Group of 77 & China
Statement on behalf of Group of 77 and China by Mr. Jamil Ahmad of
Pakistan Delegation on Industrial Development in the Intergovernmental
Preparatory Meeting (IPM) of Fifteenth Session of Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD-15)
New York, 27 February 2007 (Afternoon session)
Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to thank the Panelists on behalf of Group of 77 and
China for their succinct and useful presentations. The keen insights and
perspectives provided by distinguished Panelists on Industrial Development
would indeed enrich our deliberations during this session.
2. Sustained Industrial development is crucial for eradicating poverty and
promoting sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Happily
some developing countries have experienced significant economic growth rates
in recent years, largely owing to rapid industrial development. Those countries
are well on their way to achieving the MDGs. There are many, on the other
hand, caught in the poverty trap and for whom MDGs remain an elusive dream.
3. The three over arching objectives of sustainable development i.e.
protecting natural resources, eradicating poverty, and changing unsustainable
production and consumption patterns are equally relevant to industrial
development. The additional factor that we deem critical in this respect is the
need for enhanced corporate, environmental and social responsibility. We
believe that the policies at national and international levels should be geared
towards advancing industrial development. Importantly, countries should have
the right to decide their own industrial development strategies based on the
level, rate and pace of their development as well as capacity.
4. During the CSD-14, we had undertaken a comprehensive review and
appraisal of progress achieved in implementation of Agenda 21 and JPOI on
industrial development. We also recognize the importance of the means of
implementation for the effective implementation of development strategies and
policies. We expect that CSD-15 would agree to a set of action-oriented policy
options with a view to overcoming the constraints and obstacles hindering
sustainable industrial development.
Mr. Chairman,
5. The developing countries have made some important achievements, of
course not without serious efforts and high costs, in the pursuit of sustainable
industrial development. However, they are still faced with formidable tasks of
developing their economies, eradicating poverty and protecting the environment.
Our endeavours towards industrial development are faced with numerous
challenges including lack of access to energy, poor basic infrastructure, and
industrial pollution.
6. The optimal utilization of trade as the engine of growth and its potential
to contribute for industrial development is also severely constrained by both
supply side and demand side constraints in developing countries particularly
LDCs, LLDCs and SIDs. In this regard, we would also like to emphasize the
needs of countries emerging from conflict in the areas of capacity building,
technical cooperation and infrastructure development.
7. On the demand side, trade market access continues to be negated by tariff
and non-barriers and residual bias in tariff structures. On the supply side, major
constraints are lack or absence of infrastructure, limited productive capacities,
inadequate financial inflows including FDI, limited research and development,
education, innovation, and diversification. Problems of outdated, industrial
technologies and production methodologies hamper quick improvements. There
is need for minimization of wastes and conservation of natural resources.
8. We are also faced with serious infrastructural impediments, due to limited
capacities in terms of institutions and human resources and insufficient human
skills. There is limited capacity of strengthening regulations, codes, and
standards at national levels.
Mr. Chairman,
9. In order to cope with the challenges faced by the world, Group of 77 and
China suggest the following policy options to be endorsed by CSD-15:
First, actions at national level need to be taken including; formulation of
national policies to created enabling environment conducive to industrial
development; enhancing domestic environmental governance by creating
the incentives for the adoption of improved environmental management
practices and environmentally sound technologies
Second, concrete measures to be taken by developed countries to
eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports from developing
countries including the removal of tariff escalations and tariff peaks on
exports from developing countries. This is critical to enable developing
countries to make full use of their comparative advantages.
Third, increased external financial assistance, earliest realization of 0.7%
ODA target and encouragement of FDI flows to a wider circle of
developing countries need urgent attention and action by international
community.
Fourth, strengthening the investment in human capacities to promote
industrial development, technology transfer and skills training. Greater
emphasis should be placed by the United Nations system on promotional
and information-dissemination activities relating to investment
opportunities in the developing countries. In this respect, the program of
the UNIDO on investment promotion could be an effective instrument for
facilitating investment in developing countries and therefore should be
strengthened.
Fifth, developing and strengthening the productive capacity of
developing countries by scaling up the technical and financial resource
flows for basic infrastructure and to support national and regional
projects.
Sixth, there is need for more sustainable use of natural resources in
industry in an effort to reduce negative environmental impacts while
reducing costs and increasing competitiveness.
Seventh, South-South cooperation, North-South cooperation as well as
triangular cooperation and regional cooperation in terms of trade,
investment, technology and knowledge transfer is of growing importance
and should be promoted.
Eighth, strengthening programs of technical and financial support to
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Ninth, intensify outreach activities including campaigns for education
and awareness-raising, building on local cultural values to change
consumer behavior toward more sustainable lifestyles.
Tenth, it is essential to promote the practice of responsible
entrepreneurship within more sectors, particularly among SME.
Corporate environmental and social responsibility and accountability, as
stipulated in JPOI should be enhanced.
Last, developed countries should translate their commitments into
actions on capacity building and transfer of environmentally sound as
well as energy-saving technologies on favorable terms, under direct or
indirect government control to the developing countries.
10. We need to build sound national political, social and macroeconomic
policies for domestic enabling environment conducive to industrial
development. We can achieve our objectives by fostering close cooperation
between government, industry, trade unions and civil society. Promotion of
sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries
taking the lead, are vital for industrial development.
