EU Presidency Statement - UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty

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,

The report from the Secretary General on the implementation of the first United Nations decade for the Eradication of Poverty highlights in a straightforward manner the enormous challenges we face in order to fulfil the commitments in the Millennium Declaration and in particular in reaching the Millennium Development Goals in relation to poverty eradication. The report clearly stresses the need for urgent action and lists a number of important points in relation to best practises and lessens learned in the fight against poverty.

The Millennium Declaration sets a clear time bound goal - halve by the year 2015 the proportion of the Worlds people living in absolute poverty. Recent data suggests that today more than 800 million people suffer from hunger and are undernourished and that about a quarter of the world's population has to survive on less than a dollar a day. But the data also shows a mixed picture in relation to the fight against poverty. While especially the countries in East Asia and the Pacific has been successful in reducing the number of people living in absolute poverty, the picture is grim for Sub-Saharan Africa where the number of people living in extreme poverty is still rising, and for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where indicators show that poverty is increasing and health conditions deteriorating.

The Millennium Declaration sets the overall framework for our concerted action. Seen together with the outcomes of the International Conferences of the past decade, the commitment to poverty eradication as an overarching goal of our efforts in promoting sustainable development is incontestable.

In Brussels, we set an ambitious plan of action for the LDC's. In Doha we agreed to a comprehensive development agenda for trade with the focus on integrating the developing countries in the global economy. In Monterrey we firmly established the partnership pact: The clear commitment by all developing countries to take primary responsibility for their own development, ensuring sound policies, good governance, democracy, human rights and rule of law. We would like to pay tribute the African leaders who have taken an impressive lead in this regard with the NEPAD initiative. The developed countries must also deliver on their commitments. In particular to increase development assistance, improve its effectiveness and by supporting a stronger voice for developing countries in the international economic and financial decision making processes. These commitments was reconfirmed in Rome, and the circle of conferences was successfully completed in Johannesburg, where sustainable development was firmly established as an overarching goal for our work; and where additional targets for sustainable development to supplement the Millennium Development Goals were agreed upon. In Johannesburg the imperative of partnership and implementation was also strongly emphasised. Concrete action - led by the developing countries - to promote sustainable development and eradicate poverty.

The implementation of the conferences is part of a wider process aiming at fulfilling the commitments in the Millennium Declaration and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Mr. Chairman,

As part of the international response to the financing of development the EU has pledged to increase our level of development assistance, to ensure implementation of the enhanced HIPC initiative and to improving market access creating new opportunities for the export of developing countries promote. We are implementing these pledges, including the Everything But Arms initiative, which grants duty-free and quota-free market access for all LDC exports to the EU.

There is no doubt that economic growth is a driving factor in poverty reduction. But - as also highlighted in the report by the Secretary General - income growth on its own is insufficient to ensure poverty reduction. Experience shows that good governance, and pro-poor choices are a prerequisite for poverty eradication. And also that a sound strategy to ensure environmental sustainability is an important part of a poverty-focussed development strategy.

Good governance demands the building and strengthening of democratic institutions, the respect and promotion of human rights and the rule of law, effective and just delivery of public services. The primary responsibility rests with each and every individual country. Each individual country must create a sound macroeconomic environment and an appropriate framework for investment and trade supportive of sustainable development. All countries - developed and developing countries alike - must prioritise investment in health, education, nutrition, water and sanitation, and in environmental sustainability. Domestic policies in the area of taxation, income redistribution, decent work rights and the fight against corruption is equally fundamental. And it goes without saying, that what is also fundamental is peace building and conflict prevention.

The EU at the same time recognise that without the assistance from the international community many of especially the least developed countries cannot escape the vicious circle of poverty. The EU will increase its ODA significantly in the coming years, but as important as increased official development assistance is enhanced aid effectiveness. In this regard we note the proposal contained in the Secretary General's report on strengthening the organisation to clarify the comparative advantages of UN entities on the provision of technical assistance. We need further cooperation, coordination and harmonisation of our efforts at all levels. This is imperative not the least at the local level where all donors must make much greater efforts to coordinate their interventions in support of countries own national development strategies. Multilateral and bilateral donors must also step up efforts to harmonise and simplify their procedures. The CCA/UNDAF is an important tool in this regard. Initiatives such as SWAp's and budget support can also play a useful role. The EU are also pleased to note that an increasing number of developing countries elaborate comprehensive poverty reduction strategies - for the low income countries in the form of poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSP). The PRSP's also provide useful frameworks for coordination among all donors. And the EU is convinced that the UN system could add value in the preparation of PRSPs.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union would like to acknowledge the importance of the best practices and lessons learned outlined by the Secretary General in his report. Also the EU fully support the conclusion by the Secretary General that among the most important lessons learned in development is the necessity of participatory policymaking, gender sensitiveness, community development, a strong civil society - both NGO's and the private sector - and integrated environmental management.

The EU agrees with the Secretary General that it is imperative that information on best practices and lessons learned be easily available. We would like to highlight the work done in the Funds- and programmes in this respect.

Mr. Chairman,

There is no doubt that in order to win the fight against poverty we need enhanced efforts at all levels. It is now time to implement commitments made at both national and international levels to ensure coordination and coherence in our work, a void duplication and ensure the value added in new initiatives - including in relation to the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund. The fight against poverty is a fight we must win. A fight that is multidimensional and that also encompasses winning the fight against HIV/AIDS and which take into account the critical link between peace, conflict prevention and poverty. Poverty elimination must be mainstreamed across the global agenda.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - Poverty Eradication (9/10/2003)
• EU Presidency Statement - The Millennium Summit (4/10/2002)
• EU Presidency Statement - NEPAD (25/9/2002)
• EU Presidency Statement - WSSD (2/9/2002)
• EU approves 'Everything but Arms' initiative (26/2/2001)