Sixty-third General Assembly

Second Committee

4^th & 5^th Meetings (AM & PM)

give agricultural production, sustainable development top priority in TACKLING

crisis-bred suffering, second committee TOLD as it continues debate

As the current financial crisis exacerbated the hardship suffered around the globe, owing to soaring food and energy prices, the international community must make agricultural production and sustainable development top priorities, particularly in Africa, several speakers said today, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) continued its general debate.

Iran’s representative pointed out that world food prices, which had doubled over the past three years, had risen 85 per cent between April 2007 and April 2008 alone, threatening the survival of millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, reversing hard-won gains towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and placing social and political stability at risk.

The food crisis was a wake-up call for the international community to revitalize global agricultural production and trade, and to rectify systemic imbalances in those areas, he said, noting that the world’s population was set to hit the 9 billion mark by 2050, with almost the entire increase in developing-world cities.  However, growth in developing countries was expected to drop from 7.3 per cent in 2007 to 5 per cent in 2008 and 4.8 per cent in 2009, a trend that highlighted the need for a firm international commitment to sustainable development goals.

Israel’s representative said his country’s Center for International Cooperation had signed a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Africa.  Israel would also sign a Partnership Framework Agreement with UNDP.  The World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Millennium Declaration and the International Conference on Financing for Development had all established well-articulated and achievable milestones for the international community in terms of addressing international economic, social and environmental challenges.

He said the political declaration adopted at the high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs renewed the international community’s resolve to get back on track in its efforts to achieve the Millennium targets, particularly in Africa, and to devise a concrete plan of action to help millions of the world’s at-risk citizens.  It was important to build on the momentum and commitments generated by that recent event.

Reiterating that theme, Nigeria’s representative said the Secretary-General’s High-Level Task Force on Food Security should collaborate closely with the United Nations Africa MDG Steering Group to mobilize international assistance in implementing the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme of the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

Turning to climate change, he said it posed a serious threat to millions of people, particularly in Africa, where crop revenues could fall 90 per cent by 2100, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  Development partners should step up assistance to African nations affected by shrinking and drying lakes and rivers so as to preserve those vital bodies of water.  Renewable energy was also an important part of the solution to climate change, but it was often expensive and covered only a small percentage of the global energy mix.  He proposed creating a special fund for research and development to ensure mass energy production at a reduced cost. 

In a similar vein, Turkmenistan’s representative said the world’s economic vulnerability had generated chaotic and unnatural upheavals in oil and gas prices, and was in many respects the main cause of the fragile energy supply system.  Energy resources, primarily hydrocarbons, were the fuel of world development and a dialogue was needed to create comprehensive measures to ensure reliable transport and delivery of energy resources to international markets.  Turkmenistan proposed a draft resolution titled “Reliability of energy resources transit and its role in ensuring stable economic development and international cooperation” as the first step in that process.

Costa Rica’s representative said the current “difficult and disturbing” situation required everyone to think, speak and act in a different, creative and conciliatory fashion.  States were still holding frequent, unproductive and tedious discussions on the means to achieve development targets, and that had to change.  Member States could no longer try to resolve questions simply by using a formula.  They must change their political responses as well as their actions on the ground.  Language that had been agreed upon could be useful, but it could also be a barrier that prevented the thought required by those who needed it the most.  The most important example was that of offering incentives of economic and social development to countries that reduced military spending in order to increase social spending.

Malaysia’s representative said his country’s experience showed the critical importance of Government intervention at lower levels of socio-economic development.  Only Governments were able to integrate social and economic development, as well as environmental considerations, and thus, break the vicious cycle of poverty in which social underdevelopment led to low rates of economic development, while aggravating environmental degradation.  Although the private sector played an important supporting role at that stage of development, it could not take that important a part.  The critical Government role meant it must govern well.  In that regard, there was no need to take an ideological approach as to what constituted good governance, which was any form that enabled the Government to respond to the needs and aspirations of the people.

Nicaragua’s delegate said the financial crisis was a consequence of the deregulation and privatization of financial services that had begun in developed countries that not only promoted free-market principles, but also imposed them on others.  There were more than enough resources and technologies in the world to achieve the Millennium Goals, and enough agricultural produce and resources to feed 12 billion people -- more than double the world’s current population.  What were lacking were the political will and solidarity to resolve the current food crisis and eliminate market distortions that impeded that competitiveness of developing-world farmers.  An overhaul of the global financial, economic and trading system was necessary.

Other speakers today were the representatives of Nepal, Chile, Cuba, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Senegal, Sudan, Uruguay, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Kazakhstan, Guinea, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, United Kingdom, Egypt, Thailand, Philippines, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Pakistan, Namibia, Republic of Korea, Ghana, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Also making a statement was the United Nations representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The Second Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 8 October, to conclude its general debate.

Background

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met today to continue its general debate.

Statements

BUKUN-OLU ONEMOLA ( Nigeria) said he was encouraged by the modest, ongoing efforts to improve governance and transparency within the Bretton Woods institutions, but stressed the need for a comprehensive overhaul to ensure a level playing field for both developed and developing countries.

Regarding the global food crisis, he said it impinged seriously upon developing-world prospects for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  The Secretary-General’s High-Level Task Force on Food Security should collaborate closely with the United Nations MDG Africa Steering Group in mobilizing international assistance to implement the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

Turning to climate change, he said it posed a serious danger to millions of people, particularly in Africa, where crop revenues could fall 90 per cent by 2100, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  All development partners should step up assistance to help African nations affected by the drying up of lakes and rivers, particularly Lake Chad and the River Niger, to preserve those vital bodies of water.

Noting that renewable energy sources were expensive and covered only a small percentage of the global energy mix, he proposed the creation of a special fund for research and development to ensure mass production of energy at a reduced cost.  The development aid architecture had faltered to the point where developing countries were wary of aid promises that failed to materialize.  Nigeria called urgently for a strategic adjustment that would ensure implementation of aid commitments by 2012.

MADHU RAMAN ACHARYA ( Nepal) said it was encouraging that leaders had made some additional commitments two weeks ago, during their assessment of progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals.  However, it was evident that it was necessary to walk extra miles to achieve the Millennium Goals and other internationally agreed development targets, especially ending extreme poverty.  Nepal would have liked to see the outcome of the high-level event prepared in a format of action-oriented summary.

