GROUP OF 77
GENEVA

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA AT THE 59TH SESSION OF THE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD ON AGENDA ITEM 6: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
(Geneva, 20 September 2012)

Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. The Group of 77 and China would like to express its appreciation to the secretariat for its presentation, as well as for the documentation prepared for our debate here today. We look forward to an active and vibrant consideration of the important issues before us, including the implications of structural transformation and sustainable development in Africa.

2. The Group of 77 and China therefore welcomes the Economic Development in Africa report, especially in view of the outcomes of Rio+20. We find especially timely its analysis and recommendations on how Africa could reconcile its dilemma between the need to accelerate structural transformation in order to raise the well-being of its populations and ensuring that faster economic growth, accelerated industrialization and rapid urbanization structural transformation, do not produce large adverse impacts in Africa, as often happens at times of great change.

3. In particular, the G77 and China notes the need for developed countries to embrace the need for decoupling - namely using fewer resources per unit of economic output and mitigating the environmental impact of any resources that are used or economic activities. This implies the need to afford developing countries the requisite policy space to pursue appropriate and effective policies in this regard.

Mr. President,

4. It is evident that this will require further pursuit of technology transfer in order to ensure that Africa has the necessary capabilities and resources to transform their economies in an environment-friendly way that in turn can benefit the entire global economy.

5. This is particularly important in the areas of clean, renewable energy technologies and other environmentally sound technologies. We call on our development partners to respect their financial pledges to Africa and LDCs through mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility, various UNFCCC funds, and traditional aid channels.

Mr. President,

6. We would also like to encourage UNCTAD to pursue its research in the area of sustainable structural transformation and for UNCTAD to contribute towards documenting best practices in sustainable development across various regions as a way to promote inter-regional sharing of success stories and lessons learned in the area of sustainable development. In this regard, we once again call on UNCTAD to explore ways and means to enhance how forums and mechanisms such as the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership (NAASP) can be maximized with a view of multiplying their impact.

7. We also call once again for enhanced work by UNCTAD on the developmental state, especially with regard on how to strengthen the role of the State as a catalyst for development. This includes strengthening partnerships with civil society and the business sector, realizing the next generation of thinking on public-private partnerships.

8. The Group of 77 and China also looks forward to how UNCTAD, working with other relevant institutions, can contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

9. The Group of 77 and China also invites UNCTAD to explore how to strengthen the impact of its work in promoting the acceleration of Africa's development, including by promoting greater synergies among the three pillars. This is especially timely give the forthcoming 50th anniversary celebration of the funding of UNCTAD as well as the MDG review in 2015.

Thank you Mr. President.