International Forum on the Creative Economy for Development

MESSAGE FROM H.E. AMBASSADOR DUMISANI KUMALO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH AFRICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP OF 77 TO THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY FOR DEVELOPMENT CONVENED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WORLD CULTURAL FORUM
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 26 November 2006)

1. In my capacity as Chairman of the Group of 77, I am honored to share some views with you on the initiative of the International Forum on the Creative Economy for Development at the occasion of the World Cultural Forum. At the outset allow me to congratulate the sponsors of this gathering especially the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation for exploring new strategies and ways aimed at promoting cultural cooperation and expanding south-south cooperation for development.

2. As you are aware, the Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the Group of 77 and with reference to their decision adopted in Havana by the First South Summit, (Cuba 10 to 14 April 2000), expressed their support for convening a South-South Cultural Forum. The Heads of State and Government also reiterated the need for developing countries to preserve and promote diversity in traditions, culture and identity of the people and to examine the possibility of organizing a southern Cultural Assembly, Art Festival on the South on a biennial basis (paragraph 36 of the Doha Plan of Action).

3. In this context, I wish to express the support the ongoing efforts by the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation in promoting the creative economy for development. Today the evolving concept of creative economy has a strong development dimension including economic, social and cultural aspects, creating income for developing countries. I believe that the creative economy for development, as a global platform, offers the opportunity to address the cultural development dimension in the South and the strategies aiming to promote partnerships initiatives and economic growth.

4. Creative economy has registered an unprecedented expansion during the past decade. According to recent studies, creative economy accounts for approximately 8 % of the global gross national product. It is estimated to have generated $1.3 trillion in revenue in 2000 and is acknowledged to be one of the fastest-growing segments of the global economy. In that regard it is clearly that the creative economy sector is progressively becoming an essential segment in the global economy. In this context, the Forum should address key development issues such as the multiple values of culture, industries and intellectual property rights, creative economy and globalization, the leads from creative industries to creative economy, creative economy from a southern perspective, and opportunities for improving development.

5. The remarkable aspect of this process is that the innovative capacity that will generate income is nearly unlimited and resides in the individual. As a consequence, creative economy opens a whole new array of opportunities to boost economic growth in developing countries. Today the challenge is to improve the concept among southern countries, to promote the dialogue on ways to capitalize on the wealth of and creative industries, to identify markets mechanisms as well as knowledge and networking and finally to engage the Southern institutions in partnerships initiatives.

6. Culture and training are important factors in facilitating creativity. Supporting cultural education programmes will have a great impact in creativity for developing countries and facilitate the exchange of experiences among countries. Enhancing the information communication technology sector will maximize the benefits of creative economy for the Southern countries. The development of the information economy will constitute a major incentive for this new concept of creative economy.

7. Partnership through this form of cooperation will contribute certainly to expand south-south trade and economic growth and will enlarge Southern policy space and enable the developing countries to expand and diversify cooperation within the South. It will also contribute to promote south-south cooperation on a broad front through dialogue of all major stakeholders. The forum will also enable developing countries to contribute greatly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through south-south cooperation.

8. In conclusion let me recall the high political importance that the Group of 77 attaches to south-south initiatives. In this context the Group believes that the South must be adequately supported by more inclusive and innovative public-private partnership mechanisms in order for developing countries to effectively participate in the world economy and have a fairer share of the benefits of globalization. In response to this reality the G-77 Chapter's meeting held in Paris on 28 February 2006 at UNESCO Headquarters, reiterated in the Final Communiqué (paragraph 26 of Paris Consensus) the full support of the G-77 for the on-going UN system-wide initiatives, championed by the Special Unit, to boost South-South cooperation for development.

9. Finally, I wish to commend the Special Unit of South-South Cooperation under the able leadership of Mr. Yiping Zhou for such initiatives that will forge certainly a new dimension in promoting south-south cooperation for development.

I wish all success to your deliberations.