He said the continuing delay in concluding the Doha trade talks was casting a big shadow over the opportunities that trade could offer for development.  In addition, least developing countries had made minimal gains from the duty-free and quota-free market access agreed under the World Trade Organization (WTO).  There was a need for agreement on a broad and meaningful preparatory process for the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, scheduled for 2011, with a view to achieving a new strategic and result-oriented action plan for the next decade.  The forthcoming Doha Conference would give Member States an opportunity to correct some shortcomings, through its review of the Monterrey Consensus, and to initiate a comprehensive approach to development financing, and hopefully, the special needs and difficulties of least developed and landlocked developing countries would be taken fully into account.

The least developed and landlocked developing countries, as well as small-island developing States and mountainous communities in the Himalayas, were dangerously exposed to the vulnerabilities of climate change, he continued.  Negotiations for a post-Kyoto regime should address their concerns and use every opportunity to start adaptation measures in those communities.  For its own part, Nepal was now embarking on a path of new socio-economic development after having achieved a fundamental political transformation.  The Government had given top priority to the logical conclusion of the peace process, by placing an emphasis on reforming the farming sector, harnessing hydropower and boosting tourism.  The success of national initiatives would depend on the effective mobilization of financial and technical resources from development partners.

ALFREDO LABBÉ (Chile), voicing concern about the current financial crisis and its impact on very poor countries, said he trusted that the United Nations would be able to send a strong political signal about the risks that a mishandling of those “superimposed crimes”, which had originated in the developed countries, would create for the developing world.

He said the recent high-level meeting on Africa’s Development Needs and the high-level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals strengthened the commitments made at the 2000 Millennium Summit to redouble efforts to achieve the Millennium targets by 2015.  The current session should focus on that and on a resolution to make arrangements for an international conference on South-South cooperation, which should be held in the first half of 2009.  South-South cooperation was an effective tool for development financing, and it was essential to update the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action, so as to reflect the changes and progress made in the last 30 years.

Chile trusted that the outcome document of the upcoming Doha Conference would reflect the main concerns of developing countries, he said, including those relating to the international financial architecture, external debt, international trade, as well as strengthened and more effective mechanisms for the Monterrey follow-up.  Chile was actively promoting capacity-building to strengthen international technological innovation networks, and was interested in promoting regional scientific development and encouraging technology transfer processes geared towards productive sectors.

RODRIGO MALMIERCA DÍAZ ( Cuba) said that the current international situation, marked by the convergence of various interrelated crises, presented an important challenge to the Committee because it dealt with such crucial issues as trade, financing and the environment, which were currently in the spotlight.  Member States were preparing for a significant negotiation process that was expected to remain transparent, open and inclusive until the very end, so that bad experiences from the past did not recur.

That process would conclude with the adoption, in Doha, of a document that would review what had been agreed in Monterrey six years ago regarding financing for development, and establish new guidelines to be followed, he said.  It should be made clear in Doha that a failure by developed countries to meet their financing commitments was one of the main obstacles to achieving the Millennium targets.  The outcome from Doha would reject, once and for all, the imposition of conditionality on assistance offered by rich countries.  Such conditions were simply immoral and brought with them attempts to impose certain behaviour patterns on recipient countries.

He said the recent bursting of the financial bubble in the United States, which had led to a crisis with global repercussions of inestimable consequences, had demonstrated the resounding failure of the neoliberal capitalist model, based on the market as the only law and on insatiable consumerism.  For the nations of the South, it was clearer than ever that such a model was not the way to achieve development.  Neoliberal globalization had continued to widen the gap between rich and poor.  The United Nations must become the champion of the right to development and of the fight against inequity and the disproportionate wastefulness that a few countries promoted and practised.  Cuba would submit a draft resolution on a new international economic order, the principles of which had been passed more than 30 years ago, but which retained their validity.

SHAIKHA SALMAN AL-ZAABI ( United Arab Emirates) said her country had made significant progress in economic and social development thanks to a national development strategy that focused on the effective use of energy and oil resources.  That move had enabled the United Arab Emirates to diversify the national economy and expand the scope of industry, services and income.  Non-oil income sources now constituted more than 60 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

She said her country had developed a policy based on promoting human resources and providing education and health services to all, and in 2007 and 2008 the United Nations had placed the United Arab Emirates in thirty-ninth place in terms of world development.  The country was also focusing on developing and strengthening its private sector and competitiveness as it worked to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and small business entrepreneurship.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates had invested in promoting youth development and encouraging their participation in all aspects of the economy and public life, she said, adding that the Sheikh Mohammed Fund for New Enterprises was active in that regard.  A pioneering Arab country, in terms of international economic competitiveness and attracting foreign investment, the United Arab Emirates was working hard to combat corruption and money-laundering.  It also had environmentally friendly policies and national action strategies, and was cooperating with the World Wildlife Fund.  The country had developed a new city that was free of environmental waste and that would rely on solar energy.  Further, it had signed several agreements to help other developing countries combat economic difficulties and manage natural disasters.

AKSOLTAN ATAEVA ( Turkmenistan) said the current General Assembly session was taking place at a remarkable but highly complex period in the history of the United Nations.  The year 2008 marked the halfway point towards the target date for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, but nonetheless, it had been marked by the most serious global developments.  The present situation showed that, in addition to traditional military and political threats, new factors had emerged that were no less dangerous to international stability and development than terrorism, extremism and armed conflicts.  The vulnerability of the world economy had generated chaotic and unnatural upheavals in oil and gas prices, and was in many respects the main consequence of the fragile energy-supply system.  Today, energy resources, primarily hydrocarbons, were, in the direct and indirect sense, the fuel of world development.

She called for dialogue to elaborate comprehensive measures to ensure the reliability of the transportation and delivery of energy resources to international markets.  The negotiation of such measures may be a long process, but it was necessary because it corresponded to the long-term interests of the world community.  Turkmenistan proposed a draft resolution, entitled “Reliability of energy resources transit and its role in ensuring stable economic development and international cooperation”, as the first step in that process.  In that context, the Turkmen Government offered to host, in Ashgabad in 2009, an international conference devoted to the issue of reliable and stable transportation of energy resources to international markets under the auspices of the United Nations.  The event would permit participants to discuss pressing problems and work out proposals on elaborating common approaches to guaranteeing reliable energy supplies to world markets.

