Speaking Notes to brief the Friends of LDCs
at the Belgian Mission to the United Nations
10 January 2013
(as prepared for delivery)
As I took over the responsibility of the office about three months ago, I
got briefed on the status of the work and I reviewed the activities of the
office with a view to strengthening its work. I also had some discussions
and consultations about how best to give some strategic direction to the
implementation of the IPOA as mandated by the GA, as well as in the
context of the ongoing global developments.
Strategic Focus and General Direction
What conclusion I have arrived at in collaboration with the senior staff of
OHRLLS is that there is a need for stronger follow up for holistic
implementation of IPOA, proactive approach to ensure wider support to
the LDCs, better coordination within the UN System and outside, more
mainstreaming of LDC issues into the global development processes and
some specific thematic studies and support focusing on the key challenges
and opportunities in LDCs. All this will facilitate the policy makers in LDCs
as well as other stakeholders are needed to bring about a perceptible and
sustainable change in the lives of the people. It is my firm belief that
such activities would contribute towards moving LDCs on towards
structural transformation of their economy, rapid alleviation of poverty
and a sustainable development path, which will take them firmly towards
graduation from the LDC status. This is both doable and desirable.
If we look at the current global challenges in regard to peace and stability,
poverty and hunger, growth and development and humanitarian concerns,
in most of the cases, it leads us all to the LDCs.
I believe that as the voice and representation of LDCs is limited at the
policy making sphere at the global level and they are collectively the
weakest members of the international community, the United Nations has
a special responsibility to put their issues on the frontline as a matter of
justice, equity and international solidarity.
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Eight out of 15 peacekeeping operations, all six missions of the PBC and
five out of eight country specific UN political missions are in LDCs.
Therefore development dimension must reinforce all our work so that
there is a good prospect of moving them out of their current predicament.
Targeted development work and poverty alleviation focus would help us
stabilize the situation in these countries in a substantive manner.
I would also like to add that in an interdependent world, it is in the selfinterest of the international community that no country remains
marginalized and neglected from the mainstream of development process.
We are all starkly aware of these facts. We are also aware that no amount
of international support or solidarity will bring about the transformational
change in a country, if there is no national will and leadership. There is no
substitute for a stronger national will and leadership. But it is equally true
that given the deep and pervasive structural challenges they face, which
are further compounded by new and emerging challenges, there is no way
LDCs can deal with their challenges on their own. Our overall course of
action should be guided, in my view, by these fundamental
considerations. They were also prominently reflected in the objectives,
principles and priorities of the IPOA.
1. On the proactive approach
Since the LDCs face specific and mutually exacerbating challenges peculiar
to them, as they form part and parcel of the global community and as
they have to operate within the global system, systemic issues affect
them all. They actually affect them more disproportionately than others,
because of their vulnerability and capacity constraints. As such, they also
need to be provided with strong assistance and support from the UN
system. A proactive approach is therefore important.
In that connection, I have started looking at the cross cutting as well as
key important issues, where there is a need for a holistic approach,
continuous follow up, coordination between national and global policies
and coherent and stronger global support measures.
While the implementation of the IPOA as a whole remains the main
priority, some issues deserve a higher level of attention and coherent
focus. Therefore my Office intends to support the LDC group in some of
the core issues with detailed briefing and status reports and some think
pieces on issues like 1.productive capacity building including
infrastructure, energy and technology adaptation, 2.food security, the
nexus with water and energy, and sustainable agriculture development 3.
Building resilience and adaptation to climate change 4. Acceleration of
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MDG, and 5. Integration of LDC issues and concerns in the post 2015
development agenda. Capacity enhancement and national leadership,
resource mobilization and institutional development including the rule of
law and accountability will be cross cutting themes for these specific
priority issues, as agreed at IPOA. We will be also looking at best practices
and lessons learned from among the LDCs as well as the emerging
economies.
We will endeavor to work as a promoter, facilitator and multiplier in
projecting these countries’ challenges as well as in helping them realize
their full potentials.
2. On wider support to the LDCs
As agreed during the Istanbul Conference, the LDCs issues should be
looked at from a holistic perspective and as such they need a wider and
enhanced level of support in all possible fields from all the quarters to
have desirable impacts on the ground and make their progress
sustainable.
ODA is critical to LDCs. They depend substantially on ODA for
development work. From short to medium term, that remains one of the
priorities for them. Hence we will work towards looking at international
support measures in all relevant areas including ODA, Trade, Investment,
Technology and debt management, private sector development, domestic
resource mobilization, remittances and south-south cooperation in a more
robust and coherent manner than before.
