Group of 77 & China
STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA
BY AMBASSADOR ABDALMAHOOD ABDALHALEEM MOHAMED,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN TO
THE UN, DURING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PREPARATORY MEETING
(IPM) OF THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF COMMISSION ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (CSD-17)
(New York, 23 February 2009)
Madam Chair,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and
China. Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your election as the
Chairman of the Seventeenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD-17) and to convey our profound appreciation for your able
stewardship of this very timely and important session.
2. Let me express our appreciations to the Secretary General for presenting
informative reports on the thematic clusters of CSD-17, which will help guide our
deliberations.
3. The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) is an integral part of our
preparations for the Seventeenth Session of CSD. This session is of particular
importance as it is expected to take important policy decisions to expedite
implementation of Agenda 21 in the critical interrelated thematic clusters of this
cycle; Agriculture, Rural Development, Drought, Desertification, Land, and
Africa.
4. These thematic clusters, as we have seen in our deliberations during the
review session of CSD 16 in May 2008, assume particular significance and
relevance given the current global context; the multiple interrelated and mutually
reinforcing crises, including the financial crisis, the global food crisis and climate
change. Our discussions, and in particular the views of the Group of 77 and
China expressed during CSD 16, provide good guidance for furthering the
implementation of Agenda 21 as it relates to the current thematic clusters.
5. As CSD-17 aims at finding ways and actions to address the challenges
identified in the review year with regard to the six themes policy options and
recommendations, it must take into consideration the special needs of
developing countries, particularly those in Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.
2
6. The Group reiterates the importance of taking further effective measures
to remove developmental obstacles for people living under foreign occupation,
which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and
are incompatible with the dignity and worth of human persons.
7. The Group also reaffirms the special needs and challenges faced by
countries emerging from conflict, and urge the international community and the
UN system to address these needs in the areas of financial assistance, technical
support and infrastructure development, in order to achieve the internationally
agreed development goals, including the MDGs
8. The Group reiterates that consideration of the thematic issues in the
agenda of CSD must be undertaken in the context of the three pillars of
sustainable development, which include economic development, social
development and environmental protection. The three pillars are mutually
reinforcing and inter-related and they must be considered in an integrated
manner.
9. CSD 17 is particularly significant in view of their direct impact on our
endeavors to eradicate poverty and hunger and address the food security crisis
and achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs.
10. As we approach this critical policy session, the Group re-emphasizes the
inter linkages between the thematic clusters of this cycle. The Secretary
General?s report rightly points out that policies and measures aimed at one issue
may have co-benefits for the other, and that policy options and possible actions
can be more effective if their interlinked aspects are taken into consideration at
the outset.
11. Agriculture, rural development, and land management are crucial sectors
especially in developing countries. The Group agrees that advancing the
implementation of the agricultural development agenda requires renewed
commitment and a new vision for global cooperation to implement policies that
simultaneously aim at increasing agricultural productivity, creating fair trade
regimes, conserving natural resources, and investing in agricultural-related
infrastructure.
12. In this regard policy options and measures must include improving access
to the markets of developed countries accompanied by access to, the
development, acquisition, transfer and diffusion of new technologies, particularly
environmentally sound technologies and corresponding know-how to developing
countries, in order to increase productivity and competitiveness.
13. Desertification, drought and land degradation continue to pose serious
threats to developing countries and obstruct efforts at revitalizing the agricultural
sector. These are severe problems with social and economic implications, and
3
they aggravate the problems of poverty and hunger. The Group believes that
through international mechanism such as the UNCCD and GEF, the international
community should intensify its support to developing countries in the areas of
sustainable management of lands, development of agriculture, addressing
drought and combating desertification and degradation.
14. The Group looks forward to UNCCD/ COP 9 later this year, and the
decisions it will take, particularly pertaining to the 10 year strategic plan to
enhance the implementation of the convention. The Group attaches particular
importance to the Strategic Plan?s four objectives, which it considers a basis for
concerted global action.
15. The African continent is the most vulnerable and disadvantaged continent
in relation to the thematic issues of for CSD 17. At the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, the international community committed itself to
support Africa in meeting the mounting challenges it faces, which are becoming
ever more intense under the current global environment. International
commitments to Africa must be met in the areas of trade, technology transfer,
ODA, debt relief. The international community must step up its efforts to support
the continent?s effort in reducing poverty and hunger and addressing the current
food crisis, particularly in reviving the agriculture sector.