BASHAR JA’AFARI ( Syria) said his country was in the process of moving towards a market-based economy without undermining the social functions of the State.  Syria sought to extend and further diversify its economic base and had taken great steps towards economic liberation by joining Arab free-trade areas and signing several bilateral free-trade pacts with neighbouring countries.  Working to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Syria faced several obstacles, including the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, which had prevented the area from capitalizing on its natural resources and kept its population from realizing its true potential.  The Israeli occupation also had a negative environmental impact.

Recalling that his country had submitted an official request to join the WTO on 20 October 2001, he said it had reissued that request in 2004, but its accession had not been put on that organization’s agenda.  It was important not to politicize the WTO accession process and not to use that process to exert political pressure.  Syria condemned the use of unilateral economic measures aimed at keeping a country from exercising its economic rights.

Noting that the national economy was under great pressure caused by wars in the region, he said 500,000 Iraqi refugees had drained Syria’s socio-economic resources, a situation exacerbated by the international food and financial crises.  Climate change was also hindering the efforts of developing countries to achieve sustainable development.  Syria, affected by unprecedented periods of drought, called on the United Nations to launch a $1 million appeal to help Syrians suffering its effects, and on developed countries, who were largely responsible for climate change, to aid developing countries suffering its impact.

PAUL BADJI ( Senegal) said that, at the crucial moment when the debate was beginning, Member States could not fail to think about the overarching relevance of the food, energy and financial crises that had given rise to worldwide anxiety.  They must think about the important events that had mobilized leaders, in recent days, to provide urgent responses to the problems of developing countries and to promote their economic and social progress.  Those events highlighted the complexity and interconnectedness of the multifaceted challenges preventing countries from escaping the cycle of development and poverty, and showed the clear need for a committed multilateral approach to address the alarming situation.

Those challenges included the food crisis, which was being harshly felt in Senegal, he said, adding that his country had launched a programme to overcome its dependence on food from other countries.  Thanks to efforts to provide inputs, agricultural equipment, technical training and fiscal incentives, the programme was yielding satisfactory results.  However, it remained clear that national efforts alone were not enough and that the international community should support them by increasing aid for the agricultural sector in place of food assistance.

It was also essential that Member States quickly reach a new international agreement on climate change, he said, stressing his country’s commitment to the search for a sustainable solution based on the inescapable reality of humankind’s single collective destiny.  Fulfilling global commitments in the economic and financial fields was another challenge to be addressed, and it required a responsible approach that would scrupulously uphold promises made.  Financing for development was a fundamental pillar in that approach, and promising new instruments, such as the air ticket tax, had fortunately been identified to mobilize additional financing as a complement to traditional aid.  Another obstacle to be overcome was access to new and innovative technology to ensure that a broad segment of humankind was not left on the sidelines of progress.  Technology should be an effective way to promote sustainable development.

ABDALMAHMOOD ABDALHALEEM MOHAMAD ( Sudan) said the rights to food and to development were at the centre of the United Nations system and could no longer be ignored.  The Committee must continue to advocate a holistic approach to the current crises that focused on revitalizing the agricultural sector while addressing structural and financial impediments to development as a whole.  The current financial crisis caused by developed countries called for urgent reform, including a say for developing countries in international decision-making.

He stressed the need to address climate change with a view to achieving sustainable development, and to harness the requisite political will to create a new agreement in Copenhagen which would set out concrete and strict emission reduction targets, as well as financial and technical support for developing countries.  The poorest countries, which were least responsible for global greenhouse gas emissions, must be helped.

The Economic and Social Council’s first Development Cooperation Forum and the second Annual Ministerial Review were welcome steps that would hopefully contribute to implementing the Global Partnership for Development, he said.  The Committee should seek to make them more results-oriented and to establish a platform for exchanging experiences and addressing gaps in international cooperation.  The Doha Review Conference must address new emerging challenges and their negative impact on development.

JOSE LUIS CANCELA ( Uruguay) highlighted two actions recently taken by his country’s Government.  One was the establishment of a national health fund, a milestone in integration into the international health system and in providing financing to guarantee the rights of all citizens to health.  The second action, concerning education, was a plan for online learning that would provide the majority of Uruguayans with computerized information, and facilitate networking between households and with teachers in schools.  Those domestic efforts were intrinsically linked to the expansion, modernization and diversification of the external sector, and to the increasing openness of international trade.

To that end, it was necessary to make progress on international trade and agriculture, to eliminate export subsidies and to provide greater access to markets, he said.  Those questions were closely linked to the current food crisis, which must be addressed urgently.  However, it was indispensable that Member States come up with long-term solutions that would hinge largely on negotiations in the WTO.  To that end, the greatest efforts must be made to relaunch the Doha Round, particularly in the agriculture sector.

He underscored the need to develop research to prevent any reduction in the availability of freshwater for future food production, among other things.  More must be done to strengthen the link between the United Nations and multilateral financial organizations.  The term “middle-income country” must be revised in context and scope because it often did not reflect the struggles and broad vulnerabilities of the population, as in Uruguay’s case.  The deteriorating environment also represented one of the global enemies threatening future generations.  Member States must continue to strengthen the Organization’s institutional capacity to meet all challenges.

U KYAW TINT SWE (Myanmar) said global economic, financial and trade imbalances remained a major impediment for many developing countries, a situation compounded by the decline in official development assistance (ODA), the financial crisis gripping the largest economy, and rising food and energy prices.  Much more must be done to push global partnership forward if developing countries were to meet internationally agreed development targets.

The Doha Review Conference would provide an opportunity to take stock of the situation and provide renewed inputs for implementation of the international development agenda, he said.  In order to create an environment to enable developing countries to implement the international development agenda, development partners must translate the various commitments they had made in the form of aid, trade, debt relief and investments into concrete action.  Timely conclusion of the Doha Round was essential if developing countries were effectively to harness the development potential of international trade.

Like many other developing countries, Myanmar had taken numerous initiatives to meet development goals, he said, adding that priority had been given to poverty eradication and rural development throughout the country.  As part of an overall environmental policy, Myanmar had adopted a forest policy designed to promote sustainable forest management.  It ensured that forest production met social and community needs without impairing the conservation of biological diversity, the preservation of reserved and protected forest areas, and the stability of the environment.  Such national efforts must be complemented by the international community if all developing countries were to meet the Millennium Goals.

