ECOSOC 12TH JULY 2007

Operational Activities Segment


Item 3: Operational activities of the UN for international development cooperation:
a) Follow-up to policy recommendations of the General Assembly (GA) and the Council
b) South-south cooperation for development

Opening statement by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs to the operational activities segment of the ECOSOC
Introduction of the report of the Secretary-General (SG) on the triennial comprehensive policy review and of the 2007 comprehensive report of the financing of operational activities for development

The resolution 59/520 set policy guidelines for the UN system’s development work at the country level. It stressed an overarching purpose: to make the UN more effective and efficient in its support to developing countries to achieve their priorities and the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs.
The forthcoming GA will negotiate a new TCPR resolution.
Since the 2004 TCPR, the development landscape has change dramatically. The 2005 Paris declaration on Aid Effectiveness reiterated the central importance of national ownership and leadership, and emphasised new aid modalities.

Mr. Sha Zukang has introduced two reports of the SG:
Ø The TCPR report analyses the implementation of Assembly resolution 59/250. Its main focus is to assess to what extent and in what ways the UN system has provided effective and efficient support to developing countries, to realize their national development priorities and achieve internationally agreed development goals.
The report reviews the sustainability of the outcomes of the UN development system’s operational activities.
It reviews also the adequacy of funding and current funding modalities of operational activities for development.
The report shows that progress has been made in selected areas, such as capacity development, promotion of South-South cooperation, transition from relief to development, gender mainstreaming and evaluation.
Ø The second report, “Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for development of the UN system for 2005”,shows the decline of the core share of total contributions.


Statement on behalf of the Group 77 and China by Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan:
Ambassador Munir Akram take this opportunity to highlight some issues of particular concern to G77 and China in the context of TCPR:
Ø One, the reaffirmation of the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review of operational activities establishes key system wide policy orientation for the development cooperation. G77 and China believe that the TPCR should determine the course of action for UN operational activities and should not be preempted by other processes.
Ø Two, the fundamental characteristics of the UN operational activities for development must remain the universal, voluntary and grant nature, the neutrality and the multilateralism, as well as their ability to respond to the development needs of program countries in a flexible manner.
Ø Three, the need for a strengthened global partnership for development, based on the recognition of national leadership and ownership of development strategies should be a guiding principle of UN operational activities at the country level.
Ø Four, the primary thrust of TCPR process should be driven by a vision of a stronger role of the UN on development issues, and by the need to fully implement all agreed commitments.
Ø Five, the central issue remains the quantity and quality of development assistance from the UN system. The continuing imbalance between “core” and “non-core” resources remains a major reason for the incoherence of the UN development programs, including at a country level. Importantly, the share of core resources over the total contributions received by the UN system has been falling continuously. At present, over 45% of the funding provided by UNDP is devoted to projects relating to governance, while only 25% is being spent on poverty programmes.
Ø Six, the guiding principle of the UN operational activities should be to provide more efficiency in delivery.
Ø Seven, coherence at the national and international level also involves the Bretton woods institutions. They should be a part of any integrated approach to development cooperation.
Ø Eight, there is no “one size fits all”. There should be no restrictions on the ability and sovereignty of national governments to determine their own development priorities or select their development partners.
Ø Nine, the importance of the regional dimension of development is manifested in the mandates given to the regional commissions. Improved coherence at the regional level will require strengthening existing UN regional mechanisms for horizontal coordination.
Ø Ten, South-South cooperation is complementary to North-South cooperation, and is a way to enhance exchange of best practices and support among developing countries.
Ø Eleven, it is important that operational activities for development take into account the need to promote national capacity building in developing countries. In this regard, the UN system should make optimal use of the available national expertise and technologies, ensuring the promotion and transfer of new technologies to developing countries.
Ø Twelve, developing countries should have access to new and emerging technologies, including information and communication technologies.

The group of 77 and China is also concerned at the inordinate emphasis on issues such as Human Rights, gender and civic engagement in the context of the UN’s operational activities for development. They should be promote in all countries and not only to developing countries.
The Group is concerned that these issues, as well as humanitarian assistance, if included as objectives of UN developmental cooperation could result in discrimination against the developing countries, distort their national development plans and strategies and could be misused to introduced new conditionalities on international development assistance.

Brazil, Indonesia, Venezuela, Angola, India, Cape-verde joint themselves at the G77 and China’s statement.


Statement by H.E Ambassador Fransisco Xavier Esteves, Permanent Representative, Portugal,
On behalf on the European Union
The EU members states envisage the 2007 TCPR as an important opportunity to give further impetus to the ongoing reforms shaped by the past TCPR. A more effective and efficient UN will be an even more important partner for member states in ensuring that development assistant delivers results in each pillar of sustainable development.
The EU views that assisting governments in developing capacity to achieve the international agreements and standards to be at the very core of the UN’s development work.
The UN systems ability to assist in capacity development has to be further strengthened and its role clearly defined. In this regard, in line with GA resolution 59/520, EU calls on all entities to use national execution and the use of national expertise and technologies as the nor for implementation of operational activities.

At the 2005 World Summit, heads of states and governments resolved the mainstreaming of Human Rights throughout the UN system. Further efforts are needed in order to build up the UN country team’s capacity to support efforts of member states in strengthening their national human rights promotion and protection system.
The EU reiterate that accountability for gender-mainstreaming and women’s empowerment should be given higher priority within UN agencies.

The EU considers that South-South cooperation is an integral part of the worldwide global effort for development. The EU also sees the potential for an increased role of the UN system in strengthening funding partnerships among developing countries.

The effectiveness of international efforts to prevent crises and to manage their aftermath of crises is crucial to meet the internationally agreed development goals.
In transition situation, the UN needs to further develop a coherent, coordinated and effective response for the UN system as a whole and that’s why the EU urges the UN system to intensify efforts regarding the simplification and harmonization of administrative procedures and funding structures.

Moreover, the EU considers the Resident coordinator system to be a fundamental instrument to ensuring an effective and efficient coordination of operational activities for development at country level. A strengthened RC system, integrated UN programmes and new instruments and interagency mechanism such as joint programming pose new challenges with regard to accountability, oversight and governance, both for the RC system and for individual UN organizations. The EU therefore proposes to include a section on “accountability, oversight and governance” in future TCPR reports and GA resolutions on TPCR.

The EU considers the issues of funding for the UN’s operational activities both at central and country-level as a key question, with the objective of ensuring multi-year, adequate, predictable and timely core funding. In this regard, the EU considers a “code of conduct” or “principles for good multilateral donorship” to have the potential to mitigate distorting funding patterns”.

The EU considers that it will be essential to modernize and achieve full compatibility between UN organizations on processes for resource planning, human resources, common services and evaluation, as there are important drivers and effectiveness in the UN system.
Efforts to reduce transactions costs and improve efficiency should benefit developing countries in the first place.
A more comprehensive accountability framework would be needed in order to bring legitimacy to a strengthened RC system, to enable effective implementation of new interagency mechanisms and for clarity of accountability for the individual agencies at country level.




