Lease Developed Countries
Distinguished coochairs
Honorable Ministers
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of LDCs. At the outset,
!et me commend you Mr. Co-chairs for your efficient steering of the session. We
are confident that our discussions, today and tomorrow, will see fruitions.
Since this is the first substantive meeting of the open working group,
LDCs would like to make some suggestions on both procedural and substantive
matters.
On procedural issue, we have five suggestions.
First: Although the members of the OWG are elected on the basis of
equitable geographical representation, as a whole, LDCs are under-represented.
Out of 30 seats represented by 70 countries, only 7 are LDCs. 49 LDCs,
representing more than 25 percent of the total membership of the UN, have only
11 percent of the total OWG members.
We would therefore request the distinguished co-chairs and the members
of the OWG to ensure that the work of the OWG is not guided by the number of
voices, and that the interests and concerns of the LDCs, which are the poorest
and most vulnerable group of member states of the UN are fully and adequately
reflected in the work and the outcome of the OWGo This will be a critical test of
the success of our collective work in this forum.
Second: Most of our constituencies are Francophone. Since the discussions
will be substantive and technical in nature, please make sure that always we have
interpretation facilities.
Third: The discussions should be open, transparent and inclusive. Given
the smallness of our missions and the severe constraints on our resources and
capacities, we would request to avoid overlapping with other relevant meetings.
We need sufficient time for our effective preparation for the meetings. The
schedule of the meetings and the documentation should be made available with
sufficient lead time in order to ensure tha our delegatiolÿs and our capitals are
able to fully consider them.
Fourth: The work of the open working group shall be guided by the roles
of procedure, relevant rules and practices of the Committees of the General
Assembly, unless decided otherwise by the open working group, and
Finally: the decisions and recommendations should be made in a
transparent manner and by consensus. We would like to request you to ensure
that the voice of the LDCs are fully heard and reflected in the outcomes of this
exercise.
On substantive matter, I would begin by commending the Secretary-
General for his initial input to the OWG containing a number of important
elements, many of which are particularly significant for LDCs. On substantive
issue, we would like to make the following seven suggestions.
First: Our primary objective in the OWG process is to ensure full
integration of LDCs' interests and concerns in the goals, targets and indicators of
SDGs. Paragraph 181 of the Rio+20 Outcome says "we agree to effectively
implement the Istanbul Programme of Action and to fully integrate its priority
areas into the present framework for action, the broader implementation of which
will contribute to the overarching goal of the Istanbul Programme of Action of
enabling half the least developed countries to meet the criteria for graduation by
2020." in paragraph 34 of the Rio+20 outcome, the international community
commits to assist the least developed countries with the implementation of the
Istanbul Programme of Action as well as in their efforts to achieve sustainable
development. We therefore would like to propose that the working group devotes
a full session to discuss the special vulnerabilities, challenges and priorities of
LDCs in the context of the SDGs.
Second: There should be a balanced treatment among the three pillars of
sustainable development, namely economic development, social development
and environmental sustainability, with special attention given to the LDCso
Third: The Rio+20 outcome considers green economy as one of the
important tools available for achieving sustainable development. The outcome
document emphasizes that it should contribute to eradicating poverty as well as
sustained economic growth, enhancing social inclusion, improving human
weKare arid creating opportunities for full employmem and decent work for a11,
while maintaining the heakhy functioning of the Earth's ecosystems. Adequate
and timely international support has a critical role to play in helping LDCs
leapfrog onto a new green growth trajectory, especially considering the fact that
our countries are at an initial stage of development. Therefore, we would like to
suggest at the outset that international support to LDCs be given high priority.
Fourth. While looking at the issue of poverty and its consequent
challenges, three important issues should be considered: (i) the percentage of
people living in extreme poverty, (ii) countries' status of progress in reducing
poverty and (iii) the capacity of the country to meet its own financial, technical
and technological needs to address poverty. These are critically important factors
for the LDCs, given that they house the highest percentage of people in extreme
poverty and do not have the endogenous resources and capacities to reduce such
levels of poverty. In the context of extreme poverty reduction, international
support should therefore match the depth of challenges that the LDCs are facing.