ELI BEN-TURA ( Israel) said more than ever, as the repercussions of the financial, food and energy crises seriously hit the world’s most vulnerable people, the development pillar must be strengthened.  The political declaration adopted at the recent high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs renewed the international community’s commitment to get back on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in that region and to devise a concrete plan of action to help millions of the world’s at-risk citizens.  It was important to build on the momentum and commitments generated by that event.  At a June conference in Israel, the country’s Centre for International Cooperation had signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Africa on agricultural cooperation.  Israel would also sign a Partnership Framework Agreement with UNDP.

Stressing the important role of information and communications technology in addressing poverty eradication, sustainable development, climate change and globalization, he said universal access to telecommunications and information networks was vital in ensuring inclusive and broad participation in the emerging information society and the global economy.  The World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Millennium Declaration and the International Conference on Financing for Development had established well-articulated and achievable milestones for the international community in terms of addressing international economic, social and environmental challenges.  Israel had taken important steps in that regard, having recently initiated a freshwater management programme designed to reduce demand and increase supply sources, for example.  It had also established a cooperative relationship with the Blaustein Institute for Desert Research to continue cutting-edge research on dryland sustainable development.

BUI THE GIANG ( Viet Nam) said the current financial crisis threatened to drive the global economy into recession, while the failure to reach agreement on the development dimension of the Doha Round further aggravated the situation.  The hard-earned gains in efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals were at risk.  The recent high-level meetings on Africa’s development needs, the Millennium Goals and the midterm review of the Almaty Programme of Action had created new momentum to advance the development process.  It was now necessary to scale up global partnerships and mobilize collective efforts by Member States and the development system at large to track progress towards attaining the Millennium targets in a concrete and tangible way.  The international community, under United Nations leadership, should focus on how to minimize the negative impact of globalization on developing countries, particularly least developed and landlocked nations.

Developed nations were primarily responsible for extending genuine, active cooperation and assistance to developing countries, he said, calling on them to honour their ODA commitments.  Viet Nam hoped the Secretary-General’s goal of spending $50 billion annually on ODA by 2010 would be achieved.  In addition, an open, rules-based, predictable and non-discriminatory trading and financial system was vital for ending poverty and hunger and fostering development.  Financing operations must be more predictable, stable and reliable.  Another priority was adapting to climate change and building resilience in vulnerable nations to strengthen their response capacity and reduce their vulnerability.  Viet Nam called on industrial nations to take the lead in reducing carbon emissions and transferring clean technology to the developing world.

ESHAGH ALHABIB ( Iran) said growth in developing countries was expected to decrease from 7.3 per cent in 2007, to 5 per cent in 2008 and 4.8 per cent in 2009.  For many of those countries, the global economic slowdown was compounded by sharply rising food and energy costs.  Poverty eradication was the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, particularly for the developing world.  The unfolding food crisis jeopardized progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals by reversing what had already been accomplished.

The food crisis could act as a wake-up call, to be turned into an opportunity to revitalize global agricultural production and trade, and to rectify the systemic imbalances in those areas.  Meanwhile, it threatened millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, putting social and political stability at risk.  World food prices had doubled over the past three years, and risen 85 per cent between April 2007 and April 2008.  With the world’s population set to increase to about 9 billion by 2050, and with almost all the increase in developing-world cities, the emerging food crisis and population growth were a reminder of the international community’s commitment to sustainable development goals and the follow-up process.

In that regard, desertification was a major challenge to sustainable development that, clearly, had negatively affected agricultural production, he said.  High-income consumers, mostly in developed countries, were continuing to set lifestyle and consumption standards that were increasingly unsustainable.  Unemployment, underemployment and poor working conditions were among the major causes of rising inequality in most developing countries, and overcoming those challenges required collective will, strong cooperation and adherence to the commitments agreed during landmark summits and conferences.

BYRGANYM AITIMOVA ( Kazakhstan) noted that, during last week’s high-level meeting on the Midterm Review of the Almaty Programme of Action, all Member States had unanimously adopted new modalities of international cooperation for ensuring stable economic growth and redressing trade imbalances for landlocked developing countries.  The international community’s concrete strategies for developing transit transport capabilities, as well as social and economic infrastructure, and for promoting trade and obtaining access to world markets would duly enhance global partnership in rendering assistance to that group of States.

She said the outcome document from the Midterm Review would encourage donor countries, as well as multilateral and regional financial and development institutions, to provide landlocked and transit developing countries with appropriate technical and financial assistance in the form of grants and preferential credits to implement regional and interregional projects.  The international community should capitalize on that success to prepare for the International Follow-up Conference on Financing for Development in Doha.

She said Kazakhstan’s economy had been affected by the negative impact of the current global challenges.  The Government’s task was to prevent a slowdown in economic growth, curb inflation processes, supply sufficient food to domestic markets and maintain stable living standards.  Food security and lack of stability in the food supply would negatively affect the security and sustainable development of any country.  For that reason, the concerted actions of all countries in formulating uniform approaches to improving the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex would play a key role in ensuring regional and global food security.

ALPHA IBRAHIMA SOW ( Guinea) said the soaring prices of food and fuel, climate change, and the economic slowdown required a serious and comprehensive response by the international community.  The food crisis had affected the very poor, and required long-term strategies and policies to make agricultural development a priority and place it at the heart of the development agenda.

He said that his country, encouraged by the decisions adopted at the thirteenth session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), called for concerted, proactive international action to avoid a paradox whereby the countries contributing least to climate change bore the brunt of its consequences.  There was a need for collective awareness of global energy consumption patterns and to explore the use of alternative energy resources.  Attention must also be given to reviewing migratory flows caused by globalization.  The international community must seek appropriate responses to such problems.

Noting that Africa risked failing to attain the Millennium Development Goals if current trends continued, he said the international community must align its financial and technical assistance with the continent’s priorities in rural and industrial development, infrastructure, adaptation to climate change and financing for development.  It should also support NEPAD and actively promote human rights, the rule of law and democratization in Africa.  Negotiators in Doha must overcome the current impasses on the trade round, and rapidly reach agreement on measures to boost development and eradicate poverty.  Guinea called for increased ODA and for an easing of conditions required to reach the completion point that would enable them to become eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative.

