Summary: July 18, 2002: Statement by Counsellor Tomas A. Christensen, Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union, at the ECOSOC Substantive Session, general segment: Agenda item 6 (B). Review and coordination of the implementation of the programme of action for the least developed countries for the decade 2001-2010 (New York)
I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union on the review and coordination of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010. The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the European Union Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, align themselves with this statement.
Mr Chairman,
The European Union welcomes the establishment of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDC), Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Islands Developing States. In this regard, we equally extend our warmest welcome to the appointment by the Secretary-General of Under-Secretary-General Mr. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury as the High Representative.
The establishment of the Office of the High Representative will provide the basis for a coherent follow-up to the Programme of Action as adopted by the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC) in Brussels last year. We encourage the Secretary General to ensure that the approved personnel resources are provided without delay to the Office of the High Representative in order to secure an effective discharge of its functions.
The European Union looks forward to engaging in a dialogue on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action. Implementation is what is called for, and the tasks are clearly spelled out in the Programme of Action. A genuine partnership is the foundation of the Programme, clearly outlining commitments on the part of the LDC's and on the part of the development partners.
However, implementation of the Programme of Action depends first and foremost on their integration in single, nationally owned national poverty reduction strategies. Evidence from the field shows that the approach underpinning the poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSP) is increasingly used as governing the overall framework for national development efforts, but also for the supporting efforts of all bilateral and multilateral donors. A broad-based national dialogue should form the basis for
elaboration of these strategies. This dialogue should allow for participation of civil society and the private sector, which are key stakeholders.
An important task for the Office of the High Representative will be to oversee the mainstreaming of the Brussels Programme of Action within the work of the UN system. In this regard, we welcome the recent decisions by the Executive Boards of UNICEF (UNDP and UNFPA) on the implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action in their activities. We would like to see that other UN organisations and their intergovernmental bodies adopt similar measures.
Mr. Chairman,
Finally, and in line with the EU's consistent and strong support for the development needs of the LDCs we look forward to devoting a high-level segment to the review and coordination of the Programme of Action for the LDC's for the decade 2001-2010 in accordance with our decision last year. But, first of all, steps must be taken to ensure that we have something to deliver for a future date.
Mr. Chairman, thank you.
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page