We will also support a multistakeholder approach to development in the
LDCs themselves with strong collaboration of parliaments, civil society,
private sector and local communities in an inclusive manner.
We will also work with foundations, academia and international institutions
in a more coherent manner.
3. Full and effective Implementation of IPOA
Implementation is key to the IPOA. It is ambitious but forward looking in
its objectives and targets. It calls for mutual accountability. We therefore
call for its effective implementation by LDCs, development partners,
emerging economies and international institutions.
My office also organized an IACG meeting in November. That was very
useful. There are now 4 interagency working groups established on food
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security and agriculture, crisis mitigation and resilience building, resource
mobilization, and human and social development. These interagency
working groups are working to implement the IPOA and give stronger
voice to the issues and concerns of the LDCs. We had a good meeting of a
working group on access to technology including the relevant agencies
and we plan to come out with a report, as requested by the GA, for the
next GA session.
As per the mandate of the General Assembly resolution of this year, the
IACG will be integrated within the framework of the HLCP (High Level
Committee on Programmes). The implementation of the Istanbul
Programme of Action will also be included as a standing item on the
agenda of the CEB (Chief Executives Board for Coordination). This will
contribute to mainstream the IPOA in UN entities and processes and to
intensify the support of the agencies towards LDCs in a coordinated and
coherent manner.
The office also organized a national focal points meeting in NY in October
and had very good discussions on the implementation status of IPOA. I
am glad to report that many LDCs have already integrated or are in the
process of integrating the IPoA into national policies and development
frameworks. We have also seen some of the donors integrating the IPoA
into their development programs.
The regional reviews as provided for in the IPOA are being prepared. The
Asian review has just taken place in Cambodia early December, which will
be taken up by ESCAP during its high level meeting. We are working on
the preparations for the Africa review, which should be held early this year
in collaboration with ECA. I am confident that the results of these reviews
will give a big push to the IPOA implementation.
I am glad about the adoption of the latest resolutions on LDCs by the 67th
session of the GA. I would like to express my thanks to you for agreeing
on a comprehensive resolution and the specificity with which you have
defined the role and activities of my office. We will work together for their
effective implementation.
Another important resolution on smooth transition issues was also agreed.
I am glad that this resolution has clarified and strengthened some of the
processes related to smooth transition. It has also reinforced the need for
orderly and gradual transition from LDCs status based on a strong
national strategy and supported by international measures.
The resolution further invited the development partners to consider LDC
indicators such as the GNI per capita, the human assets index and the
economic vulnerability index, as part of their criteria for allocating official
development assistance.
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We are looking at how best to ensure that there is a smoother transition
process of all graduating counties. It is also important that the integrity of
the LDC category is maintained so that it would lead towards the
graduation of as many LDCs as possible, as envisaged in the IPOA. This is
very implant for all of us. We will follow up on that as well.
4. Mainstreaming into all UN Processes
While IPOA implementation is the key task, it is equally important that the
issues and concerns of LDCs are mainstreamed into all UN processes as
part of the global development agenda. The integration of LDC issues as
reflected in many outcome documents should also take place in an
effective manner in their implementation.
Therefore as agreed in the RIO+20 outcome document, we have now
revised the implementation matrix of the outcome document prepared by
DESA to include OHRLLS in all the areas relevant to LDCs as agreed, such
as Green economy, poverty alleviation, desertification and agriculture,
disaster, follow up to HLPM, energy, water and in all strands of means of
implementation.
It is my view that MDGs, IPOA and RIO+20 give the strategic and holistic
range of inputs for post 2015 development agenda. MDGs has a strong
focus on human and social development, IPOA has laid emphasis on
productive capacity building and infrastructure development and Rio+20
has given due priority to sustainability issues. All of them have put the
poverty alleviation at the centre. When these focuses are taken together,
they give a good and balanced approach to sustainable development for a
substantive discourse on post-2015 development agenda.
As you are aware, UNSG has formed a High Level Panel of Eminent
Persons on the Post-2015 development agenda. My office is talking to all
the concerned to make sure that concerns and issues of LDCs are taken
on board. It is important to take it from all levels: secretariat, member
states as well as academia and foundations, because LDCs collectively
face huge development challenges than others. They are dependent upon
and look towards a stronger global partnership to deal with these
challenges. As such, they have a large stake in the forthcoming global
development framework.
Based on these realities, I have met with those concerned and stressed
the importance of taking on board the issues and concerns of the LDCs.