Statement by H.E Makio Miyagawa, Deputy Representative of Japan to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva
The ultimate objective of UN operational activities should be to find the most effective means of delivering services to communities and people in need so as to ensure human security.
Ø Improved functioning of the UN development system
1) CCA (common country assessment) / UNDAF(UN development assistance framework)
At the country level, the CCA/UNDAF has increasingly been guided by strategic considerations and focused on helping developing countries achieve the MDGs. In addition to the CCA/UNDAF, the UN now has the integrate peacebuilding strategy of the PBC.
At the regional level, the role of regional commissions should be carefully reviewed.
2) RC system
One important question is “how are we to ensure that the UNDP functions as an impartial and neutral manager of the RC system?”
First, we need to ensure that the UNDP’s dual roles are clearly delineated and decide on the nature and function of the necessary internal firewall.
Second, we need to see how the UNDP will streamline its activities and eliminate overlap with other agencies.
Third, we should carefully analyse and evaluate the result of the eight pilot programmes.

Ø Operational activities
There are five issues :
1) Capacity develoment
Its necessary to emphasise the importance of national capacity building; capacity development of national governments is essential.
2) South-South cooperation
Because no adequate strategic framework for South-South exists, regular resources are insufficient, their availability is unpredictable and information-sharing among agencies is limited. Japan belives that the TCPR need to provide UN activities with a strategy to guide south-south cooperation.
3) Gender mainstreaming
The TCPR needs to be debate and adopted taking that discussion into consideration.
4) Transition from relief to development
Particularly in post-conflict, the UN development system needs to work closely with the PBC, and the TCPR should indicate how and in what areas.
It is important to ensure a smooth handover from the Humanitarian coordinator to the EC system. In this regard, the UN system should seek to systemize better coordination between OCHA and UNDP.
Moreover, the UNDP should work closely on this issue with other humanitarian and development agencies.
5) Community-based bottom-up approach
It is important to deliver and create an impact at the community level. Primary responsability for achieving the MDGs rests with national governments. Consequently, national ownership is important. Such collaborative efforts are needed to protect and empower people at the community level, to help them address muliti-sectoral human security challenges. In this context, promoting partnerships with civil society groups, NGOs and local entities is crucial.




PANEL DISCUSSION with a UN Regional Directors team from Latin America and the Caribbean (afternoon meeting)
Effectiveness of the UN development system at the regional level

The moderator Mr.Denis Aitken gave the floor to Mr. Valdrack Jaentschke, Vice –Minister for Cooperation in Nicaragua. This one made the observation that the gap between rich and poor was more and more increasing. He called for a fair concurrency without subvention policies. The recipient governments of the help have to assure the coordination of it. The participation of the developing countries in the decision making process has to be strengthened and the specific needs of the country have to be taken into account. He reminded everyone that the week before his government reengaged itself to implement the ODM.

Mr. José Luis Machinea, Executive Secretary for ECLAC shared the challenges of its organization (more dialogue and coordination with other agencies) and strongly underlined the decrease of the amount of the help concerning the ODA in the LAC area.

Ms. Rebecca Grynspan, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for the UNDP/LAC explained the main pillars its agency was implementing to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the UN system at the regional level to achieve sustainable human development for all (creation of a UN knowledge-sharing platform, Provide integrated inter-agency support and technical programming capacity to strengthen the performance of the UN country teams). She also proposed a UN Regional Leadership structure. Then she gave some results and spoke about the challenges, like the co-location and establishment of a UN Regional Hub to facilitate the provision of coordinated interagency policy advice and strategic guidance to UNCTs in Panama.

Mr. Nils Kastbery, regional Director of the UNFPA/LAC, stressed in a first time the necessity of the south-south cooperation. In a second time he spoke about the importance to be present on the field. The implementation of ODM must be realized in the poorest substratums.

Ms. Marcela Suazo, Regional Director of the UNFPA/LAC reminded the Assembly that in 2003, the four agencies of the executive comity (UNICEF, PAM, PNUD and UNFPA) had decided to meet regularly to make a common agenda in order to reach the ODM. Then she explained the way in which its agency was working.

Some delegations weighed in.

The delegation of the Philippines wanted to know the main reasons of the decrease of the help in LCA area.

The delegation of Belgium asked if this excellent cooperation at the regional level was the same at the national level. Belgium also asked if there were proofs which shown that the results of this cooperation were better than in situations where there wasn’t a regional cooperation as the LCA one.

According to the delegation of Colombia, a greater participation of the national authorities is necessary. Colombia added that the international community wasn’t aware enough of the importance of the realization of the ODM in the LCA area.

The Costa Rica raised two questions: what have been the crucial factors in the amelioration of the ODM? What are the new challenges which emanate from the Ministerial Declaration?

The delegation of Indonesia wondered what the place of ECLA in the structure was.

The delegation of Haiti wanted to know if apart from health’s field, others fields have been or no evaluated.

The delegation of Panama expressed his pride to welcome the first regional center of cooperation of the UN in Panama.

The delegation of Barbade shared its preoccupation concerning the decrease of the help in the region and wanted to know the reason of it and what can be done to fight against it. They also asked if in the new Panama’s Bureau different languages will be taken into account.

Then guest speakers answered to the delegations’ questions.

Mr. Valdrack Jaentschke underlined the fact that problems were still very important in the LCA region, in particular at the national level.

Mr. Luis Machinea insisted on the lack of the coordination at the national level. Then he explained that medium countries were seen as countries which didn’t need help, whereas it was completely wrong.

Ms. Gryspan said that it was important to strengthen the cooperation between the different organizations.

Ms. Suazo confirmed that conflicts between countries were real. Thus, she underlined the importance of the presence of the agencies on the field in order to gather information. But she said that to see the real impact of the cooperation, still many years will be necessary.

Mr. Katesbery specified that within the regional group, each country was evaluated. Concerning the reduction of risks, he said that many groups were working together to improve it.

MEETING GROUP 77

The group first reviewed the draft resolution of the coordination segment. They agreed with the general amendments that had been made essentially by Canada and Norway and most of the following discussion concerned the operating paragraphs nine and ten. The debate was mainly centred on the EU proposition to replace “representative of employers and workers” by “stakeholders” in the OP ten. Finally, the group decided to go along with the EU proposition, however also including “relevant stakeholders including government and representatives of employers and workers” as proposed by Barbados, which gave the concerned countries enough flexibility to identify the parties to be involved while not limiting the other UN agencies capacities to the tripartite specificity of the ILO.

