Lao

LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC TO UNITED NATIONS
317 EAST 51ST STREET, EW YORK, NY 10022 TEL: [phone] . FAX: [phone]
Mr. Chairman,
To begin with, the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs)
congratulates you on your election as chairman of CSD-12 . Our felicitations Also go to
other members of the Bureau on their respective election . We believe that your rich
experience and high competence in multilateral diplomacy will guide this session to a
successful conclusion .
Mr. Chairman,
Aligning ourselve fully with the statement made by the representative of Qatar
on behalf of the G77 & hina, we feel it really timely that CSD-12 has brought together
here today relevant government policy-makers and sustainable development partners
across the globe to assess for the first time how well the agreed goals of JPOI are being
met and chart the way ahead . This is due to the fact that there are over 1 billion people
worldwide lacking access to safe drinking water, nearly 1 billion people living in slums
and two billion more people in need of access to adequate sanitation . Despite the
challenging tasks before us, we believe that with stronger political will and greater
devotion, the international community will be able to overcome all the challenges and
move forward to gradually meeting the internationally agreed goals, including the MDGs .
As a vulnerable group among the developing countries, LLDCs remain committed
to implementing the aforementioned goals by all means and with all out effort . Yet, our
STATEMENT
by
H.$ . Ambassador Alounkeo Kittikhoun
Permanent Representative
of the Lao PDR to the United Nations
Chairman of the Group
o$ Landlocked Developing Countries
at the 12th Session of the United Nations
Conk mission on Sustainable Development
New York, 19 April 2004
Check Against Delivery
strenuous endeavours alone are proved to be insufficient to face the tasks ahead . A
helping hand should be f1arther lent to our countries to overcome the challenges stemming
from our vulnerability and reach our development goals. In this regard, we urge the
international community to respond positively to the call as stipulated in the JPOI, that is
to "enhance the capacities of developing countries, including the least developed
countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, to benefit
from liberalized trade opportunities through international cooperation and measures
aimed at improving productivity, commodity diversification and communication
infrastructure development" .
Mr. Chairman,
As CSD-12 also serves as the preparatory meeting for the International Meeting to
review the Implementation of Barbados Programme of Action, we wish to laud the SIDS
efforts in this process. We also reaffirm our strong support for their new strategy for the
further implementation ofBPOA to be adopted at the Meeting . It is our strong belief that
the legitimate cause of SIBS for survival and sustainable development will continue to
earn support from the world community at large .
Mr. Chairman,
As small and vulnerable developing economies, LL Qocortinue to face big
challenges . Our high transport cost (on average we spe
f our export earnings for
transport and insurance services while other developing c ntries spend only 7%),
remoteness, isolation from major world market as well as our dependence on the transit
policies of our neighbours,, are making us most vulnerable . In August 2003, the world
community at the ministerial level for the first time ever has adopted the Almaty
Programme of Action to address the special needs of LLDCs within a new global
framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing
countries. We, the LLDCs hereby urge the international community for the full and
effective implementation Of the said Programme of Action,
Mr. Chairman,
Given their vulnerability, both SIDS and LLDCs deserve sympathy and support
from the world community . In this spirit, we wish this august meeting every success .
Thank You, Mr . Chairman!