CARLOS ENRIQUE GARCÍA GONZÁLEZ ( El Salvador) said it was increasingly obvious that the world faced an unprecedented global crisis that had impaired the efforts of the international community, particularly developing countries.  It was undeniable that the surge in, and above all, the instability of, oil prices continued to have a dramatic impact on most of the world, including middle-income countries such as El Salvador.  No country on its own could withstand the multiple effects of the current crises in an increasingly interconnected world.

The recent collapse of Wall Street in the financial sphere was comparable to the fall of the Berlin Wall and what that represented in the political sphere, he continued.  El Salvador supported the convening of an international conference to examine international monetary and financial structures, as well as global economic governance structures.  It was also necessary to address, in a collective approach, the challenges of establishing a new international global order, in particular regarding developing countries.  At a time of global crisis, the Government of El Salvador recognized that the mobilizing of financial resources and their efficient use were fundamental elements of global cooperation for development, in support of internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Goals.  The Salvadorian Government also attached great importance to questions of international migration, which constituted the country’s main access point to globalization.

HIRUT ZEMENE ( Ethiopia) said her Government was encouraged by the renewed resolve, reflected both by developing countries and their development partners, to exert extra efforts to meet objectives for intensified growth and the targets set out by the many development agendas.  It was also heartening that there was a greater degree of international recognition that many least developed countries -– the majority of which were in Africa -– were registering good results in bringing about development and improved resource use to address various economic and social development issues.  However, it was a matter of grave concern that those encouraging developments were being seriously hampered by the current global challenges.

The deliberations of the past weeks had highlighted that States were not lacking in global initiatives to address the challenges faced by many underdeveloped countries, she said.  What was lacking, however, was the commitment to realize those initiatives.  In light of the spirit of the Monterrey Consensus, it was to be hoped that there would be further concrete actions on the part of development partners to fulfil their obligations in terms of increased, predictable and coordinated development assistance, as well as access to trade and debt forgiveness.  For its own part, the Government of Ethiopia had embarked on successive plans to accelerate growth, and the economy had witnessed a double-digit expansion in GDP over the past four years.  There had also been encouraging results on poverty reduction, and many sectors of the economy had experienced significant expansions in agriculture, construction and real estate.

GERT ROSENTHAL ( Guatemala) said his country had always played a proactive role in the United Nations development agenda.  It had been highly active in the work of the Economic and Social Council, the Boards of Directors of UNDP and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in the General Assembly, as well as in organizing international conferences such as the meetings on financing for development.  Guatemala would continue to do that.

He expressed concern about the negative impact of globalization on developing countries and the movement of short-term capital, also noting with concern the recent rise in energy and food prices and the unsettling situation of trade and finance flows.  The absence of the Bretton Woods institutions and the WTO in addressing the current financial crisis was striking.  That economic issue, given its gravity, was now at the top of the global agenda.

The Second and Third Committees would have a significant role to play in improving the living standards and sustainable environment of people worldwide, he said.  The United Nations and intergovernmental forums must have a role in addressing the current financial crisis.  It was crucial to ensure that humankind did not fall victim to an attitude of “survival of the fittest”.  A comprehensive, multilateral approach was crucial.

THEMBA N. MASUKU, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office with the United Nations, said the agency’s indicators showed that an additional 75 million people had been added to those below the hunger threshold, bringing the estimated number of undernourished people worldwide to 923 million.  High food prices had reversed the previously positive trend towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving by 2015 the proportion of people suffering from hunger worldwide.

Achieving the World Food Summit goal of reducing the number of hungry people by 500 million would require an enormous effort, as well as urgent and concrete actions, he said.  FAO’s approach aimed to create opportunities for the hungry to improve their livelihoods by promoting agricultural and rural development.  That approach involved such policies and programmes as social safety nets, which enhanced direct and immediate access to food by the hungry.  In December 2007, FAO had launched its Initiative on Soaring Food Prices to help vulnerable countries put urgent measures in place to boost food supplies, and provide policy support for improved access to food.  Immediate activities included the distribution of seeds, fertilizer, animal feed and other farming tools and supplies to smallholder farmers.  Urgent, broad-based and large-scale investments were needed to address, in a sustainable manner, the growing food insecurity problems affecting the poor and hungry.  No single country or institution could resolve the crisis on its own.

The countries hit hardest by the current crisis, most of which were in Africa, would need at least $30 billion annually to ensure food security and revive long-neglected agricultural systems, he said.  Hunger reduction entailed big pay-offs and should be a top development priority.  Reducing the incidence of hunger worldwide would increase greatly the chances of achieving many of the Millennium Development Goals relating to poverty reduction, education, child mortality, maternal health and disease.  While the global food crisis had been attributed to the coincidence of a number of factors, including the production of biofuels, the extent of the latter’s impact would depend critically on biofuel-support policies, particularly in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.  In order to expand opportunities and reduce risks, changes must be made to policies.  Over the longer term, increased demand for biofuels could provide an opportunity for poverty reduction and improved food security in developing countries.  However, appropriate policies and investments must be put in place.

KAREN PIERCE ( United Kingdom) said the high-level event on the Millennium Development Goals had reaffirmed the international community’s resolve to meet the targets by 2015, and Member States must deliver on their commitments.  The United Kingdom supported the Secretary-General’s proposal of a Review Summit in 2010, which would ensure that States continued to work with as wide a group of stakeholders as possible to accelerate progress.  The Partnership for Development captured in the Monterrey Consensus remained the foundation of the Committee’s work and the only way to achieve the Goals.  Climate change and the food and energy security crises had been at the top of governmental agendas for some time and should be addressed at Doha.  However, as highlighted by the Group of 77 delegate and other speakers, the financial crisis was of immediate concern to everyone.

There was an inextricable link between tackling climate change and making sustainable progress on the Millennium Development Goals, she said.  Adaptation to the impact of climate change must be integrated into every country’s economic development programme, and all countries -– developed and developing alike – must accelerate progress towards a low-carbon economy.  The Committee’s broad mandate provided an opportunity to mainstream climate change throughout the work of the United Nations.  In addition, the Doha Review Conference provided an opportunity to build on the momentum created over the last year.  To ensure that Doha met collective ambitions, there must be enough time to focus on the financing for development negotiations.  Parallel negotiations within the Committee on issues relating to financing for development in the run-up to Doha could detract from the review.