The chair of the meeting then gave the floor to Honduras to present its proposed draft resolution on UN-INSTRAW. After a brief introduction on the draft resolution and on the remarkable work made by INSTRAW, the representative wished to hear comments from the other States. Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Argentina and El-Salvador all thanked Honduras for its initiative, fully supported the draft resolution and encouraged the other members to do so. Chile further backed the draft by pointing out that INSTRAW was the only institution involved in carrying research on gender equality and security issues and was highly involved in Latin America. Other States also supported the draft but expressed need for further review and final instruction from their respective capitals, namely Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Barbados, Cuba and the Philippines.

Finally, the president invited all the delegations that would have amendments or comment on the proposed draft to send it as soon as possible to the secretariat and requested the delegation of Honduras to provide the sources of the text.

ECOSOC 11TH JULY 2007

Meeting of the Group of 77

Namibia presented the document “Draft resolution, Substantive session for 2007, Agenda item 7(g), Coordination, programme and other questions”, “Ad hoc advisory group on Guinea-Bissau”, which, according to Namibia, is a resolution important for the stabilization of the situation in the country. He informed everyone that a lot of people can’t be paid due to a lack of resources and that it was a factor of destabilization. Then, as for the 15 last days no comments have been made on it by any delegations, it has been decided by the president of the meeting that the resolution will be submitted.

Concerning the document entitled “Compilation, Elements for 2007 ECOSOC integrated follow-up resolution” dating from the 4 July 2007, the delegations examined all the amendments made by other groups.
On the PP1, they accepted the EU amendment.
On the PP3, they didn’t accept the Switzerland amendment (cross sector instead of multi-facetted).
On the OP2, for the EU amendment (the completion of) they decided to ask the secretary to know if the review has been completed or not.
On the OP3 bis, they rejected the EU amendment and asked for its deletion because of the flexibility ECOSOC should have.
On the OP4, they didn’t decide anything, as the Chile delegate was waiting for an answer from its mission.
On the OP7, 8, 9 and 10, for the US amendment “as appropriate” they need to seek a clarification.
On the OP10, for the EU amendment (delete “thematic”), they weren’t against it because the word “thematic” could be a risk of confusion between the AMR and the High level.

Then Kenya introduced his draft resolution on Human settlements and informed everyone that some amendments had been made by Tanzania. A second document with the amendments was distributed. For Kenya and Pakistan delegations the details added by Tanzania are not in their place in this ECOSOC document and they may rather be a source of complication during the negotiation with partners.

Finally, it has been decided that the initial draft decision will be submitted.

ECOSOC 10TH JULY 2007

Coordination Segment


Operational activities of the United Nations for international development coordination segment


The meeting opened by a declaration of the ambassador Idriss Jazairy, vice president of the ECOSOC. He explained that in the following operational debate which will take place, they are going to concentrate themselves on the way the UN works to: reduce poverty, increase the growth and the sustained development. He reminded the Assembly of the triennial exam which will take place in October and of its aim: evaluate the work of the UN concerning the development. This triennial exam will also study how UN has adapted itself to the new panorama of the international cooperation for development and will measure the performance and the efficiency of the UN system. Then he expressed himself on the Secretary General Report, saying that this report highlights the efforts weren’t always up to the ambitions of members’ states and of the system itself. Indeed, the part of regular resources is decreasing. Thus, this debate is the occasion to correct some of the current trends and to give a new political impulsion to the development’s process and to the UN reform. The debate will also prepare the work for the GA deliberations on the triennial exam of next October. He concluded by underlining that UN’s work at the regional level is still too much unknown and thus, the aim of the following roundtable is to light its importance and to share means to develop its impact and efficiency.

HIGH LEVEL INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
“Contribution and effectiveness of the UN development system”

The Moderator, Mr. Kim Hak-Su, took the floor. He started his speech by highlighting the fact that UN system is sustaining the development in a different way than the one of the financial providers. He raised some questions such as: what’s the contribution of the UN in helping governments to pursue their national politics for the implementation of the ODM? Or: what’s the efficiency of the UN in helping national governments to reduce poverty?

The first guest who took the floor was Mr. Bert Koenders, Minister of the Development Cooperation in Netherlands. He stressed the necessity to adopt new structures for the international development, as for example reforming the SC. He deplored the decrease of the international help for development and the too much fragmentation of the UN. According to him, the resident coordinator should be available to take decisions and should answer for its actions. The activities of the UNDP and the coordinator’s role must be distinguished. He also warned the Assembly about the excess of documents and proposed only 3 documents.

Mr. Serge Chapatte, Assistant Director-General for the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation maintained that the help given to governments for a best adaptation of them at the hands of international standards has to be strengthened, in particular in the field work. He thinks that UN should retire itself of the implementation of the projects or should remains just for the main projects. According to him, UN system must speak with one voice and to realize this objective, the resident coordinator must speak on behalf of all the others. He also must have the right to allocate resources. He concluded by saying that the resident coordinator’s system and the director of the UNDP must work together on trust.

Then questions were raised by some delegations.

The delegation of Brazil expressed his doubts concerning the principle of a UN unified programme. Brazil thinks its negotiation shall take too much time as will take the determination of the multilateral entity which will subscribe to it. And it may increases the risk that the government sees its influence decline.

The Barbade delegate asked how it could be possible to obtain a better coordination between the Bretton Woods institutions and the other institutions at the state level.

Mr. Bert Koenders answered first, by affirming that UN remained the key entity and must be at the first plan. According to him, a unique organization will not be hurtful for the developing countries in the sense that having one partner clearly defined in each field (health, education etc,) is better than many. But as it’s impossible to establish a unique system for all countries, discussions must go on, in order to find a way to adapt it to each country.

The moderator also asked Mr. Bert Koenders a question. He said: if there is just one UN as one organization, what are we going to do of all the specialized institutions which could not integrate themselves in just one entity?

Mr. Bert Koenders answered that for him UN should work as a unique entity. He strongly wants than UN is more than the sum of the parts.

According to Mr. Serge Chappatte, a reform of the UN could increase the capacity of the governments. He also stressed the fact that at the regional and local level, still a lot of work has to be made. A better coordination between the UN and the World Bank is necessary.

Then, Mr. Boupha, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in Lao People’s Democratic Republic took the floor. He explained how the funds were used in his country to apply the national plans of development and then, described the objectives the Lao government has adopted in different fields.

Mr. Dossou, Director of Cabinet, Ministry for development, Economic and Finance in Benin started his speech by reminding everyone of the new context in his country since last April, due to the election of a new president with 75% of the voices. Then he did a presentation of the 6 strategic orientations his country implemented to fight poverty. The main pillar is the reconstruction of a public administration.

Then, as no questions were raised by delegations, the moderator gave the floor to the next guest speaker.

Ms. Annika Söder, Assistant director-General of the FAO enhanced the fact that the efficiency of the UN to reach the ODM is tributary of the governments’ volition. She thinks that the realization on the field has to be improved. According to her, the system of the resident coordinators must be a portal, a direct point of contact. It’s also important that FAO, UNPD and IFAID act in concert not only on the field, but also at the headquarters level.

Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director-General of the UNAIDS talked about the way the UN was discharging itself of is duty at the hands of the AIDS. He raised the question of how being more efficiency in respect to national programs. He underlined the strong progress made in the common work between the different agencies. According to him, the problem resides in the abundance of donators who subsidize programs outside them defined collectively. Then, he emphasized the importance for agencies to sustain the programs of the country. Indeed, they can’t be efficiency if they sustained only their own programs. They also should adjust themselves to the diversity of the States.

Mr. Ad Melkert, Associate Administrator of the UNDP informed the Assembly that they are preparing the launch of a surveillance program for ODM. Concerning the national resources, according to him the role of agencies is to advise governments to help them for a better administration of their resources. She got onto the problems of the financial resources, talking about the concurrency which exists in their getting. She also called for a better cooperation between the WB and the UN.

Questions were raised.

The delegation of Thailand gave its opinion on the progress made in the cohesion of the UN, saying his country was really satisfied of it but notified that the process of a unique program of the UN should take a specific form according to the specificities of the countries. He also strengthened the importance of the national appropriation.

Then the moderator complimented the Thailand for its plausible realization of the ODM by 2009.

Namibia took the floor and said a unique pattern for the UN programme is impractical. Then the delegate warned the Assembly of the risk that the cohesion objective begins an end in itself rather than a mean to improve the development.

The Barbade delegate agreed on the principle of a unique program for the UN but expressed their deception not to have enough help in the field of criminality and drugs. They deplored that the main part of the UN preoccupations are devoted to the security field.

Indonesia underlined the necessity of a foreseeable nature of the budget and called for a better recognition of the countries priorities.

Then NGOs declared than civil society should be better considered as a stakeholder.

Portugal on behalf on EU, asked which possibilities can be implemented to overcome barriers in order to reach a better coordination.

Mr. Melkert answered that it was the differences between the States which determinated the kind of actions engaged by the UN.

Then the president took the floor and concluded by saying that the ODM were only a mean among others ones to improve the development. According to him, the fragmentation and the inefficiency are attributable to the donators. The international NGOs are also a reason of it because of the implementation of their own programs. He doesn’t think that the financial power of the WB can influence the moral power of the UN. Then he called for a better participation of the civil society in the South and for a different evaluation than the one of the WB.


Outcome of the high level segment

The president of the ECOSOC invited the main groups to come in his office for an ultimate meeting in order to reach a consensus on the Ministerial Declaration and suspended the meeting. He asked all delegations to come back at 7.30pm.

The president resumed the meeting and announced that a compromised had been found. Then he read out some amendments of the declaration and the Council adopted the Ministerial Declaration by consensus, as contained in an unedited informal paper circulated in English.

Pakistan made a statement in which he thanked the President and the facilitator for their work and said that the Ministerial Declaration as all compromises contained some things they didn’t agree with and didn’t contain some things they would have wanted. He added that in the future, Declarations should answer to the questions raised during the debate and contains concrete measures.

Portugal and USA welcomed the Ministerial Declaration and USA declared they would have preferred if the document had been shorter.

Then Cuba did the last intervention by saying they wished the process would have been shorter, specifically Cuba blamed countries which had refused G77 propositions whereas they were already present in other declarations. He also reproached that only an English version has been printed.

The president of the Council thanked all delegations for their patience and forbearance and concluded the high level segment of the 2007 substantive session of the Council.

ECOSOC 9TH JULY 2007

Coordination Segment


PANEL DISCUSSION
“The role of the UN system in promoting employment and decent work agenda in national strategic frameworks: the case of Latin America”


Chair: HE. Mr. Hilario G. Davide, Jr. (Philippines),
Vice President of the Council

Panelists:
UN Regional Directors Team from Latin America and the Caribbean:
Ø Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, UNDP Regional Director
Ø Mr. Nils Kastberg, UNICEF Regional Director
Ø Ms. Marcela Suazo, UNFPA Regional Director,
Ø Mr. Philippe Egger, Deputy Director Office of the Director General, ILO


Statement by Ms. Grynspan:
The PNUD and the ILO have signed an agreement to elaborate a plan of action for Latin America for employment and decent work.
In the last four years, the rate of unemployment has reduced.
The rate of growth has increased of 4% in Latin America. But, unemployment stay high and particularly for women and youth people.
One youth on four don’t go at school or have no job.
The priorities should be youth employment, gender equality and democratic governance.
The PNUD and the ILO are agreeing to say that growth and employment are tied. Thus, they have determined a group of pilot countries in Latin America to start a project for the promotion of employment.


Statement by Ms. Suazo:
The UN system leads a lot of efforts to increase its coordination.
It is necessary to include the questions of demographic process, migration flow and inequalities between men and women.
The Latin America and Caribbean region is characterized by the growth of active population. That constitutes a national challenge to promote education and health.
Migration concerns 4% of the population in Latin America (around 20 millions of people); this phenomenon is particularly striking for women who search a job.
Concerning the inequality between men and women at work, this is a difficulty which concerns the type of work but also the remuneration of this work. In fact, women are remunerated around 25-30% under than men for the same work and for the same qualifications.
Moreover, projects are driven in the region to promote youth employment.


Statement by Mr. Egger:
Indeed, there is an economic growth in Latin America, but also a failure in microeconomic level because of the mistrust in politic leaders.
So, the growth doesn’t play its social role, particularly for integration.
Thus, some projects have driven in Latin America and Caribbean for decent work, but also to promote social dialogue.
Priorities should be the fight against child labour and the promotion of equality of genders.
Around 50% of works stays in the informal sector; those jobs are also characterized by low productivity and a low or no social protection.
Thus, we need sectoral policies, at regional level and concerning rural and agricultural worlds to emphasized productive activities on the base on investment, infrastructures or networks.
Concerning youth employment, it is necessary to promote primary education, professional formation and decent work.
But, the UN system has also to introduce a mechanism of evaluation for those policies.


Statement by Mr. Kastberg:
A lot of programs have driven by UNICEF in Latin America and Caribbean region, particularly in the fight against child labour and decent work.
Cooperation is essential between UN system for Latin America and Caribbean.

SUBSTANTIVE SESSION
Informal consultations on the draft resolutions under the coordination segment

The chair of the consultation meeting started by reminding the participants that the draft resolution had been already discussed and agreed upon in New York and hoped that it would therefore be approved by all. Nonetheless, although they agreed that most of the negotiations work had been accomplished in New York, Portugal, on behalf of the European Union, and Pakistan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, wished to bring some amendments on several paragraph. They reached agreement on operating paragraphs one, two, four, six, seven and eight and reserved the rest of the text, with the respective added amendments, to be discussed within their own group before endorsing them.

ECOSOC 6TH JULY 2007

Coordination Segment



Dialogue with the Executive Secretaries of the regional commissions on the theme “Regional aspects of the themes of hight level segment of the Economic and Social Council’s 2007 substantive session”.


