<center/Volume 19/2 (2007) (Summer Edition)
<center/ ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CENTREPIECE OF UN AGENDA
UNITED NATIONS, (G77/IPS) — Speaking on behalf of the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) of the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan reaffirmed that economic and social development should remain the centerpiece of deliberations at the UN, and that the achievement of the Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the MDGs, should continue to be the over-arching framework of the UN activities.
<center/ JCC WARNS AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS AS NEW CONDITIONALITY FOR AID
UNITED NATIONS, (G77/IPS) — The Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC)– which comprises the Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of 77 and China– has warned that issues such as human rights should not be introduced as new conditionalities for international development assistance.
<center/ DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FORUM LAUNCHED AT ECOSOC MEETING
UNITED NATIONS, (G77/IPS)— Addressing the 2007 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva in July, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan said there is increasing evidence of a greater willingness on the part of developing countries, donors, international organizations, civil society and the private sector to act together, coherently to promote the goals of development.
Speaking at the official launch of the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) during the High Level segment of the ECOSOC meeting, he said it was a source of great pleasure and satisfaction to see the initiative for a revitalized and strengthened ECOSOC during Pakistan’s Presidency of the Economic and Social Council in 2005, translated into reality in 2007.
<center/ NATURAL DISASTERS A MAJOR CONCERN TO DEVELOPING NATIONS
UNITED NATIONS, Geneva (G77/IPS) — Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Tehmina Janjua, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan, told the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) that there was an urgent need for increased international assistance to developing nations affected by natural disasters.
“The alarming frequency and ferocity of natural disasters is a major concern of today’s world. The number and scale of natural disasters, in developing countries in particular, over the past decade, are on an increase,” she told delegates.
<center/ DEVELOPMENT: GLASS IS LESS FULL THAN EMPTY
UNITED NATIONS, (G77/IPS)— Addressing the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) during its annual ministerial review, the chairman of the G77 Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan said that although the level of extreme poverty is projected to fall from 29% in 1990 to 12% in 2015, progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals has been limited in many part of the world, especially among the Least Developed Countries and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Not a single country in Sub-Saharan Africa is on track to achieve the internationally agreed targets of halving extreme poverty by 2015 and approximately 40% of all developing countries are considered to be off-track,” he told delegates.
<center/ DEADLINE NEARS FOR IMPLEMENTING LDCS BRUSSELS PROGRAMME OF ACTION
UNITED NATIONS, Geneva (G77/IPS) — Addressing the substantive sessions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Farhat Ayesha of Pakistan said that as the 2010 deadline draws nearer, there was a need to take stock of the successes and failures in implementing the Brussels Programme of Action aimed at alleviating the problems of the world’s 50 least developed countries (LDCs).
“The need for achieving the objectives, goals and target of the Brussels Programme of Action in a timely manner is becoming ever more urgent. This would not be possible without the continued and vigorous commitment of the LDCs and our development partners,” she said.