Dominican Republic
14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14)
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 1
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
(English Text)
Mr. Chairman
I would like to congratulate you for your leadership during this session, as well as, relay our appreciation to
all the panelists.
Mr. Chairman, you have asked us to reflect upon the constraints before us when considering the synergy
between ?industrial development? and the ?sustainable management of natural resources?. First, simply the
title of this session ?Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource Management?
tends to instill of sense of doubt due to the fact that promoting both is not quite that easy because of the
various challenges before us, particularly the lack of availability of financial resources, which hampers
incentives to invest and investment in renewable energy technologies, making it difficult to meet the MDGs
and promote industrial development.
As we have stated before Mr. Chairman, over 35% of our National Budget in the Dominican Republic is
dedicated to financing energy, including the importation of 100% of combustibles; and over 30% of the
National Budget is used for servicing our debt. Together, this accrues to over 65%, which does not even
leave 35% for the key investments in health, education, environment, water, etc. that need to be made to
achieve the MDGs.
Noting a lack of access to financial capital as our primary challenge, we would like to express that the
horizon is not that grim, and that we have a very promising opportunity in the Dominican Republic. Mr.
Chairman, we would like to associate our experience with the presentation of Dr. Vallampadugai
Arunachalam, Chairman for the Study of Science and Technology Policy from India, who described the
potential of Jatropha Curcas as a means of producing bio-fuels.
In the Dominican Republic, Jatropha Curcas is an endemic tree-plant that exists on the impoverished border
community between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as, in some of the poorest provinces in the
14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14)
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 2
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
central and eastern most side of the country. We have begun to work with and support private sector entities
and civil society organizations that possess the special expertise of converting this tree-plant into bio-diesel.
We have also begun to integrate Jatropha Curcas bio-diesel and Ethanol production into local MDG Needs
Assessments and Costing Analyses that will serve to ensure that renewable energy, especially bio-fuels,
serve as a viable mechanism for eradicating poverty, (but also, and in accordance with the purpose of this
session Mr. President) for combating deforestation, reversing desertification; protecting our ecosystem,
freshwater, and natural resources, while simultaneously reducing our current 100% dependence on imported
fuels for energy generation.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
***
(Texto Español)
Sr. Presidente,
Quisiera felicitarlo a usted por su liderazgo durante esta sesión, y de la misma manera transmitir nuestros
sentimientos de aprecio a todos los panelistas.
Sr. Presidente, nos ha pedido que reflexionemos sobre las restricciones ante nosotros cuando consideramos la
sinergia entre ?desarrollo industrial? y el ?manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales?. Primero, el simple
título de esta sesión ?Promoviendo Desarrollo Industrial y Manejo Sostenible de los Recursos Naturales?,
tiende a inculcar un sentimiento de incertidumbre dado a que promover los dos no es tan fácil por los
diferentes obstáculos que tenemos frente a nosotros, particularmente la falta de disponibilidad de recursos
financieros, lo cual dificulta los incentivos a invertir y la inversión en tecnologías de energía renovable,
haciendo mucho más difícil el alcanzar los ODM y la promoción del desarrollo industrial.
14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14)
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 3
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Como hemos dicho anteriormente, Sr. Presidente, más de un 35% del presupuesto nacional de la República
Dominicana se encuentra destinado al financiamiento de la energía, incluyendo la importación del 100% de
los combustibles; y más del 30% del presupuesto nacional se encuentra destinado al pago de la deuda
externa. Juntos suman más de un 65%, dejando a duras penas un 35% para ser utilizado en inversiones claves
en las áreas de salud, educación, medio ambiente, agua, etc. que deben hacerse para alcanzar los ODM.
Como obstáculo principal enfrentamos la falta de acceso a capital financiero. El futuro no es tan sombrío
como parece, ya que tenemos oportunidades muy prometedoras en la República Dominicana. Sr. Presidente,
nos gustaría asociar nuestra experiencia con la presentación del Dr. Vallampadugai Arunachalam, Director
del Centro de Estudios de Políticas de Ciencia y Tecnología de la India, el cual describió el potencial de la
planta Jatropha Curcas para producir bio-diesel.
En la República Dominicana, Jatropha Curcas es una planta endémica que crece en las empobrecidas
comunidades cerca de la frontera con Haití, así como en algunas de las provincias pobres localizadas en el
centro y este del país. Hemos comenzado a trabajar y apoyar con entidades del sector privado y
organizaciones de la sociedad civil que poseen experiencia convirtiendo esta planta en bio-diesel.
También hemos comenzado a integrar el bio-diesel de Jatropha Curcas y la producción de etanol en la
Evaluación de Necesidades y Costos de los ODM a nivel local, el cual servirá para asegurar que las energías
renovables, en especial los biocombustibles, sirvan como un mecanismo viable para la erradicación de la
pobreza, pero también, y en concordancia con el propósito de esta sesión Sr. Presidente, para combatir la
deforestación, lucha contra la desertificación, proteger nuestro ecosistema, agua y recursos naturales, al
mismo tiempo que reducir nuestra total dependencia en combustibles importados para la generación de
energía.
Muchísimas gracias, Sr. Presidente.
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 1
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
(English Text)
Mr. Chairman
I would like to congratulate you for your leadership during this session, as well as, relay our appreciation to
all the panelists.
