INFORMAL THEMATIC CONSULTATIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON
MILLENNIUM REVIEW AND THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL:
CLUSTER I - FREEDOM FROM WANT
STATEMENT
BY
MR. STEFAN BARRIGA,
FIRST SECRETARY
PERMANENT MISSION
OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
NEW YORK, 25 APRIL 2005
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
Mr. Chairman,
The September Summit first and foremost provides an opportunity to reinvigorate
the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the relevant
outcomes of the United Nations conferences and summits, in particular those set
out in the Millennium Declaration and those from Monterrey and Johannesburg.
Development constitutes a goal on its own. This statement, reflected in the outcome
documents of several major UN conferences, must be combined with recognition of
the interrelated nature of all major topics at stake on the basis of an equal and
mutually interdependent treatment of the three pillars security, development and
human rights.
Mr. Chairman,
Development is our shared responsibility. Developed as well as developing
countries must therefore increase their efforts and live up to their commitments to
fulfill their respective share in achieving the Millennium Development Goals by
2015. The Millennium Project report states that achieving those goals globally is still
possible - bearing in mind that the MDG’s constitute ”only a mid station to ending
absolute poverty”. In order to do so, we must break with our usual conduct of
business and dramatically speed up actions by 2015. The Summit offers the
opportunity to do so.
Developing countries need to take stronger action on strengthening governance,
combating corruption and facilitating private-sector led growth, and to formulate
and implement national development strategies bold enough to meet the MDG’s by
2015. Good governance is a central element for national ownership, which again is
a precondition for poverty reduction. Developed countries on their part need to
adhere to internationally agreed levels of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Given that the relevant commitments have gone unimplemented for a very long
time, establishing timetables for donor countries currently falling short of the 0.7
% ODA target is the necessary thing to do. Such timetables should start with
significant increases no later than 2006 and envisage reaching 0.5 per cent by 2009.
Liechtenstein is currently working on the achievement of this goal on the basis of a
timetable established in 2001, according to which the ODA goal should be reached
by 2011.
The launch of an International Finance Facility which has the potential to quickly
mobilize additional resources to finance the MDG’s by frontloading future flows in
ODA is an interesting and constructive idea. The consideration and implementation
of agreed long-term ideas for innovative sources of finance to complete ODA should
be among our common priorities.
Fulfillment of ODA commitments is indispensable. In parallel, the quality of ODA
needs to be enhanced and better donor practices need to be applied. ODA is clearly
only one of several means to foster economic growth and development. The
facilitation and redefinition of debt sustainability as well as the creation of a
multilateral, rule-based, open and equitable trading system should be at the
forefront of our common efforts to eradicate poverty and foster global prosperity.
The completion of the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations no later than
2006 is an essential part of these efforts and we hope that an agreement on the
Doha development agenda will be reached at the WTO Ministerial Meeting in
December 2005.
Mr. Chairman,
Major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis must not merely be
considered a social and health problem, but much rather an issue with strong
implications for development and human security. The Summit outcome should
include specific targets for resources devoted to fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis.
Liechtenstein highly welcomes the attention given by the report to ensuring
environmental protection. National, regional and global efforts must be
strengthened in areas such as biodiversity, desertification and climate change. The
establishment of a framework for climate change beyond 2012 is of utmost
importance. The September Summit should therefore adopt a timetable for
negotiations on a new long-term strategy for reducing global warming beyond 2012.
The role of women in development must be given strong emphasis in the relevant
parts of the Summit outcome. The Millennium Project Report considered women’s
empowerment as a vital condition for development and the achievement of the
MDG’s. This is not a matter of political correctness, it is a matter of success on the
ground. Practical experience clearly shows that sustainable economic growth can
not be achieved without the further involvement and empowerment of women and
the formulation and implementation of national strategies targeted to this end.
Mr. Chairman,
Africa’s special needs must be at the core of our deliberations, in particular the
combined adverse factors faced by States in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Union
and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development play an essential role in the
promotion of good governance, the rule of law, democracy and human rights and in
the creation of conditions facilitating and advancing sustainable development.
African ownership of their development strategy must be supported by all of us as it
best serves to achieve sustainable results. The Peer-Review Mechanism is an
ambitious and inspirational concept.
The Summit outcome must also acknowledge needs of other regions and groups of
countries, in particular development needs in the Asia and Pacific region and
special needs of small island States as outlined in the Secretary-General’s report.
Finally, we also support the establishment of a worldwide early warning system for
natural hazards of all kinds.
I thank you.