MAGED ABDELAZIZ ( Egypt) said an expanded dialogue involving all relevant stakeholders and a real global partnership were needed in order comprehensively to address the food and energy crises and the relevant structural issues concerning climate change, food subsidies and biofuel production.  The Secretary-General’s High-Level Task Force on Food Security was a good initiative that required intergovernmental follow-up and greater collaboration with Member States.  A General Assembly resolution was needed to transform mounting international concern into a comprehensive action plan to counter the crisis, in accordance with the proposal submitted by Egypt, Chile and Indonesia.  Egypt called on developed countries to show the flexibility needed to reach agreement on the Doha Round, in order to create a more balanced and just multilateral trading system that took into account the need of developing countries for market access and provided an urgent solution to the structural problems relating to agriculture.

Expressing concern about decreasing quantity and quality of ODA, he said much assistance was given in fields or for projects that donor, rather than recipient, countries deemed to be priorities.  That contradicted the principle of local ownership of the development agenda.  Developed countries must adhere to ODA timetables and to the agreed principles governing international development cooperation.  Egypt reaffirmed its support for the Bali Action Plan and for an outcome at Poznan in December that would lead to a global consensus on future climate change cooperation before the 2009 Copenhagen meeting.  The Climate Change Convention was the main forum covering the needs of vulnerable countries, according to the nine criteria contained in that instrument, and for creating a list of nations that the United Nations should support through financial resources for mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer and capacity-building.

SANSANEE SAHUSSARUNGSI (Thailand), aligning herself with the Group of 77 and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), noted that 2008 marked the midpoint on the path towards both the Millennium Development Goals and the Almaty Programme of Action.  Thailand hoped the Second Committee would serve as a catalyst for more cooperation and dynamism in pursuing sustainable development.  Despite tough economic and financial reforms and restructuring, the world was “more fragile than ever” and remained vulnerable to a global financial crisis.  It was time the Second Committee strengthened its role on discussion of those matters, paying particular attention to the role of international financial institutions and the need to reform them.

Turning back to the Millennium Development Goals, she said achieving them largely depended on the Global Partnership for Development.  Looking forward to the Doha Review Conference, it was important for developed countries to deliver on their commitments, particularly those relating to ODA.  South-South cooperation, which should complement, but not displace, North-South cooperation, could also serve as an important mechanism to help achieve those goals.

She pointed out, however, that the global partnership was not all about aid, emphasizing that developing countries should not be denied an opportunity to “trade themselves out of poverty”.  To that end, the Second Committee should provide strong guidance towards greater flexibility from all WTO members so that the modalities, if not the whole Doha Development Agenda negotiations, could be concluded as soon as possible.  In that regard, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) could serve as the platform for a discussion to provide guidance or policy options for all countries.

HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR. ( Philippines) said that, perhaps the only thing that was certain at the present point in the global financial crisis was that all economies were in serious danger of undergoing upheaval, thereby reversing any progress that might have been made towards achieving the Millennium Goals and other internationally agreed development targets.  The danger of proliferating bilateral and regional trade agreements, even though Doha-compliant, was that States ran the risk of creating distortions that might defeat the stated purpose of fair and free trade.

The Philippine Government remained hopeful that talks on the Doha Round could be resumed in the near future, and encouraged all parties to consider negotiations in a new light, he said.  In addition, the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development took on added importance in view of the financial turmoil that everyone faced.  The Monterrey Consensus should remain on track and commitments to financing for development should be renewed and revitalized.

The work of the Committee was vital to developing countries, he said, noting that all the current crises fell squarely under discussions within the Committee, and that the draft resolutions to be negotiated during the sixty-third session would be of particular relevance and resonance.  Negotiations on many of those texts were often hotly debated and sometimes it seemed there were divergent viewpoints on the same subject matter.  However, it was to be hoped that the gravity of the crises currently confronting and challenging the United Nations development pillar would move States from arguments of whether the glass was half-empty or half-full, to the realization that everyone must drink from the same glass to survive.

GIADALLA ETTALHI ( Libya) said the upcoming Doha Review Conference would be a good opportunity to develop a mechanism to monitor the realization of development and trade commitments.  Libya called for a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory trading system and for reducing import tariffs that thwarted competitiveness.  There was also a need to end the current impasse in the Doha Round, and to include the development dimension in those negotiations.  Meanwhile, developing countries needed a greater voice and more participation in the decision-making process of the international financial institutions.  In light of the current financial crisis, it was an appropriate time to see how they operated and to correct existing imbalances.  Furthermore, corruption, bribery and the fraudulent transfer of assets were obstacles to achieving the Millennium Goals, particularly in Africa.  Money-laundering centres must not be tolerated.

Turning to climate change, he said his country had indeed been negatively affected by its adverse consequences, as it was a semi-arid country.  Libya had taken several steps to achieve sustainable development and create new river and irrigation systems.  It had designed plans to ensure food security, and was also helping its neighbours by providing $5 million for food-security projects in several Saharan countries.  Libya had also launched a “Green Campaign” as well.  The country supported South-South cooperation and called for the implementation of the outcomes of high-level conferences held by countries in the South aimed at improving living standards.  Globalization had created income disparities between rich and poor countries and there was a need for international efforts to ensure that globalization had a development dimension.

EL MOSTAFA SAHEL (Morocco), noting that the general debate was taking place in a very special international context, dominated by the economic slowdown, the international financial crisis, spiralling food and energy prices, and climate change, said the task of all countries was to adapt to the fallout from those crises, particularly countries in the South.  The combined crises threatened to frustrate progress made thus far in counteracting hunger and poverty.  Finding solutions to the crises required international solidarity, determination and political will, as well as a commitment to preserve Planet Earth for future generations.

Urgent measures were absolutely vital, he said, noting that the challenges also offered an opportunity for the international community to rethink and re-examine the policies it had undertaken thus far, and to shorten long-term measures, in order to help resolve the crises.  Added to all the global crises, was the failure of the multilateral trade talks, which would have negative consequences, particularly for countries in the South.  For that reason, it was crucial that members of the WTO resume the negotiations and not abandon the progress made thus far.  International trade continued to be an engine for growth and improvement, as well as an instrument for bringing cultures and civilization together.  That required a global partnership for development.

He said that with Africa at the heart of the general debate, and still the continent encountering the most difficulties in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, despite economic performances and social and political reforms implemented over the years, a surge in the price of agricultural products, linked to that in the price of oil, would negatively affect African countries.  The reality on the ground could be changed by overcoming systemic imbalances and promoting the implementation of tangible projects that had an impact on people’s lives.