Mr. Chairman, you have asked us to reflect upon the constraints before us when considering the synergy
between ?industrial development? and the ?sustainable management of natural resources?. First, simply the
title of this session ?Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource Management?
tends to instill of sense of doubt due to the fact that promoting both is not quite that easy because of the
various challenges before us, particularly the lack of availability of financial resources, which hampers
incentives to invest and investment in renewable energy technologies, making it difficult to meet the MDGs
and promote industrial development.
As we have stated before Mr. Chairman, over 35% of our National Budget in the Dominican Republic is
dedicated to financing energy, including the importation of 100% of combustibles; and over 30% of the
National Budget is used for servicing our debt. Together, this accrues to over 65%, which does not even
leave 35% for the key investments in health, education, environment, water, etc. that need to be made to
achieve the MDGs.
Noting a lack of access to financial capital as our primary challenge, we would like to express that the
horizon is not that grim, and that we have a very promising opportunity in the Dominican Republic. Mr.
Chairman, we would like to associate our experience with the presentation of Dr. Vallampadugai
Arunachalam, Chairman for the Study of Science and Technology Policy from India, who described the
potential of Jatropha Curcas as a means of producing bio-fuels.
In the Dominican Republic, Jatropha Curcas is an endemic tree-plant that exists on the impoverished border
community between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as, in some of the poorest provinces in the
14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14)
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 2
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
central and eastern most side of the country. We have begun to work with and support private sector entities
and civil society organizations that possess the special expertise of converting this tree-plant into bio-diesel.
We have also begun to integrate Jatropha Curcas bio-diesel and Ethanol production into local MDG Needs
Assessments and Costing Analyses that will serve to ensure that renewable energy, especially bio-fuels,
serve as a viable mechanism for eradicating poverty, (but also, and in accordance with the purpose of this
session Mr. President) for combating deforestation, reversing desertification; protecting our ecosystem,
freshwater, and natural resources, while simultaneously reducing our current 100% dependence on imported
fuels for energy generation.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
***
(Texto Español)
Sr. Presidente,
Quisiera felicitarlo a usted por su liderazgo durante esta sesión, y de la misma manera transmitir nuestros
sentimientos de aprecio a todos los panelistas.
Sr. Presidente, nos ha pedido que reflexionemos sobre las restricciones ante nosotros cuando consideramos la
sinergia entre ?desarrollo industrial? y el ?manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales?. Primero, el simple
título de esta sesión ?Promoviendo Desarrollo Industrial y Manejo Sostenible de los Recursos Naturales?,
tiende a inculcar un sentimiento de incertidumbre dado a que promover los dos no es tan fácil por los
diferentes obstáculos que tenemos frente a nosotros, particularmente la falta de disponibilidad de recursos
financieros, lo cual dificulta los incentivos a invertir y la inversión en tecnologías de energía renovable,
haciendo mucho más difícil el alcanzar los ODM y la promoción del desarrollo industrial.
14th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14)
Statement by the Representative of the Dominican Republic
Date: 4 May 2006
Session: Thematic discussions: Promoting Industrial Development and Sustainable Natural Resource
Management
Delivered by: John R. Gagain Jr., Executive Director, Presidential Commission on the Millennium
Development Goals and Sustainable Development (COPDES)
www.copdes.gov.do
Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations ● 144 East 44th Street, 4th Floor ● New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-867-0833/34 ● Fax: 212-986-4694 ● Web www.un.int/dr ● Email: drun@un.int 3
PERMANENT MISSION OF
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Como hemos dicho anteriormente, Sr. Presidente, más de un 35% del presupuesto nacional de la República
Dominicana se encuentra destinado al financiamiento de la energía, incluyendo la importación del 100% de
los combustibles; y más del 30% del presupuesto nacional se encuentra destinado al pago de la deuda
externa. Juntos suman más de un 65%, dejando a duras penas un 35% para ser utilizado en inversiones claves
en las áreas de salud, educación, medio ambiente, agua, etc. que deben hacerse para alcanzar los ODM.
Como obstáculo principal enfrentamos la falta de acceso a capital financiero. El futuro no es tan sombrío
como parece, ya que tenemos oportunidades muy prometedoras en la República Dominicana. Sr. Presidente,
nos gustaría asociar nuestra experiencia con la presentación del Dr. Vallampadugai Arunachalam, Director
del Centro de Estudios de Políticas de Ciencia y Tecnología de la India, el cual describió el potencial de la
planta Jatropha Curcas para producir bio-diesel.
En la República Dominicana, Jatropha Curcas es una planta endémica que crece en las empobrecidas
comunidades cerca de la frontera con Haití, así como en algunas de las provincias pobres localizadas en el
centro y este del país. Hemos comenzado a trabajar y apoyar con entidades del sector privado y
organizaciones de la sociedad civil que poseen experiencia convirtiendo esta planta en bio-diesel.
También hemos comenzado a integrar el bio-diesel de Jatropha Curcas y la producción de etanol en la
Evaluación de Necesidades y Costos de los ODM a nivel local, el cual servirá para asegurar que las energías
renovables, en especial los biocombustibles, sirvan como un mecanismo viable para la erradicación de la
pobreza, pero también, y en concordancia con el propósito de esta sesión Sr. Presidente, para combatir la
deforestación, lucha contra la desertificación, proteger nuestro ecosistema, agua y recursos naturales, al
mismo tiempo que reducir nuestra total dependencia en combustibles importados para la generación de
energía.
Muchísimas gracias, Sr. Presidente.
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