Fifth: Means of implementation such as ODA, trade, investment, debt
relief and technology transfer are vitally important for us. In this regard, we want
to put particular emphasis on special and preferential treatment to LDCs.
Internationally community should review their ODA commitment with a view to
enhancing their financial support to LDCs as conunitted in the IPoA. We
specially put utmost importance on the implementation of the DFQF market
access for all LDC products in the spirit of the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial
declaration. The donor countries should also provide enhanced share of aid for
trade to LDCs as per the IPoA commitment. International community should
support the transfer of technology to LDCs including through the establishment
of a technology bank as suggested in the IPoA.
Sixth: We need scaled-up support from all of our development partners as
elaborated in the IPoA namely- developed countries; developing countries within
South-South cooperation; United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods
institutions, other multilateral institutions and regional development banks; and
the private sector, civil society and foundations.
Last but not the least: Although many goals would be universal, we would
like to especially emphasize that some goals should be specific %r LDCso For
example the specific targets for ODA and the target of DFQF market access for
LDCs, which are exclusive for them° We want similar kind of specific goals and
targets for LDCs in other relevant areas as a special and preferential treatment to
LDCs° During the course of the OWG we wilt make specific proposals in this
regard.
In conclusion we would like to flag that, as we have just embarked on a
new process, we need to bear in mind that the journey ahead of us is challenging.
However, this is an opportune moment for the UN, which does not come often
and may be once in a decade, to prove its centrality, legitimacy and effectiveness
in addressing the challenges of the world. This will be a litmus test for the
international community to prove whether they are really committed to address
the challenges of the poorest and most vulnerable countries, namely LDCso We
are fully confident that together we will be able to set an anÿbitious set of goals
and strong commitments to meet them, which would make a transformative
difference in the LDCso
I thank you for your kind attention.
Honorable Ministers
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of LDCs. At the outset,
!et me commend you Mr. Co-chairs for your efficient steering of the session. We
are confident that our discussions, today and tomorrow, will see fruitions.
Since this is the first substantive meeting of the open working group,
LDCs would like to make some suggestions on both procedural and substantive
matters.
On procedural issue, we have five suggestions.
First: Although the members of the OWG are elected on the basis of
equitable geographical representation, as a whole, LDCs are under-represented.
Out of 30 seats represented by 70 countries, only 7 are LDCs. 49 LDCs,
representing more than 25 percent of the total membership of the UN, have only
11 percent of the total OWG members.
We would therefore request the distinguished co-chairs and the members
of the OWG to ensure that the work of the OWG is not guided by the number of
voices, and that the interests and concerns of the LDCs, which are the poorest
and most vulnerable group of member states of the UN are fully and adequately
reflected in the work and the outcome of the OWGo This will be a critical test of
the success of our collective work in this forum.
Second: Most of our constituencies are Francophone. Since the discussions
will be substantive and technical in nature, please make sure that always we have
interpretation facilities.
Third: The discussions should be open, transparent and inclusive. Given
the smallness of our missions and the severe constraints on our resources and
capacities, we would request to avoid overlapping with other relevant meetings.
We need sufficient time for our effective preparation for the meetings. The
schedule of the meetings and the documentation should be made available with
sufficient lead time in order to ensure tha our delegatiolÿs and our capitals are
able to fully consider them.
Fourth: The work of the open working group shall be guided by the roles
of procedure, relevant rules and practices of the Committees of the General
Assembly, unless decided otherwise by the open working group, and
Finally: the decisions and recommendations should be made in a
transparent manner and by consensus. We would like to request you to ensure
that the voice of the LDCs are fully heard and reflected in the outcomes of this
exercise.
On substantive matter, I would begin by commending the Secretary-
General for his initial input to the OWG containing a number of important
elements, many of which are particularly significant for LDCs. On substantive
issue, we would like to make the following seven suggestions.