HAMIDON ALI ( Malaysia) said that achieving the Millennium Development Goals required that Member States address three main obstacles:  policy failure, lack of national capacities and inadequate international assistance.  Malaysia’s experience showed the critical importance of Government intervention at lower levels of socio-economic development.  Only Governments were able to integrate social and economic development, as well as environmental considerations, and thus, break the vicious cycle of poverty in which social underdevelopment led to low rates of economic development, while aggravating environmental degradation.  Although the private sector played an important supporting role at that stage of development, it could not take that important a part.  The critical Government role meant it must govern well.  In that regard, there was no need to take an ideological approach as to what constituted good governance, which was any form that enabled Government to respond to the needs and aspirations of the people.

Developing countries, by definition, had low national capacities across a broad spectrum, including infrastructure, education and health, among other things.  The development of national capacities across that spectrum was necessarily a complex and arduous exercise.  The role of the United Nations in that regard included supporting the capacity-building efforts of programme countries to coordinate and evaluate the impact of external assistance; undertaking measures to ensure the sustainability of capacity-building activities; utilizing national execution and available national expertise; and strengthening the role of the United Nations in facilitating access by developing countries to new and emerging technologies.  Inadequate attention had been given lately to the capacity-building aspect, and much more had been committed to agriculture development, for example, than to improving governance in the least developed countries.

CLAUDIA LOZA ( Nicaragua) said the current financial crisis was a consequence of the deregulation and privatization of financial services that had begun in developed countries that not only promoted free-market principles, but also imposed them on others.  There were more than enough resources and technologies in the world to achieve the Millennium Goals, and enough agricultural produce and resources to feed 12 billion people -- more than double the world’s current population.  What were lacking were the political will and solidarity to resolve the current food crisis and eliminate market distortions that impeded that competitiveness of developing-world farmers.

An overhaul of the global financial, economic and trading system was necessary, he emphasized, adding that the Doha Round could no longer be one for the free market.  The negotiations must promote trade based on a level playing field for both developed and developing countries.  New commitments were not needed; what was required was for the international community to move forward with a strong spirit of solidarity and political will to make the Doha Review Conference a success based on tangible and immediate action.

SAÚL WEISLEDER ( Costa Rica) said that the current “difficult and disturbing” situation required everyone to think, speak and act in a different, creative and conciliatory fashion.  Even though the development agenda was clear when it came to the goals to be achieved, States were still holding frequent, unproductive and tedious discussions on the means to achieve them, and that had to change.  The current crises threatened to jeopardize what could be achieved in terms of the Millennium Development Goals and, furthermore, there was a risk of regressing on what had already been achieved.

The crises must be turned into many opportunities, he said, adding that Member States could not continue to resolve questions simply by using a formula.  Reality and the world had changed, and States must change their political responses, as well as their actions on the ground.  Language that had been agreed upon could be useful, but it could also be a barrier that prevented the thought required by those who needed it the most.

Developed and rich countries must comply with their ODA commitments, he continued, adding that those commitments were feasible and should be fulfilled.  Rich countries must also open their markets to exports from poor countries, and sufficiently reduce their subsidies to allow the Doha Round a chance of success.  For their part, poor and middle-income countries musts improve their governance while spending and investing more effectively and ethically.  The most important example was that of offering incentives for economic and social development to countries that reduced military spending in order to increase social spending.  However, good governance did not mean imposing certain forms of Government because that was up to the people themselves.  Globalization could be a monster or a lamb; if it were a monster, it must be tamed, and if it were a lamb, it must be led along the path that would be the most beneficial for all.

TARIQ AL-FAYEZ ( Saudi Arabia) said poverty eradication and development were moral responsibilities, adding that there would be no peace without development.  There was a need to reform the global financial, economic and trade regimes, which should be done through international consensus, including in partnership with the least developed countries.  All developing countries should have access to world markets and to equal footing in the WTO.  Over the last three decades, Saudi Arabia had contributed more than $3 billion in aid to developing countries around the world.

While expressing concern about climate change, he stressed that avoiding fuels was not a viable solution since it could still be used in a sustainable manner.  Saudi Arabia was a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol and believed the world should adopt environmentally friendly policies.  Regarding globalization, it should not focus only on opening markets, but also on providing equal opportunities for all, improving living conditions, eradicating poverty and wiping out deadly diseases.  Saudi Arabia supported South-South cooperation, which should be the main engine of growth for the Group of 77 and China.

CHAN KHAR LIANG ( Singapore) said that, at a time when the political, economic and social landscapes were being altered in profound ways, the world was besieged by energy and food crises, climate change and the financial debacle.  There was little doubt the financial crisis would hinder the achievement of collective development targets, most notably the Monterrey Consensus on financing for development and the Millennium Development Goals.  There was an urgent need to stabilize international financial markets and to consider how the world economic system could adapt to counteract the current complex challenges.  During times of crisis, it was all too easy to become overwhelmed, work at cross-purposes and indulge in rhetoric rather than action.  Thus, it was important to remember the need to be action-oriented, in order to develop workable solutions.

Turning to international trade, he said the Doha Round of talks had “undeniably collapsed”, due largely to a failure by countries to take joint responsibility for the global trading system.  To stabilize the system and strengthen it further, the negotiations must be revived as soon as possible, following which there would be an increase in protectionism, which would, in turn, reduce global welfare by billions of dollars, impeding long-term economic growth.  To accomplish the Second Committee’s agenda, Singapore called for the Committee’s resolutions to be buttressed with the necessary resources and political will to translate their words into practical efforts and actions.

FARUKH AMIL ( Pakistan) said that the Committee was meeting at a difficult and extraordinary time, when the world was in the throes of a development emergency triggered by an unprecedented confluence of multiple crises of finance, food and fuel.  Those crises were further aggravated by the destruction and economic losses inflicted by ever-increasing natural disasters on account of climate change.  Clearly, normal solutions and routine prescriptions would not work.  Instead of relying on the exclusive forums of the select few, it was time for the United Nations to take the lead in promoting a truly global and inclusive dialogue to find durable solutions.  Perhaps it was also time to look more closely at the suggestions made in the flagship reports of the United Nations that had been prescient in predicting the present economic slowdown and financial crisis.