Moderator: M. J.L. Machinea


Strenghtening efforts at all levels to promote pro-poor sustained economic growth: an African perspective
M. Abdoulie Janneh, Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Development challenges in Africa:
Ø Stronger economic performance in Africa: 5.7% in 2006
Ø Fragile and insufficient growth for achieving the MDGs
Ø Some key challenges:
· poverty, employment, income inequality,
· commodity dependance
Ø Addressing the challenges. Efforts at three levels:
· National: improved macroeconomic management, structural reforms, enhanced resource mobilization
· Regional: provision of regional public goods including infrastructure, deeping intraregional trade
· Global: increasing ODA flows, debt relief, market access, reform of the international aid infrastructure.


Regional responses:
Ø 2004: African Union (AU) extraordinary summit in Ouagadougou on employment and poverty alleviation
Ø 2007: AU summit in Addis Abada on climate change and indistrualization
Ø Meetings of African Ministers of trade
Ø ECA Conference of African Ministers of finance, planning and economic development


ECA new vision to support the African development agenda:
Ø Two thematic pillars:
· promoting regional integration in support of the Afrcan vision and priorities
· meeting Africa’s special needs and emerging global challenges
Ø Enhanced partnerships
Ø Strenghtened subregional presence through the SROs
Ø Improved coordination of UN activities
Ø Emphasis on knowledge management and quality assurance
Ø Knowledge generation, sharing, networking:
· research and analytical work
· faciliting south-south linkages
Ø Consensus building and policy advocacy
· African development forum
· Big table
Ø Technical cooperation, advisory services:
· international trade negociations
· MDG-based assessment and planning
· Macroeconomic policy making
· Statistics

Accelerating Africa’s development:
Ø Outcome of the last session of the Commission (April 2007): a call for action:
· ownership and self-belief
· MDG-based comprehensive national development strategies
· Resource mobilization
· Investment in gender equality
· Climate change and development
· Implementation of ODA commitment
· Generating employment
Ø Economic diversification: a key to success
Ø Economic report on Africa 2007 on diversification shows:
· reduced macroeconomic instability: less vulnerability to terms of trade shocks
· increased economic growth
· higher employment creation
· reaping benefits from globalization, through increased trade flows

Conclusion:
These actions taken together should contribute to a growth framework in African countries that is both pro-poor and sustainable.

Second intervention
Macroeconomic policies to promote pro-poor growth strategy
ESCWA’s perspectives
Atif Kubursi, Acting Executive Secretary ESCWA

Pro-poor policies:
Ø growth patterns vary
Ø some growth episodes are associated with large inequality , concentrating the fruits of growth in the hands of elite and excluding the majority of the poor people
Ø such episodes of growth are not sustainable as the create adverse incentive and discourage invesments in physical capital, human capital and technology leading to stagnation in the future
Ø sustained growth requires the effective and wide participation of the majority of the citizens in a dynamic process guided by the state aimed at enabling to the poor people to improve their health and education so as to be able to acquire assets, information and legal standing, allowing them to become part of the socio-economic and political structure of the country
Ø the strategy of the carrying such process of empowerment of the poor is called pro-poor growth and is defined as that growth that reduces absolute poverty and hunger while simultaneously slimming down existing inequalities in distribution
Ø pro-poor macroeconomic policies have to aim at enhancing self-sustaining growth by maintaining full employment, and price stability and simultaneously, securing tangible reductions in both the absolute poverty and the inequalities in the distribution of incmoe
Ø taking care of GDP does not take care of the poor
Ø functional macroeconomics has failed to address poverty structurally and ideologically


The pro-poor strategy of ESCWA:
Ø The present episode of high growth in the region is dependent on one unsustainable trend: a huge surge inthe price of oil
Ø It is an episode of jobless growth that is not affecting the problem of unemployment, which is higher than any other region in the world and is reinforcing the existing huge gap in income distribution within and across regional countries
Ø The governments of the region would not be able to jump from the existing unsustainable path of growth to a sustainable path by using the traditional macroeconomic policies. Adherence to the traditional policies will consign the present episode of growth to a time-bound gain similar to what happened during the previous oil-boom of the 1970’s.

Arab unemployment rates are the highest in the world and Arab income inequality is equally high.

The objectives of the pro-poor strategy:
ESCWA has identified the followind elements needed for a comprehensive strategy aiming at using the oil-boom to cement the road for sustainable growth:
Ø Improvement of the investment climate: a major change in the economic environment is needed to allow the region to jump from the existing consumption-led path of growth to a higher sustainable invesment-led path.
Ø Empowerment of poor people: overcoming the tree deficits identified in the AHDR. First and foremost overcoming the “freedom deficit” of which most countries of the region suffer from requires a complete political reform that emphasises 3 objectives:
· the adoption of a bill of rights that guarantees civil liberties to all citizens
· the presence of institutional procedures through which citizens can choose the leaders of their government and express efective preferences about alternative policies
· the existence of institutions that have the power of check and balance and can constrain the power of the executive branch of the government
Second, overcoming the “deficit of knowledge”, narrowing the ever expending digital divide and making deliberate entry into the new economy. Dependency on rente from oil has left the Arab economy undiversified and poorly prepared for the 21th century.
Third, targeting the “empowerment of women” and arresting the feminization of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy.
Ø Regional cooperation: the ESCWA countries have lagged behind other region in the world in adopting a regional option to integrating their economies within the global economy.
Regional integration can promote economies of scale; increase intra-industry trade through further division of labour, investment coodination and product differenciation, and increase the region’s bargaining power in its trade relations with other regions of the world.


The macroeconomic tools: fiscal policy
Ø the combinationof fixed exchange of rate regime, a tax system that relies haevily on indirect taxes, a ballooning external debt and free capital mobility renders fiscal polcy in most of the countries of ESCWA quite ineffective
Ø A pro-poor fiscal reform should aim at enhancing the government legitimacy by paying more attention to equity. Theb tax system should be reformed by increasing the reliance on income progressive taxes, restructuring the poverty tax and introducing a wide spectrum of taxes to prevent avoidance
Ø A major reallocation of public expenditures should aim at alocating ressouces to build physical, social, intellectual infrastructure to help the poor and enable them to improve their health and education as well as their inclusion in the political structure of the country.
Ø Build a tax collection capacity to meet the fiscal requirements for growth and equity. It requires both the upgrading of the admnistratives capabilities and the introduction of stringent rules and disciplinary measures on tax evasion and corruption.
Ø At the regional level, expansion of joint-venture investments and intra-regional trade requires fiscal harmonization among the ESCWA countries. Removal of capital tax differences among the countries and abolition of tax obstacles to cross border activities are essential to such harmonization. Digital rules of origin should be established lest joining other trade areas creating obstacles for Greater Arab Free Trade Area.