First: Our primary objective in the OWG process is to ensure full
integration of LDCs' interests and concerns in the goals, targets and indicators of
SDGs. Paragraph 181 of the Rio+20 Outcome says "we agree to effectively
implement the Istanbul Programme of Action and to fully integrate its priority
areas into the present framework for action, the broader implementation of which
will contribute to the overarching goal of the Istanbul Programme of Action of
enabling half the least developed countries to meet the criteria for graduation by
2020." in paragraph 34 of the Rio+20 outcome, the international community
commits to assist the least developed countries with the implementation of the
Istanbul Programme of Action as well as in their efforts to achieve sustainable
development. We therefore would like to propose that the working group devotes
a full session to discuss the special vulnerabilities, challenges and priorities of
LDCs in the context of the SDGs.
Second: There should be a balanced treatment among the three pillars of
sustainable development, namely economic development, social development
and environmental sustainability, with special attention given to the LDCso
Third: The Rio+20 outcome considers green economy as one of the
important tools available for achieving sustainable development. The outcome
document emphasizes that it should contribute to eradicating poverty as well as
sustained economic growth, enhancing social inclusion, improving human
weKare arid creating opportunities for full employmem and decent work for a11,
while maintaining the heakhy functioning of the Earth's ecosystems. Adequate
and timely international support has a critical role to play in helping LDCs
leapfrog onto a new green growth trajectory, especially considering the fact that
our countries are at an initial stage of development. Therefore, we would like to
suggest at the outset that international support to LDCs be given high priority.
Fourth. While looking at the issue of poverty and its consequent
challenges, three important issues should be considered: (i) the percentage of
people living in extreme poverty, (ii) countries' status of progress in reducing
poverty and (iii) the capacity of the country to meet its own financial, technical
and technological needs to address poverty. These are critically important factors
for the LDCs, given that they house the highest percentage of people in extreme
poverty and do not have the endogenous resources and capacities to reduce such
levels of poverty. In the context of extreme poverty reduction, international
support should therefore match the depth of challenges that the LDCs are facing.
Fifth: Means of implementation such as ODA, trade, investment, debt
relief and technology transfer are vitally important for us. In this regard, we want
to put particular emphasis on special and preferential treatment to LDCs.
Internationally community should review their ODA commitment with a view to
enhancing their financial support to LDCs as conunitted in the IPoA. We
specially put utmost importance on the implementation of the DFQF market
access for all LDC products in the spirit of the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial
declaration. The donor countries should also provide enhanced share of aid for
trade to LDCs as per the IPoA commitment. International community should
support the transfer of technology to LDCs including through the establishment
of a technology bank as suggested in the IPoA.
Sixth: We need scaled-up support from all of our development partners as
elaborated in the IPoA namely- developed countries; developing countries within
South-South cooperation; United Nations system, including the Bretton Woods
institutions, other multilateral institutions and regional development banks; and
the private sector, civil society and foundations.
Last but not the least: Although many goals would be universal, we would
like to especially emphasize that some goals should be specific %r LDCso For
example the specific targets for ODA and the target of DFQF market access for
LDCs, which are exclusive for them° We want similar kind of specific goals and
targets for LDCs in other relevant areas as a special and preferential treatment to
LDCs° During the course of the OWG we wilt make specific proposals in this
regard.
In conclusion we would like to flag that, as we have just embarked on a
new process, we need to bear in mind that the journey ahead of us is challenging.
However, this is an opportune moment for the UN, which does not come often
and may be once in a decade, to prove its centrality, legitimacy and effectiveness
in addressing the challenges of the world. This will be a litmus test for the
international community to prove whether they are really committed to address
the challenges of the poorest and most vulnerable countries, namely LDCso We
are fully confident that together we will be able to set an anÿbitious set of goals
and strong commitments to meet them, which would make a transformative
difference in the LDCso
I thank you for your kind attention.
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