We will continue this process. Working together with the British Mission,
My office also organized a dialogue between Michael Anderson, Sherpa of
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the British Prime Minister and Mr. Fifule, Sherpa of the Liberian President
and the vulnerable countries in New York after the London meeting of the
HLP. Furthermore I have talked to the Ambassadors of Liberia and
Indonesia for similar briefing and coordination activities to have a full
hearing of LDC concerns as well, following their meetings in their
respective capitals.
Based on our conviction that poverty alleviation and productive capacity
building will be one of the very important elements for the post 2015
development agenda, my office has also been leading the productive
capacity cluster in the UN Task Team for the post 2015 development
agenda and is advocating the inclusion of LDC concerns in line with the
priority areas of the IPOA. The work on the full development of the
productive capacity concept with possible quantification is underway in the
office. We will have consultations as soon as we have completed our
preliminary conceptual work on this issue.
We are also working on the possibility of regional meetings on post 2015
among the LDCs in Asia and Africa.
Similarly, on key issues, we will organize some thematic discussions, to
look at the issues from the LDCs perspective, as well. That will depend on
the member states priorities.
All these discussions and analyses will provide strong inputs for the
member states to decide on the global framework for sustainable
development by 2015.
As part of that contribution, my office is also organizing an event with the
Rockefeller foundation and IIED on SDGs, and the post 2015 development
agenda from the LDCs perspective next week in NY.
Securing voice and representation in all forums, active participation, and
leveraging support of all the actors to the cause of the LDCs and
strengthening collaboration between the OHRLLS secretariat and the LDC
group by consolidating the activities of this office will be another
important task for us in the days ahead in ensuring the mainstreaming of
LDC priorities into UN processes.
5. Coordination with UN Agencies
I have had extensive talks with the UNDP administrator Helen Clark and
we have agreed to write a joint letter to UNDP RCs on the implementation
of the IPOA. We also agreed to have regular structured meetings at
director’s level, and to meet at my level every six months. We have
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prepared operational guidelines for the UNCTs for the implementation of
the Istanbul Program of Action and reporting as well as capacity
enhancement for the integration of IPOA at the national level. We further
exchanged views about giving priority to LDCs, including by reviewing
national experiences of about 100 countries in preparation for the post
2015 development agenda. As the medium term plans are being worked
out for agencies, I hope that member states would give due consideration
to the LDCs in this context.
I also had a meeting with the UNICEF Executive Director and appreciated
the implementation of their board decisions to spend more on vulnerable
countries. Currently, they spend about 60 to 65 per cent of the total for
LDCs. We also discussed about making the SUN Movement and the 1000
Days partnership more effective by giving more focus to LDCs, where
nutrition and child mortality rates are sone of the biggest challenges.
I had a meeting with UNFPA ED and we agreed to work on population
issues with a specific LDC focused report on challenges and opportunities
from the population perspective.
I met with UNDESA chief and we have agreed to work together on
RIO+20 implementation, ECOSOC, and other global development issues.
I will continue meeting them periodically to review the progress on these
issues in a more structured manner for promoting synergistic approach to
the development challenges of LDCs.
6. Coordination work with others
I visited the World Bank and met with two Vice Presidents and their team
on poverty as well as on sustainable development. They have said that
they are giving due priority to LDCs in lending through IDA, although that
is not a recognized category. They have asked us to work with the board
members on the category issue.
I also had talks with WTO DG and UNCTAD DSG in Geneva and they have
agreed to focus on concerns of the LDCs in their respective fields. The
Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade is coming up with Connecting to
Value Chains as its main theme in July 2013. I have also asked them for
an elaboration of the productive capacity support in the context of the
LDCs.
7. What next?
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Besides advocating for the issues and concerns of LDCs, we would like to
promote a strong interface between national policy making and
international policy perspectives through interactions, dedicated meetings,
and exchange of lessons learned and best practices in close collaboration
with all the stakeholders within and outside the UN system. That to me is
part of advocacy and outreach and support at the global level. And it is
important to observe that coherence between the global and national level
is critical to achieve results on the ground. Therefore my office looks
forward towards a strong political and financial support from the member
states for the implementation of the programs prepared by OHRLLS. It is
a difficult time for all in terms of financial situation. However, as you all
have promised that more should be done to the neediest; this office is
looking at the concerns and interests of the most vulnerable group with
the highest incidence of poverty in proportion to their population, and
acute lack of capacity.
I call for your strong political and financial support for the strategic vision
as well as programs for giving effective support to the LDCs. Similarly I
look forward to your strong support for strengthening the office to do the
required work as mandated as well by the recent UNGA resolution.
This is crucial for the LDCs, especially at a time when the new global
development agenda is being set for the next period.
Thank you.
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