EU Speaking Points - Follow up to Development Commitments contained in 2005 World Summit Outcome

Informal Consultations of the Plenary of the United Nations General Assembly on the Follow up to Development Commitments contained in 2005 World Summit Outcome; Statement by Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter, Permanent Representative of Austria, on behalf of the European Union, New York

• On behalf of the EU I would like to thank you for convening this further round of consultations on the follow-up to development commitments contained in 2005 World Summit Outcome.
  
  
• I would like to thank the two co-Chairs for their excellent work and welcome the outlined possible elements for a General Assembly resolution on development follow-up presented in your letter from 9 January. We value these elements as a good basis for further negotiations towards a consensus-based outcome. The EU is confident that negotiations can quickly yield results.
  
  
• The EU regards the development commitments of the Summit Outcome as a central part of the balanced, comprehensive package that our leaders agreed in September. The EU made a major contribution in this regard.
  
  
• The EU is strongly committed to a full and timely implementation, making maximum use of the existing mechanisms.
  
  
• Implementation of development commitments of the Summit Outcome will be complemented by endeavours to strengthen the management and coordination of the operational activities of the UN system with a view to improve its efficiency and coherence. In this context the EU looks forward to the proposals to be submitted by the SG in this regard and welcomes the intention of the SG to establish a panel to study this issue.
  
  
• Let me outline some preliminary comments on the suggested elements:
  • The preambular paragraphs should take up the elements necessary to set the frame.
    
    
  • The Resolution should focus on implementation of and follow-up to the development commitments contained in 2005 World Summit Outcome in the framework set out in Res 57/270B.
    
    
  • We should avoid duplication with the Resolution on ECOSOC- reform.
    
    
  • In several paragraphs the Presidents of the General Assembly and of ECOSOC are concurrently requested to follow up, namely in op iv, viii and ix. We should look into these matters closely and choose the most efficient option.
    
    
  • EU considers the review of distribution of work between GA and ECOSOC dealt with in op viii a very important step. A timeframe for the review should be set. The review should also take into account ongoing work on GA-revitalisation and recent progress by the joint consideration of topics related to the follow-up to and implementation of major conferences and summits.
    
    
  • The review process - lined out in op ix - for maximising the value of documentation provided to ECOSOC and the General Assembly should take to the extent possible the experience of the common secretariat of ECOSOC and the second committee of the General Assembly into account.
    
    
  • General Assembly debates on implementation of summit outcome on development are foreseen under two agenda items, (1) the debate on the report of ECOSOC - op vi - and (2) the agenda item on follow-up to the Millennium Declaration to include follow-up to the 2005 World Summit - op x. EU considers that a joint debate in the context of the overall Summit follow up should be considered.
  
  
  
• In conclusion, let me reiterate the high importance the EU attaches to the implementation and realization of the development commitments agreed last September. In this context the EU has taken on major commitments. Now our task will be to ensure the implementation of and follow-up to these commitments in a coherent and consistent manner. It is in this positive spirit that we engage in this exercise.
  
  
  • Ref: PRES06-011EN
  • Source UE: Présidence UE
  • UN forum: Assemblée Générale (y compris Sessions spéciales)
  • Date: 16/1/2006

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• EU Presidency Statement - UN General Assembly, Information and Communication Technologies for Development  (27/3/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Security Council Public Meeting on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (22/2/2006)
• EU Detailed Speaking Points - Development Follow-up  (20/2/2006)
• EU Speaking Points - Development Follow-Up (8/2/2006)
• EU Commission launches 2008-13 programming cycle on Aid to Development (30/1/2006)
• EU Speaking Points - ECOSOC Reform (13/1/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Follow-up to World Summit Outcome on Development  (13/12/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Follow up to Summit Outcome on Development and ECOSOC reform (22/11/2005)