UNITED NATIONS, (G77/IPS) — Addressing a meeting of the Group of 77, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the idea of “development for all” has moved from mere rhetorical claim to a truly realizable aim.
Starting in the 1990s, he said, a landmark series of UN sponsored global conferences and summits established an ambitious development agenda, one that emphasizes concrete goals and deliverable results.
“At its core, this compact is represented by the Millennium Development Goals, and our common commitment to achieve them globally by 2015,” he told delegates at a formal ceremony marking the election of Pakistan as the new chairman of the G77.
Yet progress on this agenda faces frustrating obstacles, he warned. Despite some welcome advances on official development assistance and debt relief, the global economy remains an uneven playing field.
Fundamental unfairness characterizes the international system in such crucial areas as trade, finance, technology transfer and migration.
The secretary-general said that addressing these concerns is central not only to the G77’s work, but also to the United Nations’ broader mission.
Fortunately, many of the steps necessary to address these existing inequalities are well known.
“Above all, our success hinges upon building a stronger, more dynamic and more effective global partnership for development.”
As envisioned in the Monterrey Consensus and called for anew at the 2005 World Summit, such a partnership must be broad based and inclusive. It must involve all Governments and institutional stakeholders, and draw in relevant actors from the private sector and civil society.
“Our progress also depends on overcoming the implementation gap that has sometimes plagued the international development agenda. We must ensure that agreed goals translate into real results; that discussions in debate halls lead to the delivery of basic services on the ground.”
Outlining his plans for economic and social reforms, the secretary-general said: “I am determined to work with the Group of 77 and China to make these reforms work and maintain the momentum, including further efforts towards system-wide coherence”.
After all, a stronger, renewed United Nations, while important for all Member States, remains most important for the people of the developing world.
“That is why I look especially to you as we build the structures worthy of a twenty-first century Organization. I know that ECOSOC reform holds particular significance for your Group. There is encouraging movement on this count”.
He said the General Assembly has also scheduled a High-level Dialogue of Financing for Development. And preparations are underway for next year’s review conference in Doha.
“I count on the G77 to remain a driving force behind these important processes, so that we may convert existing promises into actual progress.”