Summary: October 27, 2000: Statement by H.E. Mr. Jean-David Levitte, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations. Third conference on the least developed countries (New York)
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to take the floor on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the other associated countries (Cyprus, Malta and Turkey) align themselves with this statement.
Mr President,
At its 47th session, the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board reviewed the progress of the preparatory process for the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which will be hosted in Brussels by the European Union: changes in the structure and organisation of the Conference; financial situation; evaluation of the action programmes carried out over the past decade on the basis of country-specific reports; Ministerial Declaration of the LDCs; presentation in October 2000
of the 2000 report on the LDCs concerning the challenges involved in financing the development of the LDCs, and submission of the first version of the report of the panel of experts; state of preparations for the programme of action for the LDCs.
We wish to extend our thanks to the Secretariat of the Conference, i.e. the UNCTAD Secretariat. We also trust that forthcoming documents, and in particular the document outlining the structure of the Conference and the various successive versions of the action programme, will be made available to Member States within the time limits specified. The European Union is convinced that the preparatory process should take place with transparency and cooperation between the Secretariat et all the
actors involved.
We would also take this opportunity to congratulate the new Executive Secretary of this Conference and his team on the considerable amount of work they have accomplished since taking up their duties.
Mr President,
The LDCs have been, and will remain, at the heart of European political priorities, as testified, in particular, by the successive Lomé Conventions and the Cotonou Agreements.
Consequently, at the 47th session of the Trade and Development Council, the European Union reiterated its determination that the Third United Nations Conference on the LDCs and its preparatory process should be a success.
With that in mind, the European Union drew attention to the questions which its Member States still had regarding the Conference structure. We will take the utmost care to ensure that that structure does not become increasingly complicated over the next few months, and does not deviate too far from the outline laid down by the first intergovernmental preparatory committee which met in New York on 24 to 28 July 2000.
2.
Mr President,
The European Union attaches the greatest importance that the main aim of this Conference will be to ensure poverty eradication and sustainable development in the least developed countries by preventing their situation from worsening with respect to the rest of the world.
Besides, the European Union believes that the Third Conference on the LDCs should take into account the outcomes of the Conferences of the 90s, as well as the need for ownership by the LDCs of their development agendas. These different agendas could benefit from crossovers and interactions and points of mutual interest could be identified and reinforced.
The European Union considers it essential that this Conference should be based on a global approach to development, bearing in mind not only such basic economic aspects as macroeconomic policies, the problem of debt, the need for public assistance, inflows of direct foreign investment and market access for LDC products, but also the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable human development. This global approach should be based on the existing processes, such as the Comprehensive
Development Framework (CDF), the Poverty Reduction Strategy Process (PRSP) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). Another opportunity to address the needs of the Least Developed Countries will be the High Level Intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development to be held in 2001.
Within this global approach, and with respect for the diversity of the situations between the countries, the strategies should contribute to the objectives of peace consolidation and conflicts prevention, of the reinforcement of democracy and of reduction of inequalities, in particular between men and women, and of the progressive integration into world economy, in particular through the reinforcement of productive capacities.
We must focus on achieving a real improvement in living conditions of the populations in the least developed countries.
Mr President,
At the Third Conference on LDCs we must also examine the basic needs of those countries in detail. Many still face a whole range of impediments to achieving sustainable growth. Their structural weaknesses, lack of social infrastructures in the fields of education and health (in particular in order to fight against the plague of transmittable diseases, in particular AIDS), the absence of food security and problems in accessing new information and communication technologies are severely
curtailing their development. We must find ways to rectify this situation.
Similarly, too many LDCs are still seeing their development efforts hampered by a lack of internal and external stability, due in particular to armed conflicts. The development strategies which will be defined should focus on strengthening those countries' institutional capacities, i.e. strengthening of the civil society and participatory decision-making processes, and creating an environment favourable to development in the LDCs - i.e. a peaceful, democratic framework which respects human
rights and encourages good governance.
3.
Consequently, the European Union is pleased that the annotated summary of the LCD action programme recently submitted by the Conference Secretariat includes a useful analysis of all the challenges to the LDCs' development. We will take care to ensure that the structure of that Conference, and in particular the subjects of the interactive discussions, reflect this diversity in the dimensions of development. We hope that the final version of the summary will take into account the views expressed
by the Trade and Development Council.
Mr President,
In our opinion, the programme of action for the LDCs which will mark the end of this Conference should include measurable, applicable and operational measures and adapted to the wide range of situations encountered in the least developed countries.
Its preparation should be based on the analysis provided by the LDCs at national and regional level, including the conclusions of the execution of the previous plans of action.
The LDCs must be closely involved in the whole of the preparatory process and the conduct of the Conference itself if the measures decided upon are actually to be taken on board by the countries for which they are intended and their applicability strengthened.
Mr President,
In order to provide real assistance to the LDCs in their development efforts, the European Union considers that the whole of the international community must rally behind them at this important Conference.
Before, during and after the Conference, the Member States, the Bretton Woods institutions, the WTO, the United Nations funds and programmes, the specialised UN agencies and the regional development banks must all assist the LDCs in their efforts to achieve sustainable, participative and impartial human development.
In addition, more attention needs to be paid to coordinating the activities of those involved in development at international and regional level.
Finally, the European Union welcomes the invitation to take part in the general discussions, conveyed by the Secretariat of the Third UN Conference on the Least Developped Countries, to civil society, business communities and decentralised authorities. The European Union encourages them to seize this opportunity.
Thank you, Mr President.
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