EU Presidency Statement - Major UN conferences and summits

Summary: July 21, 2000: Statement by H.E. Mr. Jean-David Levitte, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations. Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits (New York)

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), the other associated countries (Cyprus, Malta and Turkey) and Norway align themselves with this statement.

The European Union has already had an opportunity to comment in detail on procedures for following up major United Nations conferences during the coordination segment of this substantive session. Therefore although this is a matter of special importance to us, I do not think it necessary to go over our position again today.

I should, on the other hand, Mr. Chairman, like to say a few words on the question of indicators. The European Union thanks the Secretary-General for his report on basic indicators for the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits at all levels. It welcomes the continuation of international efforts to identify a set of common indicators which would make it possible both to improve the consistency of statistical work carried out by the various multilateral institutions and to limit the amount of data to be supplied by each State.

In the interest of greater coordination of international organizations' efforts in this area, particularly as regards follow-up to major conferences, the Subcommittee on Statistical Activities of the Administrative Committee on Coordination should serve as a prime forum. Cooperation between the United Nations system and organizations outside it, such as the OECD, should also be taken forward.

However, the European Union is fully aware of the need to improve statistical capacity in developing countries, particularly in the least developed countries. For data quality is of the essence if we are to arrive at reliable indicators. The establishment in November 1999 of a new international statistical partnership arrangement (PARIS21) is very good news in this respect.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union is pleased to see that the Secretary General has been able to include in his report on the implementation of the ministerial communiqué of ECOSOC's 1999 substantive session not just the latest developments at the main institutions concerned but also those under the +5 reviews, particularly Beijing and Copenhagen.

We welcome here the recommendations made by the Secretary General in section IV of his report. We would especially highlight the following points:

the target of cutting by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 (as referred to in the Copenhagen +5 final document) should be restated by ECOSOC;
ECOSOC should continue to oversee coordination of initiatives to eliminate poverty, ensure full employment and promote gender equality. The objective of more effective social integration, in particular the many specific initiatives put forward at the last special session, in Geneva, should also be borne in mind;
increasing the capacity of national statistical systems is a matter of priority, as the Secretary General rightly points out, but it should also be accompanied by progress in devising international indicators making for better assessment of situations and of the results of national implementation plans;
the Council's call to ratify and implement instruments which may help improve means of acting to eliminate poverty should also embrace all of the instruments built up by the International Labor Organization, in particular the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union attaches a great deal of importance to following up last year's coordination segment regarding implementation and coordinated follow-up by the United Nations system of initiatives on African development. The Secretary-General's report on the subject brings out the progress made, particularly as a result of the introduction of strategic planning instruments (CCA, UNDAF and CDF), which act as powerful forces for greater coordination, and of the United Nations Development Group's decision to make implementation of the outcome of major conferences one of the main planks of the UNDAF.

There remain, however, sizeable difficulties on the ground: an uneven level of dialogue from one country to another between UN funds and programs and the Bretton Woods institutions, a lack of complementarity and consistency between the various players' tools and programs, and inadequate progress in streamlining and harmonizing procedures, etc.

The European Union calls on all parties concerned to redouble their efforts in order to maximize the impact of their operations on the ground and will continue to keep a close watch on developments in this regard.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Ref: PRES00-214EN
EU source: EU Presidency
UN forum: ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council), (including functional Commissions)
Date: 21/7/2000

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