Monetary policy:
Ø Monetary policy in ost of the countries of the region is either devoted to the sole objective of keeping inflation at a low rate, or is rendered quite ineffective because of the fixed exchange rate regime. It is rather striking that tight monetary policy is used in the region that suffers from a very high rate of unemployment.
Ø A pro-poor monetary policy should aim at lowering the real interest rates particularly in strategic and priority sectors for poverty reduction, and expansion of the money supply that accomodates growth and financial development and deepening. Interest rate policies should link to promoting investment and not singularly to maintain a fixed exchange rate.
Ø A pro-poor financial reform should promote the creation of wide-spread network of financial institutions that encourage a rise in the propensity to save the way for an axpended and more equitable flow of funds to impoverished locations and to small and resources-poor bisiness and micro-enterprises.
Ø A pro-poor financial intervention is the creation of development banks with the mandate to provide discounted, or subsidized, credit to select like agriculture, small-scale industries, and priority industrial establishment.
Ø Micro-credit programmes that target directly the poor and that are anchored on social cohesiveness and producive activities.
Exchange rate policy:
Ø The existing exchange rate arrangements in most ESCWA countries have the worst aspects of the two polar-type exchange rate regime. Pegging the local currencies to the US dollar renders monetary policy completely ineffective, as in a fixed exchange rate regime. Moreover, the continuous fluctuation of the US dollar has the potential for increasing costs associated with fluctuations in exchange rates, typical of a flexible exchange rate regime.
Ø No country in the ESCWA region is capable of moving to a free exchange rate regime and defending its currency under the present conditions of free capital movement, intensified international speculative activities and the absence of a globally monetary institutions capable of maintaining a stable world finiacial regime.
Ø Tying Arab exchange rates to the dollar has cost the region over $500 bilion in purchasing power losses given their high shares of imports from other currency areas.
Ø After considering all other options, it was found that monetary coordination among all the ESCWA countries aimed at adopting a unified exchange rate regime is most promising.
Ø The coordination could start by linking the various currencies in the region in a common bloc floating vis-à-vis the rest of the world. This will achieve double objectives; first, it will stabilize intra-regional trade by preempting relative shifts in the intra-regional exchange rate structure. Second, it will insulate the domestic economies from external developments, thereby permitting monrtary policy to concentrate on the problem of unemployment.
Ø The GCC countries have gone a long way towards creating a monetary union and a comon currency. Coordination between the GCC and the otehr countries is essential, however, to create a more cohesive regional monetary bloc.
Ø The monetary coordination could move gradually toward the ultimate goal of creating a common super national currency.


Third intervention:
Pro-poor economic policies and poverty in Eastern Europe and the CIS
Marek Belka, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, Under Secretary General of the UN

Economic overview of the ECE region: 56 countries of Europe, central Asia and North America:
Ø rapid economic growth and favourable prospects
Ø tremendous diversity: region has the someof the richest and poorest economies
Ø future growth will need to be in knowledge intensive industries-UNECE has a new program
Ø a major challenge from globalization is how to preserve the social welfare state

Solid real growth in the ECE: after a difficult decade (1990s), there is now solid growth in the transition economies, especially since 2002.

Poverty in the transition economies of the ECE:
Ø The collapse of central planning and dissolution of the URSS and Yugoslavia resulted in a decade long transitional recession
Ø GPD fell by:
· 20% in central Europe
· 30% in southeast Europe
· 50% in much of the FSU
Ø In addition to tha fall in income, much of the institutional structure supporting social services fell apart as well, resulting in rising unemployment, poverty and inequality.

Poverty, the vulnerable groups:
Ø rural areas
Ø unemployed
Ø ethnic minorities
Ø retired, elderly
Ø unskilled
Ø single parent households
Ø haelth problems

Poverty is significantly related to unemployment in the transition economies:
Ø Although unemployment has been declining; still very high in southeast Europe
Ø A significant percent of unemployment are a long-term due to large structural changes in sectoral output
Ø Unemployment likely to result in poverty since weak safety nets, tight eligibility, limited funds for active labor market policies:
· large informal sectors with no benefits
· women and youth have especially high unemployment
Ø Economic growth in the resource rich-CIS has not produced much employment growth

By some measures the transition economies appear to be pro-poor:
Ø it is ddifficult to assess the overall policy environment of a country in addressing basic needs
Ø the UNDP human development index (HDI) may provide a reasonable overall measure (literacy, life expectancy, etc)
Ø generally, most of the transition economies rank significantly higher by the HDI than by per capita income
Ø Thus, for their income level, they seem to be addressing basics needs reasonably well

Pro-poor versus pro-growth:
Ø not all growth policies are pro-poor, and not all pro-poor policies are pro-growth
Ø the pro-poor growth agenda attempts to promote those that are both
Ø but there are large policy areas where there is some trade-off
Ø generally, donors favor poverty reduction while national governments favor growth

Just how pro-poor are some current economic policies?
1) Tax competition amongst the middle-income countries
Ø In order to encourage investment and improve competitiveness, taxes have been cut, made less progressive; and social benefits, and government’s role has been cut back
· flat tax Baltics, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, FYR of Macedonia, other considering
· There is tax competition throughout Europe, especially the lowering of corporate taxes
· Generally, the government sector is significantly lower in these low tax economies with less spent on social services, less investment in human capital and infrasturcture
· Although some of these economies have grown quite rapidly; it is less clear if tax policy is the key

2) PRGF in low income economies
Ø Macroeconomic policy in the poorest ECE members is formulated under the IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (1999)
· covers Albania, Caucasus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
· provides concessionary lending
· Definitely a positive development, but is this framework working effectively?
· There has been progress in terms of the MDGs, but not that rapid
Ø Are the country programs pro-poor enough or just the old Washington Consensus policies repackaged?
Ø Research, assessment is needed

Policies to promoting pro-poor development:
Ø Social policies:
· improve the design of social safety nets
· improve access to education and health resources
Ø Structural policies:
· encourage creation of SMEs, self-employment
· improve access to finance for the poor
Ø Macroeconomic policies:
· reduce cyclical fluctuations by making fiscal policy more counter-cyclical
· diversify out of resource-intensive sectors in order to stimulate employment growth
· keep borders open; benefits of trade and migration, stick with economic reforms
Ø Political policies:
· resolve political conflicts; ensure the disenfranchised have a voice; civil society has a role to play
· address ethnic and gender discrimination


Fourth intervention:
Pro-poor sustained economic growth policies: Asia-Pacific perspectives
Kim Hak-Su, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP










Macroeconomic policies, growth and equity:

Growth process: increases the poor’s incomes faster
More public on health and education: benefits the poor, increases their productivity
Labour-intensive sectors: engines of economic growth

Policies impacting on growth and equity:
· fiscal (to reduce inequalities)
· monetary
· trade
· structural adjustment
· human resources development
· sectoral: agriculture, construction and small and medium enterprises (promote sectors with employment opportunities)
· redistribution of land and other assets
· population
· pro-poor targeting

Achieving pro-poor-growth, policy recommendations:
Ø pro-poor growth strategies
Ø ensure that the rural poor benefit from growth
Ø invest in agricultural research and development, including rural infrastructure, rural education, health, water and sanitation
Ø remove barriers to service delivery
Ø role of ESCAP


PANEL DISCUSSION
“Toolkit for mainstreaming employment and decent work”

The panel discussion was moderated by the Vice-President of the council Mr. Hilario G. Davide, Jr.