Madam Chair,
16. The need for a fully supportive and enabling international environment to
facilitate and promote the implementation of national development strategies by
developing countries is critical even as the world faces widespread economic
contraction. It must be reiterated that the challenges developing countries face
go beyond the issues of political commitment, to that of our lack of capacity,
inadequate resources including financial, human and technical; crippling impact
of external debt; unfair trade, which impede our development efforts.
17. Due to all these impediments, it is not within the capacity of developing
countries to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the
MDGs, without a supportive and enabling international environment. For this
reason, strategies to reverse the current global economic downturn should also
take into consideration measures to ensure a supportive international
environment for sustainable development, with special focus on the themes for
CSD-17.
Madam Chair,
4
18. Despite outlining a comprehensive global development agenda through
the agreements reached and commitments made at major UN Summits and
Conferences, it is of great concern to the Group of 77 and China that this has not
translated into action on the ground, and tangible results sufficient to put all of the
developing world on track to meet the MDGs. The implementation gap remains
the biggest challenge for sustainability.
19. Financing for development has never been more critical. In this regard, the
recent decision taken at the Doha Review Conference on Financing for
Development regarding the holding of a high-level conference on the financial
crisis is a welcome initiative which we must utilize to address all issues including
those systemic in nature in relation to the current financial crisis..
Madam Chair,
20. In 2012, the international community will reach the twenty-year mark of the
Earth Summit held in 1992 and the ten-year anniversary of WSSD held in
Johannesburg in 2002. It will be 40 years after the Stockholm Conference of
1972. The time will be opportune for the international community to thoroughly
review and assess the progress achieved since these two momentous summits.
Guided by the "Rio Spirit", a Rio-plus-20 Summit should provide the necessary
political impetus for the range and level of action required to bridge the
implementation gap. In this context, the G-77 and China welcomes the offer of
the Government of Brazil to host such a Summit in 2012.
21. In conclusion, the Group attaches great importance to the role of
Commission on Sustainable Development, and believes that the Commission
should continue to provide guidance and coordination on issues related to the
integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, and more
importantly the means of their implementation.
22. We expect that CSD-17 will agree to a set of action-based and
development oriented policy options including mechanisms for their follow up and
implementation. We would like to approach the forthcoming CSD with a view to
finding sustainable solutions to the development challenges that we continue to
face in an international environment that is becoming increasingly unfriendly due
to the economic recession and complex financial crises.
I thank you.
BY AMBASSADOR ABDALMAHOOD ABDALHALEEM MOHAMED,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN TO
THE UN, DURING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PREPARATORY MEETING
(IPM) OF THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF COMMISSION ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (CSD-17)
(New York, 23 February 2009)
Madam Chair,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and
China. Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your election as the
Chairman of the Seventeenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD-17) and to convey our profound appreciation for your able
stewardship of this very timely and important session.
2. Let me express our appreciations to the Secretary General for presenting
informative reports on the thematic clusters of CSD-17, which will help guide our
deliberations.
3. The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting (IPM) is an integral part of our
preparations for the Seventeenth Session of CSD. This session is of particular
importance as it is expected to take important policy decisions to expedite
implementation of Agenda 21 in the critical interrelated thematic clusters of this
cycle; Agriculture, Rural Development, Drought, Desertification, Land, and
Africa.
4. These thematic clusters, as we have seen in our deliberations during the
review session of CSD 16 in May 2008, assume particular significance and
relevance given the current global context; the multiple interrelated and mutually
reinforcing crises, including the financial crisis, the global food crisis and climate
change. Our discussions, and in particular the views of the Group of 77 and
China expressed during CSD 16, provide good guidance for furthering the
implementation of Agenda 21 as it relates to the current thematic clusters.
5. As CSD-17 aims at finding ways and actions to address the challenges
identified in the review year with regard to the six themes policy options and
recommendations, it must take into consideration the special needs of
developing countries, particularly those in Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.
2
6. The Group reiterates the importance of taking further effective measures
to remove developmental obstacles for people living under foreign occupation,
which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development and
are incompatible with the dignity and worth of human persons.
7. The Group also reaffirms the special needs and challenges faced by
countries emerging from conflict, and urge the international community and the
UN system to address these needs in the areas of financial assistance, technical
support and infrastructure development, in order to achieve the internationally
agreed development goals, including the MDGs
8. The Group reiterates that consideration of the thematic issues in the
agenda of CSD must be undertaken in the context of the three pillars of
sustainable development, which include economic development, social
development and environmental protection. The three pillars are mutually
reinforcing and inter-related and they must be considered in an integrated
manner.
9. CSD 17 is particularly significant in view of their direct impact on our
endeavors to eradicate poverty and hunger and address the food security crisis
and achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs.