The extraordinary situation that was developing demanded urgent global attention under United Nations auspices, he stressed.  The challenges were big, but so were the opportunities they brought.  After all, the East Asian financial crisis had played a pivotal role in making Monterrey a reality.  The current economic milieu offered a unique opportunity to reinvigorate and further bolster development cooperation and implementation monitoring roles aimed at promoting economic and social development worldwide, consistent with the United Nations Charter.  Access to technology was of critical importance for building the requisite capacities in the developing world to meet the challenges of development in a knowledge-driven economy.  The international community must agree on how developing countries could best secure access to and transfer of technology.  Conscious measures were also required to focus on research and development in the developing countries, including through incentives for the private sector.

KAIRE MUNIONGANDA MBUENDE ( Namibia) said the current financial turmoil had far-reaching implications for the international financial system and developing countries.  It had exposed the weakness of a self-regulating economic and financial system.  International financial and economic institutions had become spectators to the unfolding global catastrophe as they continued to suffer from structural and operational paralysis.  There was a need to review the mandates and structures of those institutions in order to make them more relevant and appropriate in addressing current economic and financial challenges.

Oil-importing developing countries like Namibia had been negatively affected by ever-increasing oil prices, which had led to price increases in other sectors, he said, calling for the immediate and full capitalization of the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol in order to support adaptation efforts.  The international community must double its efforts to increase financial and technical assistance to developing countries, particularly in Africa, so as to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 target year.

He went on to emphasize that the Doha Round must deliver on its development promise, including through substantial market access for developing countries in order to boost the global economy.  Several studies had concluded that more than 40 per cent of people living on less than a dollar a day lived in middle-income developing countries.  Poverty-reduction efforts in those countries needed support to meet the Millennium Goal of halving poverty by 2015.  Middle-income countries planned to table a draft resolution in the Committee on the need for the international community to support the development efforts of middle-income countries.

SHIN BOO-NAM (Republic of Korea) said the international community was now facing a raft of unprecedented crises, and called on the United Nations to play a leading role in stirring public awareness, drawing the attention of Member States, designing strategies and actions tailored and targeted to each crisis, and pushing the international community to move forward.  In particular, in order to address climate change in a timely and proper manner, the international community -– both developed and developing countries -– should make meaningful progress in designing the post-2012 climate change regime.  To tackle the current multiple challenges, high-level commitments should be made to redouble the international community’s efforts and build up more political momentum on environmental and development issues.  It was necessary to hold a new world summit in 2012, focusing on sustainable development.

Having passed the midway point to the target year for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, he said he was worried that many Millennium targets were seriously off track.  For its own part, the Republic of Korea had increased its aid volume at a rapid pace over the past decade, and had recently introduced a road map for a scale-up of its official development assistance.  In addressing the current financial crisis, States should be cautious not to repeat protectionist policies, which could only be self-defeating.  Any solutions should be based on consolidated cooperation in the international community and the open-market economy.  If the wrong choices were made at the present time, hard-won achievements could dissipate, forcing States to begin again from scratch.  Therefore, all the wisdom and efforts of the international community should be mustered to make the right choices.

LESLIE K. CHRISTIAN ( Ghana) said the current financial turmoil showed that market forces alone were not adequate in preventing recurrent financial crises.  The present international framework for monetary and exchange-rate policies still left considerable room for destabilizing speculation.  The situation, therefore, called for a tight regulatory system and a more expansionary international macroeconomic policy response.  Stricter measures to regulate financial flows would also help contain speculation on commodity markets, which was a key factor in price instability.  The inability of policymakers to agree on such internationally coordinated and concerted action was detrimental to the world economy, with negative implications for developing countries.

Although there was a crisis, there was also an opportunity to re-emphasize global solidarity for development, he said.  Harnessing the positive forces for pro-development globalization required national efforts and complementary international actions to deal with global imbalances and facilitate beneficial participation by developing countries in the world economy.  Many countries, especially the least developed ones and those in Africa, were persistently marginalized from the benefits of trade and investment.

However, the trade discourse must not be seen merely as a way to increase exports, he said.  There was also a need to pay attention to the quality of experts who could generate the required resources for development.  In addition, the financing for development process provided a valuable opportunity to address the financial and trade constraints facing developing countries.  Ghana hoped that those and other concerns, including debt and systemic issues, would be dealt with thoroughly during the Doha Review Conference.

MUN JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said the discrepancies between the North and the South in international economic relations had deepened and the negative impact of globalization had surfaced more clearly.  The hike in oil prices and the continuing food and financial crises had substantially impacted the vulnerable economies of developing countries.  The United Nations must concentrate its efforts on ensuring the creation of an international environment favourable to achieving the Millennium targets in developing countries, with particular emphasis on the three pillars of development:  economic growth; social development; and environmental protection.  The right of developing countries to choose their own development strategies and policies, in accordance with their own economic realities, should be respected.

A fair international trade order should be established as early as possible, he said, adding that the neo-protectionist trade policies of the developed nations were the main obstacle to developing countries’ access to markets and development.  The failure to reach agreement in Doha was clear proof of that.  Regarding climate change, the Rio principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be observed in coping with its challenges.  Developed countries must fulfil their obligations under the Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increase their financial support to and investment in developing countries by transferring clean and environmentally friendly technologies under preferential terms, and by helping those countries use renewable energy sources.

PHOMMA KHAMMANICHANH (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), noting that the global food crisis endangered millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, said it also threatened to reverse critical gains towards reducing poverty and hunger.  In response to the crisis, it was necessary to strengthen developing-world agriculture by increasing investment in the agricultural sector and in rural infrastructure; empowering small and medium-scale farmers; attracting technical assistance; accessing and transferring technology; and exchanging knowledge and experience.

Turning to climate change, he said the least developed countries and the small island developing States remained most vulnerable to its effects due to their limited resources and capacities for migration and adaptation.  The United Nations had a greater role to play in that regard.  Climate change, including global warming, should be addressed on the basis of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

He said financing for development, the mobilization of financial resources and the effective use of those resources were central to enhancing the Global Partnership for Development in support of the internationally agreed development targets, including the Millennium Goals.  The Lao People’s Democratic Republic looked forward to the success of the Doha Review Conference.  Additionally, international trade was inextricably linked to economic growth and development, and it was therefore necessary to conclude the Doha Development Round at the earliest possible opportunity, since it had the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty.  That must be coupled with the full realization of its development agenda.

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