing the Sudan and other least developed countries with adequate resources and technical assistance to enhance their productive capacities and to remedy their structural weaknesses.  That would allow them to build the basic framework for their sustainable development.  He added that the Sudan believed that the participation of non-governmental organization and civil society groups was critical, in that context.

HELEN BECK ( Solomon Islands) said that her delegation had noted that the Pacific subregion was off-track in meeting several of the internationally agreed development goals.  Despite that unique situation, Solomon Islands was concerned that many of the States in the region continued to be recommended for graduation from the list of least developed countries.  To that end, the Pacific region would urge the international community to closely consider the unique vulnerabilities facing small island and other least developed countries, especially in light of the increasingly evident impact of global warming.  She joined others in calling for the General Assembly to step up its discussions on the parameters of a fourth international conference to review implementation of the Brussels Programme for Action.

WILLIAM EXANTUS (Haiti), expressing support for the statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and on behalf of the least developed countries, emphasized that the living conditions and quality of life of the populations of the least developed countries was increasingly precarious, despite the progress noted in the Secretary-General’s report.  The food and fuel crises had exposed them to economic shocks.  Given that bleak situation, he appealed to the international community to take practical measures to aid the least developed countries, including by honouring the commitments they had made towards official development assistance.  By fulfilling those commitments, the least developed countries would be better able to meet the targets and goals set forth in the Brussels Programme.

POSH RAJ PANDEY ( Nepal), aligning his delegation with the statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and on behalf of the least developed countries, said that, despite the improving economic performance of the least developed countries, the growth did not trickle down and increase the living conditions of the poorest of the poor.  Overall human development had been further constrained by continuing population growth, poor social infrastructure and institutions, food shortages, malnutrition, and climate change adaptation constraints.  Inequalities continued to prevail and the slow pace of technology transfer and aid mobilization had hindered sustainable development.  Meanwhile, diseases and disaster continued to spread.

In the face of the food crisis and the threats posed by climate change, he said there was an increased risk that many least developed countries would slip backwards.  More remained to be done on the national and international level to invest in infrastructure and reform the international financial architecture and trade system.  Effective and full implementation of the Brussels Programme was necessary, in order to address the recurring extreme poverty and marginalization of the least developed countries.

Nepal eagerly awaited the full and honest implementation of the commitments of the developed countries, he said.  Without additional resources for urgent climate change adaptation, the development agenda of the least developed countries would not be fully realized.  Effective bilateral and multilateral debt relief measures were also necessary.  Concrete action was needed now.  Noting the progress his own country had made, he stressed that the sustained and scaled up support of the international community would be critical, to allow it to fulfil all its goals.  If the current opportunity was not seized, poverty eradication goals would remain a distant dream.

BORIS FALATAR, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that, during the past biennium, the agency had continued to promote the aims of the 2001 Brussels Conference, including by contributing to the mid-term review of the programme of action for least developed countries held in 2006, among others.  It had also organized in New York a special event on promoting education for all, which had reviewed progress towards that end, as well as how the education for all global action plans could be used more effectively to enhance implementation of the Brussels action plan.

Looking ahead, he said that UNESCO would continue to promote and contribute to further improvements in educational quality through improved content, curriculum, learning assessments and school management in least developed countries, as well as through the Teacher Training Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (TTISSA).

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For information media • not an official record