10. As we approach this critical policy session, the Group re-emphasizes the
inter linkages between the thematic clusters of this cycle. The Secretary
General?s report rightly points out that policies and measures aimed at one issue
may have co-benefits for the other, and that policy options and possible actions
can be more effective if their interlinked aspects are taken into consideration at
the outset.
11. Agriculture, rural development, and land management are crucial sectors
especially in developing countries. The Group agrees that advancing the
implementation of the agricultural development agenda requires renewed
commitment and a new vision for global cooperation to implement policies that
simultaneously aim at increasing agricultural productivity, creating fair trade
regimes, conserving natural resources, and investing in agricultural-related
infrastructure.
12. In this regard policy options and measures must include improving access
to the markets of developed countries accompanied by access to, the
development, acquisition, transfer and diffusion of new technologies, particularly
environmentally sound technologies and corresponding know-how to developing
countries, in order to increase productivity and competitiveness.
13. Desertification, drought and land degradation continue to pose serious
threats to developing countries and obstruct efforts at revitalizing the agricultural
sector. These are severe problems with social and economic implications, and
3
they aggravate the problems of poverty and hunger. The Group believes that
through international mechanism such as the UNCCD and GEF, the international
community should intensify its support to developing countries in the areas of
sustainable management of lands, development of agriculture, addressing
drought and combating desertification and degradation.
14. The Group looks forward to UNCCD/ COP 9 later this year, and the
decisions it will take, particularly pertaining to the 10 year strategic plan to
enhance the implementation of the convention. The Group attaches particular
importance to the Strategic Plan?s four objectives, which it considers a basis for
concerted global action.
15. The African continent is the most vulnerable and disadvantaged continent
in relation to the thematic issues of for CSD 17. At the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, the international community committed itself to
support Africa in meeting the mounting challenges it faces, which are becoming
ever more intense under the current global environment. International
commitments to Africa must be met in the areas of trade, technology transfer,
ODA, debt relief. The international community must step up its efforts to support
the continent?s effort in reducing poverty and hunger and addressing the current
food crisis, particularly in reviving the agriculture sector.
Madam Chair,
16. The need for a fully supportive and enabling international environment to
facilitate and promote the implementation of national development strategies by
developing countries is critical even as the world faces widespread economic
contraction. It must be reiterated that the challenges developing countries face
go beyond the issues of political commitment, to that of our lack of capacity,
inadequate resources including financial, human and technical; crippling impact
of external debt; unfair trade, which impede our development efforts.
17. Due to all these impediments, it is not within the capacity of developing
countries to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, including the
MDGs, without a supportive and enabling international environment. For this
reason, strategies to reverse the current global economic downturn should also
take into consideration measures to ensure a supportive international
environment for sustainable development, with special focus on the themes for
CSD-17.
Madam Chair,
4
18. Despite outlining a comprehensive global development agenda through
the agreements reached and commitments made at major UN Summits and
Conferences, it is of great concern to the Group of 77 and China that this has not
translated into action on the ground, and tangible results sufficient to put all of the
developing world on track to meet the MDGs. The implementation gap remains
the biggest challenge for sustainability.
19. Financing for development has never been more critical. In this regard, the
recent decision taken at the Doha Review Conference on Financing for
Development regarding the holding of a high-level conference on the financial
crisis is a welcome initiative which we must utilize to address all issues including
those systemic in nature in relation to the current financial crisis..
Madam Chair,
20. In 2012, the international community will reach the twenty-year mark of the
Earth Summit held in 1992 and the ten-year anniversary of WSSD held in
Johannesburg in 2002. It will be 40 years after the Stockholm Conference of
1972. The time will be opportune for the international community to thoroughly
review and assess the progress achieved since these two momentous summits.
Guided by the "Rio Spirit", a Rio-plus-20 Summit should provide the necessary
political impetus for the range and level of action required to bridge the
implementation gap. In this context, the G-77 and China welcomes the offer of
the Government of Brazil to host such a Summit in 2012.
21. In conclusion, the Group attaches great importance to the role of
Commission on Sustainable Development, and believes that the Commission
should continue to provide guidance and coordination on issues related to the
integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, and more
importantly the means of their implementation.
22. We expect that CSD-17 will agree to a set of action-based and
development oriented policy options including mechanisms for their follow up and
implementation. We would like to approach the forthcoming CSD with a view to
finding sustainable solutions to the development challenges that we continue to
face in an international environment that is becoming increasingly unfriendly due
to the economic recession and complex financial crises.
I thank you.
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