I thank you.
Pakistan Delegation on Industrial Development in the Intergovernmental
Preparatory Meeting (IPM) of Fifteenth Session of Commission on
Sustainable Development (CSD-15)
New York, 27 February 2007 (Afternoon session)
Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to thank the Panelists on behalf of Group of 77 and
China for their succinct and useful presentations. The keen insights and
perspectives provided by distinguished Panelists on Industrial Development
would indeed enrich our deliberations during this session.
2. Sustained Industrial development is crucial for eradicating poverty and
promoting sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Happily
some developing countries have experienced significant economic growth rates
in recent years, largely owing to rapid industrial development. Those countries
are well on their way to achieving the MDGs. There are many, on the other
hand, caught in the poverty trap and for whom MDGs remain an elusive dream.
3. The three over arching objectives of sustainable development i.e.
protecting natural resources, eradicating poverty, and changing unsustainable
production and consumption patterns are equally relevant to industrial
development. The additional factor that we deem critical in this respect is the
need for enhanced corporate, environmental and social responsibility. We
believe that the policies at national and international levels should be geared
towards advancing industrial development. Importantly, countries should have
the right to decide their own industrial development strategies based on the
level, rate and pace of their development as well as capacity.
4. During the CSD-14, we had undertaken a comprehensive review and
appraisal of progress achieved in implementation of Agenda 21 and JPOI on
industrial development. We also recognize the importance of the means of
implementation for the effective implementation of development strategies and
policies. We expect that CSD-15 would agree to a set of action-oriented policy
options with a view to overcoming the constraints and obstacles hindering
sustainable industrial development.
Mr. Chairman,
5. The developing countries have made some important achievements, of
course not without serious efforts and high costs, in the pursuit of sustainable
industrial development. However, they are still faced with formidable tasks of
developing their economies, eradicating poverty and protecting the environment.
Our endeavours towards industrial development are faced with numerous
challenges including lack of access to energy, poor basic infrastructure, and
industrial pollution.
6. The optimal utilization of trade as the engine of growth and its potential
to contribute for industrial development is also severely constrained by both
supply side and demand side constraints in developing countries particularly
LDCs, LLDCs and SIDs. In this regard, we would also like to emphasize the
needs of countries emerging from conflict in the areas of capacity building,
technical cooperation and infrastructure development.
7. On the demand side, trade market access continues to be negated by tariff
and non-barriers and residual bias in tariff structures. On the supply side, major
constraints are lack or absence of infrastructure, limited productive capacities,
inadequate financial inflows including FDI, limited research and development,
education, innovation, and diversification. Problems of outdated, industrial
technologies and production methodologies hamper quick improvements. There
is need for minimization of wastes and conservation of natural resources.
8. We are also faced with serious infrastructural impediments, due to limited
capacities in terms of institutions and human resources and insufficient human
skills. There is limited capacity of strengthening regulations, codes, and
standards at national levels.
Mr. Chairman,
9. In order to cope with the challenges faced by the world, Group of 77 and
China suggest the following policy options to be endorsed by CSD-15:
First, actions at national level need to be taken including; formulation of
national policies to created enabling environment conducive to industrial
development; enhancing domestic environmental governance by creating
the incentives for the adoption of improved environmental management
practices and environmentally sound technologies
Second, concrete measures to be taken by developed countries to
eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on imports from developing
countries including the removal of tariff escalations and tariff peaks on
exports from developing countries. This is critical to enable developing
countries to make full use of their comparative advantages.
Third, increased external financial assistance, earliest realization of 0.7%
ODA target and encouragement of FDI flows to a wider circle of
developing countries need urgent attention and action by international
community.
Fourth, strengthening the investment in human capacities to promote
industrial development, technology transfer and skills training. Greater
emphasis should be placed by the United Nations system on promotional
and information-dissemination activities relating to investment
opportunities in the developing countries. In this respect, the program of
the UNIDO on investment promotion could be an effective instrument for
facilitating investment in developing countries and therefore should be
strengthened.
Fifth, developing and strengthening the productive capacity of
developing countries by scaling up the technical and financial resource
flows for basic infrastructure and to support national and regional
projects.
Sixth, there is need for more sustainable use of natural resources in
industry in an effort to reduce negative environmental impacts while
reducing costs and increasing competitiveness.
Seventh, South-South cooperation, North-South cooperation as well as
triangular cooperation and regional cooperation in terms of trade,
investment, technology and knowledge transfer is of growing importance
and should be promoted.
Eighth, strengthening programs of technical and financial support to
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Ninth, intensify outreach activities including campaigns for education
and awareness-raising, building on local cultural values to change
consumer behavior toward more sustainable lifestyles.
Tenth, it is essential to promote the practice of responsible
entrepreneurship within more sectors, particularly among SME.
Corporate environmental and social responsibility and accountability, as
stipulated in JPOI should be enhanced.
Last, developed countries should translate their commitments into
actions on capacity building and transfer of environmentally sound as
well as energy-saving technologies on favorable terms, under direct or
indirect government control to the developing countries.
10. We need to build sound national political, social and macroeconomic
policies for domestic enabling environment conducive to industrial
development. We can achieve our objectives by fostering close cooperation
between government, industry, trade unions and civil society. Promotion of
sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries
taking the lead, are vital for industrial development.
I thank you.
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