Group of 77 & China
STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY H.E.
MR. PETER THOMSON, AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF FIJI TO THE UNITED NATIONS, CHAIRMAN OF
THE GROUP OF 77, AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSULTATIVE
WORKSHOPS ON "DEVELOPMENT, TRANSFER AND DISSEMINATION
OF CLEAN AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES" (New York, 30 April 2013)
Mr. President,
1. At the outset, I would like to thank you for organising these workshops as
per General Assembly resolution 67/203.
2. As we embark on the process of sustainable development and look towards
a global 'transformative' development agenda, technology plays a key role in
addressing development challenges across a wide scope of cross-cutting
sustainability dimensions, as in food and agriculture, water, energy, green
industry development, and chemicals and waste management.
3. Developing countries rely heavily on technology in order to shift to a more
sustainable development path. To help developing countries overcome certain
obstacles to economic expansion and growth so as to achieve specific
development goals, it is imperative that we seize the opportunity to bridge the
technological divide so as to promote sustainable industralisation and
inclusive growth across the developing world.
Mr. President,
4. The Rio+20 Outcome Document recognised technology as one of the key
'means of implementation' along with finance, capacity building and trade. In
response to paragraph 273 of this Document, the Secretary-General has
made, in his report (A/67/348), recommendations to the General Assembly
regarding a technology facilitation mechanism that promotes the
development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound
technologies. His report provided an overview of proposals, outlining
recommendations on the possible functions, format and working methods of a
technology facilitation mechanism, as well as on a potential global way
forward, suggesting the establishment of an intergovernmental working group
to agree on the details of such a mechanism.
5. The Group of 77 supported the findings of the report and its conclusions
with regard to the establishment of an intergovernmental working group to
agree on establishing a global mechanism for technology facilitation. We
understood some countries were of the view that we should first have more indepth
discussions on options to move forward. This is the reason it has been
agreed on holding a series of four one-day workshops in order to discuss the
matter further.
6. Following the spirit of the Rio+20 Conference and the need to fulfill its
mandate, the Group of 77 believes that the objective of these workshops
should be focusing on how to move forward with regard to the creation of a
technology facilitation mechanism. As pointed out earlier, technology is one of
the key means of implementation, and is a crucial part of Rio+20
Conference's outcome. In our view, the outcome of the Conference should be
dealt with as a package, where the progress in achieving different elements is
linked to progress made with respect to the means of implementation,
particularly in finance, technology and capacity building.
7. In order to ensure the efficiency of these workshops and their coherence
with the mandate from the Rio+20 Conference, as well as the General
Assembly resolution 67/203, I would like to highlight the following two points:
- Firstly, the workshops should maintain the focus on the needs of developing
countries, and how to address them through international cooperation,
bearing in mind the establishment of the technology facilitation mechanism as
the ultimate objective. We note that the background and concept papers
solely focus on South-South cooperation without mentioning the North-South
aspect of technology facilitation. In line with commitments made in major UN
conferences and summits, North-South cooperation should be the priority and
the principal element of discussion;
- Secondly, the scope and focus of the Concept Note and programme should
reflect accurately the elements included in the Rio+20 Outcome Document
and General Assembly resolution 67/203. Accordingly, the four workshops
should address respectively the identification of technology needs of
developing countries; the different options to address the technology needs of
developing countries; the capacity building in developing countries in the field
of technology; and options for a technology facilitation mechanism and the
way forward in this regard.
Mr. President,
8. As for the way forward, the Group of 77 is of the view that the workshops
should not restrict the scope of deliberations and discussions to options based
on existing structures and frameworks. While the Rio+20 Conference called
for the avoidance of duplication with existing structures, it did not restrict the
discussion of these workshops to existing structures. Possibilities for creating
any new mechanisms should also be considered.
9. The Group of 77 notes that work and discussion on technology transfer is
also taking place in other fora such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO),
the World Intellectural Property Organisation (WIPO), and the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, there is
little progress thus far.
10. As we stress the need for a 'transformational' change in the framework of
SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda, it is difficult to envisage how
this could take place without making a break through with regard to
international cooperation in the field of technology transfer. The lack of
progress at these international organisations strengthen the case for an
international mechanism that takes charge of this task, taking into account
existing models, and providing collective and coordinated solutions. As such,
there is an urgent need for a technology facilitation mechanism that can assist
with the acceleration of technology progress on a global scale, one that
commensurate with the sustainable development challenge.
Mr. President,
11. In light of the discussions taking place in these consultative workshops on
technology, and as a follow up on the outcome of these discussions, the
Group of 77 and China is considering the possibility of tabling a resolution in
the General Assembly on establishing a global mechanism on technology
facilitation with the aim to promoting the development, transfer and
dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies to developing
countries.
