Summary: November 8, 2002: Statement by Mr. Tomas A. Christensen, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union. High-level international intergovernmental consideration of financing for development. FIFTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - SECOND COMMITTEE: Item 93 (New York)
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the associated countries - Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. Chairman,
Since this is the first time we address the Monterrey Conference at this Session of the General Assembly, let me begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to Mexico and all those who contributed to the success of the Monterrey Conference.
The European Union is committed to the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus in order to achieve the internationally agreed development goals and targets, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. The Millennium Development Goals are crucial in this context. We believe that the Consensus represents an important step forward in reaching these goals.
We have already spoken at length during the work of the second committee on the macroeconomic substance on the FfD-agenda. And we still hope that it will be possible to send one, positive, holistic message within that agenda from this General Assembly to show the will of the intergovernmental cooperation at the United Nations to stay engaged. We can make a difference if we adopt a consolidated and concise resolution focussing on the macroeconomic issues related to FfD.
Mr. Chairman,
Let me devote a few minutes to the follow-up to the Conference. We dealt with it in ECOSOC last summer and now aim to clarify the role of the General Assembly. The negotiations in this regard are already under way.
Consequently, I wish to reiterate that we attach particular importance to the follow up to the major UN conferences, including the Millennium Summit, the Monterrey Conference and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The targets for global development for the next 10-15 years are now set. The Monterrey Conference focussed on the overall conditions needed to achieve these targets. And in Johannesburg world leaders enhanced their vision of sustainable development, set additional targets
and agreed in more detail on the necessary action to achieve them.
We thus have a double task in the few weeks remaining for our work on these issues. On one hand we have to set up the ad hoc working group on integrated conference follow-up that will conclude its work before the 58th General Assembly. The High-level dialogue should be part of the mandate of that group. On the other hand we have to give more guidance and precision to our understanding of the home for follow-up to FfD.
In Monterrey, we agreed that we would follow-up to the Conference both at ECOSOC and at the General Assembly. This summer we looked at the role of ECOSOC, which will, inter alia, address coherence, coordination and cooperation. Therefore we suggest that the High-level dialogue on FfD should focus on implementation of the Monterrey Consensus and related issues. We believe that sustainable development, bearing in mind the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, is an important element in this.
Mr. Chairman,
The main challenge in organizing the dialogue will be to ensure that it is complementary and mutually reinforcing with ECOSOC and that there is no duplication of work. Furthermore we have to ensure that the same rules of engagement, as were applied in Monterrey, are in place for our stakeholders, both from the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO and from the civil society and the business sector. In our preparations we should also ensure the involvement of our capitals, regional banks, UN regional
commissions as well as UN funds and programmes, and in particular the UNDP.
We believe that a real dialogue is needed in order to bring this process further and contribute fruitfully to maintaining the spirit of Monterrey. In order to have an animated and lively exchange of views that contributes to moving the FfD-process forward, we believe that the views expressed at the dialogue should be summarized by the president of the General Assembly.
In this regard let me also stress that above all, a successful outcome of both the ECOSOC-meeting and the High-level dialogue will depend upon a good and solid preparation from the secretariat with inputs from the major stakeholders.
Finally, we would like to thank you Mr. Chairman, on your relentless efforts in trying to bring these issues forward for rapid conclusion.
Thank you for your attention.
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