The first panelist to take the floor was Ms. Maria Anjelica Ducci, Executive Director Office of the Director-General, ILO. Ms. Ducci introduced the toolkit to the members. She retraced the background of the toolkit to the 2006 ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration, where the members had expressed their support for the creation of full and productive employment and decent work for all, calling for a multilateral collaboration of the different UN agencies. The toolkit was hence conceptualized by the ILO in collaboration with Chief Executive Board (CEB) member organizations and approved by the CEB in April 2007. She stated that the purpose of the toolkit was to assist the agencies in assessing their activities’ impact on employment and decent work and provide measures on how to enhance employment and decent work outcomes. This toolkit would also help the agencies to identify tools and resources for mainstreaming employment and decent work, and would be essentially based on questionnaires. She identified the potential users, including but not limited to, agencies, governments and other national constituents, donors and the international development community, civil society and policy makers and practitioners. Finally, she stated that the toolkit would be used as an interactive platform among the different agencies.

Mr. Olav Kjorven, Assistant Administrator and director of the bureau for Development Policy (UNDP), made the subsequent statement. He declared that employment not only assured both the live-hood of the individual and his/her self-dignity but also represented the missing link between poverty and economic growth. Although, the toolkit for mainstreaming employment and decent work initially represented a bilateral collaboration between the UNDP and the ILO, he stressed the importance of including other agencies in its further development. He also mentioned a related initiative, the Commission on the legal empowerment of the poor, whose purpose was centered around policy recommendation and to bring about legal tools to help connect the poor with the national economy, with a particular attention given to the condition of women.

Afterwards, Mr. Themba Masuku, Director, Geneva Liaison office (FAO) talked about the contribution of the FAO to the development of the toolkit. He reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to gender equality and to the eradication of child labor, within the framework of the promotion of decent work. The toolkit would therefore be valuable to the FAO by helping it assess its programs in a systematic way. Concerning the implementation of the toolkit, he said that the FAO was considering staff training, and specifically in a multidisciplinary manner. Finally, Mr. Masuku stated that the FAO would like to work further with the ILO to create indicators and tools to assess the employment impact of its activities, which would allow linking them to the FAO’s main purpose, the achievement of MDG 1.

Finally, Ms. Susanne Weber-Mosdorf, Assistant Director General, SDE (WHO), agreed with Mr. Kjorven that employment was indeed the missing bond between poverty and economic growth. She mainly identified the areas where the WHO was involved within the framework of the toolkit. Ms. Weber talked about its capacities to help strengthen the health system. The toolkit would contribute to the primary prevention of occupational hazards; and here she mentioned yet another tool developed with the collaboration of the ILO, the chemical risk assessing toolkit. She stressed the need to establish strong links between occupational health and health in general, and urged the members to pay a particular attention to health workers, who are highly vulnerable due to the risks of violence, accidents and even death on the workplace.

Several countries took the floor to make some remarks and ask questions.
Portugal, on behalf of the EU, welcomed the initiative of the ILO for the creation of a toolkit for the promotion of productive and decent work. However, the representative expressed concerns on the usefulness and the efficiency of the toolkit on the country level.

The United Kingdome expressed similar concerns as the toolkit appeared to be rather time consuming and was based on a universal questionnaire, which did not take into consideration the differences in the level of development experienced by the countries and their specific disparities. He also raised the issue that although highly desired, increased employment was contrary to productivity.

Algeria appreciated the development of such a useful instrument but wished to remind the participants of the number of such tool already existing and hoped that this one would make an exception and do make an improvement on the practical field.

Nigeria agreed that employment was the missing link between poverty and economic development and stated that self-employment was also one way of eradicating poverty.

Norway appreciated the toolkit, which demonstrated the will and the ability of the agencies to work together. He then asked what would the plans to ensure that the toolkit would be actually used both on the agencies and countries levels.

The United States showed appreciation for the development of the toolkit by the agencies and especially commended one of its objectives concerning the promotion of entrepreneurship.

Lastly Tanzania stressed that the concept of decent work implied at an earlier stage that of education and training, and reiterated the country’s policy of poverty eradication based essentially on education and training.

Responding to the different remarks and questions raised, Mr. Kjorven acknowledged that the toolkit was still at an early stage of implementation and as such had not yet given specific results and concerning the increased employment and productivity issue, he responded that the problem could not be raised in many countries where labor constituted a major factor of production. On the use of the toolkit at the agencies and countries level, Ms. Ducci replied that the agencies first wanted to raise awareness about the toolkit at the organizational and UN level, to ensure that it did represent the views and objectives of the different institutions involved. Then the tool would be brought to the country level, where it should be tailored to fit its specific needs and aspirations. In conclusion, Mr. Masuku stated that the agencies were still learning with the toolkit as a new and innovative instrument.

ECOSOC 5TH JULY 2007

HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT

SUBSTANTIVE SESSION (morning session)

Official launch of the Development Cooperation Forum

1. Opening remarks by the President of the Economic and Social Council
The President of the Economic and Social Council started his speech by assuring that the development cooperation forum (DCF) was an important factor for the enhancement of the development’s impact and welcomed everybody for its official launch. He thanked Austria for its welcome of a preparatory seminary last April and reminded the assembly of the next one, in order to prepare the forum of 2008, which will take place under the aegis of Egypt.

