Mr. Chairman:
Mr. Secretary General:
Excellencies:
Distinguished delegates:
Ladies and gentlemen:
 
It is my pleasure and great personal privilege to deliver this statement on behalf of Group of 77 and China at the High Level Ministerial Segment of the 15th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

2. Let me also thank you for your able, active and sincere endeavours to bring the Fifteenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-15) to a successful and fruitful conclusion.

3. The issues on our agenda at the 15th CSD including Energy for Sustainable Development; Industrial Development; Air Pollution/ Atmosphere; and Climate Change are all critically important elements on the global agenda. Their relevance to the global endeavours to eradicate poverty and achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development is equally well recognized.

4. The fact that poverty is rampant globally and on the rise in some countries and regions only lends greater urgency for seeking sustainable and development oriented solutions to the challenges we face.

5. Importantly, the wide Ministerial attendance at this Session, provides the kind of sharper political focus and attention needed to devise action based and development oriented policy options with an in-built mechanism allowing for their follow-up and implementation.

6. Undoubtedly, CSD with its outstanding convening power, is uniquely placed to provide policy guidance and coordination as well as to review and monitor the progress made in the implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the Barbados Programme of Action and Mauritius Strategy of Implementation as well as the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building.

7. It is, therefore, up to us to enable the Commission, consistent with its mandate, to serve as an effective forum for ensuring full and effective implementation of commitments and to promote the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development i.e. economic development, social development and the environmental protection.

8. It is no secret that implementation has been the Achilles heel of the global development agenda. Ironically, the implementation of what has already been agreed to globally, also remains the biggest challenge to sustainable development. That is why after 15 years of CSD, we are still taking about "Turning Commitments into Action".

9. The G-77 and China has consistently called for simultaneous action to address the challenges related to all the three pillars of sustainable development in a coordinated, integrated and comprehensive manner. At the national and international levels, the economic, social and environmental goals should be promoted in complementary and consistent ways. Therefore, progress in the environmental pillar of sustainable development should be matched by simultaneous progress on the economic and social pillars as well. We feel strongly that this should be reflected in the policy options emanating from our deliberations at the 15th Session.

10. In our endeavours to promote solutions to the challenges of sustainable development, we must ensure that the priority problems of poverty, hunger and under development remain the center of our attention. Unmistakably, sustained industrial development, energy, reduction in air pollution and combating effects of climate change are crucial for eradicating poverty and promoting sustained economic growth and sustainable development. These developmental challenges intensify the impact of and vulnerabilities to environmental risks for the developing countries, mainly due to absence of resources and the resulting lack of adaptive capacities.

11. Consequently, the poorest are the hardest hit and bear the highest and exorbitant costs of environmental degradation and climate change. The challenge is huge and clearly beyond the capacity of the developing countries to address them on their own. Working together, in partnerships, premised on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, is, therefore, an important and indispensable principle that we need to adhere to.

12. To allow the developing countries to fully cope with the challenges of sustainable development, it is important to scale up efforts to effectively implement the global partnership for development as set out in the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and to effectively operationalize the World Solidarity Fund for Poverty. Equally critical is the early, successful and development oriented conclusion of the Doha Round of Trade negotiations, greater investments, ODA and other financing flows as well as access to technology for the developing countries.

13. The Group of 77 and China believes that the urgent and effective implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Capacity Building and Technology Transfer will be a good measure to judge our seriousness in translating our commitments into action. They are particularly relevant to building capacities, enhancing coordination and strengthening scientific knowledge and assessment and cooperation, and fostering the transfer of knowledge to developing countries.

14. The Group of 77 and China would also like to emphasize that policies and actions must take into consideration the special needs of Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. It is therefore imperative that appropriate measures should be taken to accelerate the implementation of commitments made to Africa, and the commitments contained in the Brussels Programme of Action for the LDCs, the Almaty Programme of Action and the Barbados Programme of Action.

15. We would also like to emphasize the needs of countries emerging from conflict in the areas of capacity building, technical cooperation and infrastructure development.

16. We recognize the extensive difficulties faced by peoples under foreign occupation with respect to sovereignty over, access to, and management of natural resources, including energy resources, as well as with respect to sustainable development. Their special situation and needs must also be addressed effectively.

Mr. Chairman,

17. Before concluding, let me reiterate our expectation that the deliberations of the 15th CSD will address the challenges of global sustainable development in an integrated and coordinated manner. This session should adopt a set of development oriented policy options and actions, together with an in-built mechanism for their follow-up and implementation, that can provide effective and early solutions to the challenges of sustainable development.

I thank you.