Thank you.
MR. PETER THOMSON, AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF FIJI TO THE UNITED NATIONS, CHAIRMAN OF
THE GROUP OF 77, AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSULTATIVE
WORKSHOPS ON "DEVELOPMENT, TRANSFER AND DISSEMINATION
OF CLEAN AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES" (New York, 30 April 2013)
Mr. President,
1. At the outset, I would like to thank you for organising these workshops as
per General Assembly resolution 67/203.
2. As we embark on the process of sustainable development and look towards
a global 'transformative' development agenda, technology plays a key role in
addressing development challenges across a wide scope of cross-cutting
sustainability dimensions, as in food and agriculture, water, energy, green
industry development, and chemicals and waste management.
3. Developing countries rely heavily on technology in order to shift to a more
sustainable development path. To help developing countries overcome certain
obstacles to economic expansion and growth so as to achieve specific
development goals, it is imperative that we seize the opportunity to bridge the
technological divide so as to promote sustainable industralisation and
inclusive growth across the developing world.
Mr. President,
4. The Rio+20 Outcome Document recognised technology as one of the key
'means of implementation' along with finance, capacity building and trade. In
response to paragraph 273 of this Document, the Secretary-General has
made, in his report (A/67/348), recommendations to the General Assembly
regarding a technology facilitation mechanism that promotes the
development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound
technologies. His report provided an overview of proposals, outlining
recommendations on the possible functions, format and working methods of a
technology facilitation mechanism, as well as on a potential global way
forward, suggesting the establishment of an intergovernmental working group
to agree on the details of such a mechanism.
5. The Group of 77 supported the findings of the report and its conclusions
with regard to the establishment of an intergovernmental working group to
agree on establishing a global mechanism for technology facilitation. We
understood some countries were of the view that we should first have more indepth
discussions on options to move forward. This is the reason it has been
agreed on holding a series of four one-day workshops in order to discuss the
matter further.
6. Following the spirit of the Rio+20 Conference and the need to fulfill its
mandate, the Group of 77 believes that the objective of these workshops
should be focusing on how to move forward with regard to the creation of a
technology facilitation mechanism. As pointed out earlier, technology is one of
the key means of implementation, and is a crucial part of Rio+20
Conference's outcome. In our view, the outcome of the Conference should be
dealt with as a package, where the progress in achieving different elements is
linked to progress made with respect to the means of implementation,
particularly in finance, technology and capacity building.
7. In order to ensure the efficiency of these workshops and their coherence
with the mandate from the Rio+20 Conference, as well as the General
Assembly resolution 67/203, I would like to highlight the following two points:
- Firstly, the workshops should maintain the focus on the needs of developing
countries, and how to address them through international cooperation,
bearing in mind the establishment of the technology facilitation mechanism as
the ultimate objective. We note that the background and concept papers
solely focus on South-South cooperation without mentioning the North-South
aspect of technology facilitation. In line with commitments made in major UN
conferences and summits, North-South cooperation should be the priority and
the principal element of discussion;
- Secondly, the scope and focus of the Concept Note and programme should
reflect accurately the elements included in the Rio+20 Outcome Document
and General Assembly resolution 67/203. Accordingly, the four workshops
should address respectively the identification of technology needs of
developing countries; the different options to address the technology needs of
developing countries; the capacity building in developing countries in the field
of technology; and options for a technology facilitation mechanism and the
way forward in this regard.
Mr. President,
8. As for the way forward, the Group of 77 is of the view that the workshops
should not restrict the scope of deliberations and discussions to options based
on existing structures and frameworks. While the Rio+20 Conference called
for the avoidance of duplication with existing structures, it did not restrict the
discussion of these workshops to existing structures. Possibilities for creating
any new mechanisms should also be considered.
9. The Group of 77 notes that work and discussion on technology transfer is
also taking place in other fora such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO),
the World Intellectural Property Organisation (WIPO), and the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, there is
little progress thus far.
10. As we stress the need for a 'transformational' change in the framework of
SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda, it is difficult to envisage how
this could take place without making a break through with regard to
international cooperation in the field of technology transfer. The lack of
progress at these international organisations strengthen the case for an
international mechanism that takes charge of this task, taking into account
existing models, and providing collective and coordinated solutions. As such,
there is an urgent need for a technology facilitation mechanism that can assist
with the acceleration of technology progress on a global scale, one that
commensurate with the sustainable development challenge.
Mr. President,
11. In light of the discussions taking place in these consultative workshops on
technology, and as a follow up on the outcome of these discussions, the
Group of 77 and China is considering the possibility of tabling a resolution in
the General Assembly on establishing a global mechanism on technology
facilitation with the aim to promoting the development, transfer and
dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies to developing
countries.
Thank you.
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