implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits

STATEMENT BY MR. ABDELLAH BENMELLOUK,DELEGATION OF MOROCCO, ON BEHALF OF THE G 77 AND CHINA, ON AGENDA ITEM 50 ENTITLED: "INTEGRATED AND COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION OF AND FOLLOW-UP TO THE OUTCOMES OF THE MAJOR UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCES AND SUMMITS IN THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND RELATED FIELDS.", AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (New York, 22 October 2003)

Mr. President,

On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would like to make the following comments:

The question before us today is indeed important if not critical insofar as strengthening multilateralism and the viability of international action for development to a great extent depends on the capacity of the international community to reflect in reality those commitments to which it subscribed in the area of economic and social development at the various conferences and summits held over the last few years under the aegis of the United Nations.

The Group of 77 and China believe that there is a need to recall that the commendable and considerable work carried out by the international community has made it possible to achieve a number of results dealing with the problem of development in all of its aspects which are accepted by all.

Indeed, with the commitments contained in the Millennium Declaration as well as those which resulted from the major conferences, in particular the Copenhagen Conference, Monterrey and Johannesburg, the international community today has a clear roadmap that can guide our actions and channel our efforts towards the implementation of conditions conducive to sustainable and harmonious development and to an equitable sharing of the means of globalization and a peaceful world reconciled with itself.

However, implementation of a such a far-reaching objective and one which indeed is viable requires unswerving implementation of the commitments, taking into account the specific particularities of each process. It is within this framework that the Group of 77 and China launched the initiative for the establishment of an ad hoc working group to consider ways and means likely to ensure the follow up to and the integrated and coordinated implementation of the results of the conferences and summit held under the aegis of the UN in the economic and social fields.

Today, with the adoption of resolution 57/270B, we welcome the results of that group, in particular since the decision to organize in 2005 a summit devoted to development and to involve UNCTAD in the annual meeting of ECOSOC on financing for development are, inter alia, considerable advances in moving towards development.

Moreover, the broad consensus which emerged from the work of that working group is likely to strengthen the conviction of all components of the international community regarding the vital need to revitalize the spirit of multilateralism and shared but differentiated responsibility given the irreversible process of globalization and the interdependence of economies.

The Group of 77 and China considers that at a time when the developing countries are continuing to make huge efforts regarding economic and social reform despite various and enormous constraints, it is on developed countries to accompany those efforts by committing to their own obligations for development. Indeed, based on principles of solidarity, partnership and shared but differentiated responsibility, which must guide the efforts of the international community in its work towards the well-being of all, the developed countries, more than ever before, are called upon fully to contribute to these efforts through measures including, in particular, access to markets for products from the developing countries, stepping up official development assistance, reduction in the foreign debt of developing countries and its cancellation for the least developed countries, the advancements of direct foreign investments for countries from the South and contribution to funds to combat major pandemics.

The real threats of marginalization and poverty resulting from the galloping pace of globalization for huge segments of populations of the south must further prompt the international community, in particular, the developed countries to act immediately to realize global partnership for development which benefits all and which can achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Resolution 57/270 B which I referred to previously, has laid down a major rendezvous for us, a summit in 2005, to take stock of the implementation of these commitments to achieve the development goals. The Group of 77 and China which has spared no efforts to achieve the adoption of this resolution, keenly hopes that the prospect of a global summit in 2005 will provide an opportunity for all of us to put the issue of development as a top priority on the UN agenda. As everyone is aware, questions of security are global and necessarily include the fight against poverty and hunger. Only hope for a better future can lead to greater stability and security for all.

We must take advantage of this debate to follow up on this resolution and decide on the modalities for that summit and to begin an advance preparations for its success.

This summit as provided by the resolution should be one within the context of integrated and coordinated follow up to the results of the major conferences and summits of the UN in the economic and social fields, including the Millennium Declaration. We believe that this important event will provide a genuine opportunity to review the progress made in the implementation of the commitments undertaken by the member countries, both developed and developing, and to assess progress made towards the achievement of development goals agreed upon at the international level, including, obviously, those of the Millennium Declaration. The summit will also allow the international community to give thought to the proper ways and means to move forward the implementation process.

Another question, Mr. President, provided for in resolution 57/270B, deals with the assessment of the follow up mechanisms of the International Conference on Financing for Development. That resolution, indeed, provides for such an assessment during this session, that is, the fifty-eighth session of the GA. The Group of 77 and China will be ready to begin this assessment immediately after the high-level dialogue on Financing for Development, planned for 29 and 30 October.

Thank you, Mr. President