Summary: September 17, 2002: Statement by Statement by Minister Plenipotentiary Ole E. Moesby, Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union at the Third Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries. Preparation for the International Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions on Transit, Transportation Cooperation (New York)
Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to address you on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Associated Countries - Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, align themselves with this statement.
The landlocked developing countries are facing a particular set of development challenges due to their geographic location. This fact of nature has been recognized in the Millennium Declaration and by the decision of the General Assembly to convene in 2003 an International Ministerial Meeting on Transit Transport Cooperation. Furthermore, the establishment of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing
States is proof of the priority accorded by the international community to address these development issues.
The constraints imposed upon the landlocked developing countries are well-known: lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness from world markets and high transit costs making it even more difficult to accelerate the socio-economic development of the countries in question. Their sea borne trade unavoidably depends on transit through other countries, which in most cases are also developing countries, often of broadly similar economic structure and beset by similar scarcities of resources.
Additional border crossings and long distances to trade markets substantially increase the total expenses for transport services, which erodes the competitive edge of exports. In 1995 landlocked developing countries spent almost twice as many resources on transport and insurance costs than developing countries with access to the sea. Compared to developed countries, the landlocked developing countries spend almost three times as much. This underlines the magnitude of the problem for these
countries.
Moreover, the lack of standardization of procedures for transit transport, translates into an additional increase in the cost of transportation. Therefore, the European Union encourages measures to simplify the requirements, harmonize the procedures and documentation and standardizing commercial practices.
Regional and sub-regional organizations can play an important role in promoting economic activity through integration efforts. Particularly, there is great potential for cooperation in the field of transportation infrastructure. The increased use of multimodal transport facilities and efforts underway to develop transport development corridors are promising examples.
In this regard, the European Union also attaches much importance to the need for fully utilizing existing initiatives and mechanisms in addressing these issues. We welcome NEPAD as a framework for regional agreements on transit transport cooperation, and the strengthening of institutions and human resources dealing with transit transport.
Negotiations between the EU and the 77 EU partner countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific on regional Economic Partnership Agreements will commence later this month. The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA's) are intended to be flexible tools for regional development and will as such con-tribute to increased interregional cooperation including on issues related to transit transport cooperation.
The International Ministerial Meeting on transit transport cooperation to be held in 2003 should review the current status in this area and agree on action oriented measures to develop efficient transport systems. The European Union is supportive of this meeting, which follows naturally from our extension of financial and technical support for improved infrastructure, including regional initiatives in this regard.
The preparatory process for the meeting should involve all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector. Furthermore, it should draw on national regional, and global experiences of transit transport cooperation. This inclusive process is necessary to tackle the wide range of issues before us. The European Union, for its part, is prepared to play its role in the process.
Thank you.
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