Summary: 8 July 2008, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union, by H.E. Mr. Jean-Maurice RIPERT, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of France, to the United Nations, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL: Coordination Segment
Mr. President,
Ministers,
Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honoured to speak today on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, as well as the Republic of Moldova, Armenia align themselves with this declaration
During the 2005 World Summit, we reaffirmed our determination to ensure, the timely and full realization of the development goals and objectives agreed at the major conferences and summits of the United Nations, especially the MDGs, to eradicate poverty, improve the quality of life in different parts of the world and promote sustained economic growth, sustainable development and prosperity for all.
The Ministerial Declaration that we adopted last year reiterated our commitment to eradicate poverty and hunger and put this high-priority goal at the core of operations within the United Nations system. Numerous courses of action were defined to attain this goal, which underscore the multidimensional nature of the first Millennium Development Goal, including the following: the necessity for sustainable, equitable and job-creating economic growth, better access to social
services, in particular health and educational services, with special attention given to the most vulnerable population, promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and public awareness of sustainable development, etc. In this context we would like also like to commend Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for considering the special needs of the poorest as a central priority during his UN term.
Progress has been made in meeting MDG 1, as the reports of the Secretary-General point out, in particular with respect to poverty reduction. However, the overall results conceal the persistence of inequalities (between countries and within countries), while the spike in food and energy prices may jeopardize the progress that has been made. We are particularly concerned with the African continent, which still remains highly off track as far as the overall MDGs are
concerned, and, above all, with the fragile States or countries that are still emerging conflict situations. (These countries do pose particular challenges which have to be dealt with by both by donor community but primarily by Africa's Governments themselves). In this regard, we are looking forward to the upcoming High level Meeting on Africa's development on 22 September and do hope that it will provide us an important opportunity to further discuss the development goals in Africa.
More than ever, we must redouble our efforts to make further inroads into the fight against poverty and hunger: first and foremost, at a national level because each country is responsible for its own development; then at an international level because these efforts should be supplemented by international policies, measures and programmes aimed at offering developing countries better chances for development within the framework of our global partnership by including
all relevant stakeholders (States, the United Nations system as a whole, as well as civil society and the private sector).
ð The EU supports the efforts taken by the United Nations system in order to support the realization of the MDGs and is determined to make 2008 a turning point in the fight against poverty in the context of sustainable development and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. It points out that these Goals are interdependent. The EU also stresses that the implemention of the MDGs shall be accompanied by actions and policies aimed at stimulating global, inclusive,
economic growth from which the world's most vulnerable people will benefit in order to fight against poverty. It also notes that these efforts must address cross-cutting issues such as human rights, democracy, democratic governance, gender equality, the empowerment of women and sustainable development, the promotion of decent work for all and improved integration into world information exchange networks.
The EU is concerned by the fact that the MDG 7 which is linked to sustainable development lags behind. The EU also stresses the importance of the commitments made in the framework of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD). It underlines that the current cycle, which deals with crucial issues for sustainable development (agriculture, rural development, soils, desertification, droughts, Africa), should lead to ambitious commitments. The EU also reaffirms its intention to implement the
World summit for sustainable development action plan (2002).
ð Against the current backdrop of spiralling food prices, the EU will promote a better-coordinated and more long-term international response to the current food crisis, in particular through the UN, international financial institutions and in the context of the G8. It accordingly welcomes the establishment by UN Secretary-General of the High level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis. The EU is determined to play its full part in implementing the Declaration agreed in Rome on 5 June
2008 during the FAO's High-Level Conference on World Food Security. The EU will re-intervene on this issue during Round Table discussions.
ð The EU stresses, as stated in the Secretary-General's report, the importance of analyzing the situation in partner countries so that the system can respond appropriately to the needs of each country, in particular through the use of the most relevant instruments. The EU attaches great importance to efforts to efforts to strengthen the coordination and coherence of it the UN actions, including those taken to combat climate change and to increase the UN's effectiveness and
efficiency through "Delivering as One". In the run-up to the Accra Conference on Aid Effectiveness, which the EU wholeheartedly supports, the EU can only echo the conclusions set out in the Secretary-General's report recommending more efficient use of existing frameworks and increased awareness of the different aspects of the fight against poverty and hunger by all UN organizations, while working in close collaboration with partners. It backs the measures introduced by the Chief
Executives Board (CEB) and the system as a whole in order to improve work coherence and better meet the needs of beneficiary countries, especially in the field. However, it emphasizes the importance of avoiding initiatives that may turn out to be redundant due to the work of other multilateral organizations, and seeking out possible synergies.
ð The EU also wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the monitoring of UN conferences and summits. It reaffirms the importance of measures taken to strengthen the role of ECOSOC, and in particular, to improve existing links with functional and regional commissions, as well as with funds and programmes.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
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