2. Statements by different delegations
The delegation of Pakistan, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, broke the news of its pleasure to see the strengthening of the ECOSOC. According to him, the DCF should enable the ECOSOC to size up and develop political answers and recommendations in order to improve the efforts done as regards development. This DCF associated to the AMR should be a great way to resolve problems. So the link between both must be established. Then he gave the vision of its delegation about the forum’s organization. First, the DCF would ensure that the cooperation for development fulfils to the need of developing countries. Secondly, ensures that the quality and the quantity offered by developed countries correspond to the developing countries. Thirdly, ensures that the cooperation for development reaches the results expected. Fourthly, ensures that the cooperation is well coordinated at the national, regional and local plan.
Portugal, on behalf of the EU, reminded the assembly that EU, as a significant contributor of ODA and committed to reaching the target of 0.7 % of the GDI for ODA by 2015, welcomes the DCF. EU is looking forward to the upcoming High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, which will take place in New York on 22 and 23 October. EU also fully expects that the DCF will become an important part of the international discussion on the development cooperation agenda and that these discussions will help countries take forward the implementation of all of the MDGs.
The delegation of China highlighted the fact that a properly definition of the goals, direction, priorities and modality of the DCT is necessary to its success. In this connection, China thinks the DCF should always focus on promoting development. Two issues should set priorities: financing for development and the Doha Round of trade talks. On the financial issue, the DCF should urge developed countries to honor their commitment of earmarking 0.7% of their GNI as ODA. Secondly, the DCF should work for putting in place an MDG assessment and monitoring mechanism. China believes that problems concerning the means of implementation like funding, technology, capacity-building and market access are the biggest obstacles to achieving the MDGs. Thirdly, in the areas of energy security and climate change, the DCF should study and respond to new trends and issues in international development cooperation. Fourthly, the role of the stakeholders should be given full play to.
The delegation of USA broke the news of their pleasure to actively participate to the launch of the DCF.
The delegation of Switzerland qualified the DCF as a “unique opportunity to engage all the relevant stakeholders in a dialogue on critical issues affecting the quality and the relevance of the international system”. But Switzerland insisted on the urgency to readjust the global development architecture, which is, currently dysfunctional. According to Switzerland, the DCF is offering the opportunity to take stock of the global trends in strategies and policies in development cooperation and it will help to promote a common understanding of the conceptual framework for effective aid delivery.
The federation of Russia emphasized the importance of the actual themes which are going to be chosen for the next forums. Efforts should be done to improve the practical effects of the DCF. To be successful the DCF will have to incorporate itself into the current architecture. Russia reminded the fully engagement of Poutine, its President, in the process of the international cooperation for development.

3. Statement by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
The Secretary-General of the United Nations started his speech recognizing the difficulty of the harmonization of the different national systems. He insisted on the importance of the triangle-shaped cooperation and the South-South one. According to him, the DCF must have a main role but it would work only if all the relevant stakeholders participate. He believes that the implementation of the MDGs is still possible in the majority of the States by 2015 if an important focus is done at this time. He called the developed States to increase their assistance to developing countries and also called the relevant States of Doha Round to cooperate in order to obtain results which would be advantageous for the developing countries. To finish, he reasserted his confidence in the members of the Council.

ECOSOC 4TH JULY 2007

High Level Segment

SUBSTANTIVE SESSION (morning session)
General Debate on the theme of the Annual Ministerial Review: Strengthening efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, including through the global partnership for development

During this Annual Ministerial Review (AMR), many states have made a declaration concerning the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
On behalf of the European Union, H.E. Cravinho has considered some of the MDGs. The AMR is a tool newly established within the ECOSOC in order to measure the achievements concerning the MDGs. His high-level forum aims at sharing experiences and difficulties between all the member-states of the ECOSOC. H.E. Cravinho expressed the thanks of the EU to the Secretary General of ECOSOC for the report he provided on “Strengthening efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, including through the global partnership for development”. According to the EU, there is a need for an integrated social, economic and environmental strategy to achieve sustainable development. As other participants, the representative of EU underlined that growth does not infer directly poverty reduction. Coherent policies must be implemented and wealth distribution has to be done in a coordinated and coherent manner.

H.E. Walter Fust, Director General Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation delivered his speech, starting by thanks to all the persons involved in the preparation of this important session of the ECOSOC. He brought the support of his country to the report of the Secretary General. He insisted on the necessity to adopt a global vision for the implementation of policies aiming at reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs. Nevertheless, according to Switzerland, the report should also be considered in its negative aspects. The development aggregates differ from one country to another including countries from the same region. This increases the difficulty to compare the situation from one country to another.

H.E. de Donnea, Ministry of State representing Belgium associated his country to the EU declaration but he has précised a few issues concerning sustainable development, migration and development, duties, responsibilities and partnerships.
As a member of the Commission on sustainable development, Belgium considers that the working methods and the functioning of such a Commission needed to be improved.
Belgium will host next week the World Forum on Migration and Development. The issue of development would be considered as a central one during the forum. Through a strong partnership, it would be possible to identify the challenges and the opportunities of migrations.
Belgium is also involved in a process which aim is the rationalization of the attribution of aid to developing countries. The state is participating to the elaboration of a guide of best practices in that field.


ROUNDTABLE (afternoon)
« Green Revolution in Africa »

Mr. V. Borges, President of the roundtable, introduced the problem of hunger in Africa while noting that there is a global overproduction of food. Agricultural challenges, such as lack of access to GMO, bad water management and lack of fertile land, must be met to fight against hunger. Under the Maputo Declaration of July 2006, the signatory states pledged 10% of their public spending to agriculture. Other initiatives to set up a green revolution in Africa have been launched, for example the Oslo Conference for a green revolution, or the Foundation for a Green Revolution in Africa whose President is Kofi Annan. The green revolution is meant to be achieved in the next ten years.

Mr. A. Janneh, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, gave a brief history of the Green Revolution that occurred in the 1960’s in Asia and Latin America but which largely missed Africa. This was mainly due to inappropriate agricultural policies but also because it was not designed for Africa’s diverse agro-ecological zones, farming systems and socio-cultural contexts. The model of the Asian and Latin American green revolution (GR) cannot simply be applied to Africa nowadays. Indeed, new economic situations, and environmental concerns about salinization, fertilizer pollution etc., impose additional constraints. The difficulties that African countries face are:
market access under WTO rules
agricultural support policies and export subsidies for developed countries
climate change
insufficient financial resources and human and institutional capacities
He recommends:
the development of a coordinated value chain between farmers and agro-industrials
regional integration of agricultural markets
sub-regional centres for technology development and transfer
public investment in agriculture

Mr. D. Harcharik from FAO stated that Africa is the only region in the world where agricultural productivity is declining. Over the past 15 years, the number of undernourished people on the continent has actually increased by 45 million, to 220 million people. He emphasized the importance of improving market access for African countries through fair prices, technology transfer employing indigenous workforces, institutions and infrastructure building, gender equality, health, etc to sustain the development in agriculture. On the model of the Asian green revolution, the African one must be seed-fertiliser-irrigation based. This can be achieved through regional cooperation. He particularly recommends easier access to credit for smallholder farmers. He finally claimed that this war against hunger should be led by Africans themselves and won by them.

Mr. Gerome Gefu, Member of the Committee “Land Net West Africa” explained the dangers of leaving land to speculators. He also highlighted the problem of post-harvest losses due to poor infrastructure.

Mr. Jeffrey Sachs, Advisor to the UN Secretary General, explained that small farmers can’t afford the inputs for their production. They need financing for technology inputs, in particular fertilizer that could multiply tenfold the food harvest in Africa. He took the example of Malawi that has decided to provide all farmers with seeds and fertilizer, which caused a jump in the national harvest. This action would be far less expensive than bringing food aid from the North, and food security will also have a positive influence on war and violence. Food aid is, according to him, out-of-date thinking.