General Assembly Session 59 meeting 113

The President

Members will recall that the Assembly held its debate on agenda item 56 and its sub-items (a) through (t) at its 38th through 40th plenary meetings, on 21 and 22 October 2004. In connection with sub-item (g), the Assembly has before it a draft resolution issued as document A/59/L.16/Rev.1.

Mr. Ikouebe (Congo)

It is my honour to introduce draft resolution A/59/L.16/Rev.1, under sub-item (g) of agenda item 56, on behalf of the following 11 countries members of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS): Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe.

As the President recalled, the General Assembly has already had an opportunity to consider the agenda item concerning cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations. At that time action on the draft resolution was postponed in order to allow for greater coordination with certain interested partners and so that we could take account of geopolitical and security developments under way in the Central African subregion.

The text that I am introducing today is little different from that of resolutions adopted in previous years. The emphasis today is on the need for sustained efforts on the part of the Secretary-General and the entire international community within the framework of assistance to subregional institutions.

Once again, we welcome the Secretary-General's initiative to dispatch, in June 2003, at the request of the Security Council, a multidisciplinary assessment mission to Central Africa to determine how best to ensure a comprehensive, resolute and coordinated approach to problems relating to peace, security and development in the subregion. Emphasis is also placed on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the mission's report, at a time when Central Africa has more favourable prospects for peace and security.

The post-conflict situation in most of the countries of the region requires increased efforts, particularly within the framework of implementing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes. We therefore call upon the international community to provide substantive assistance so as to contribute to the consolidation of the various peace operations under way in Central Africa. As in previous years, the States of ECCAS would like the General Assembly to adopt the draft resolution by consensus.

The President

We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/59/L.16/Rev.1, entitled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Community of Central African States".

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/59/L.16/Rev.1?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (g) of agenda item 56?

The President

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 56.

The President

Members will recall that at its 2nd plenary meeting on 17 September 2004, the General Assembly decided to allocate sub-item (b) of agenda item 85 to the Second Committee under heading B, "Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences".

Members will also recall that sub-item (b) of agenda item 85 remained open for consideration during the fifty-ninth session.

In order for the General Assembly to proceed expeditiously with the consideration of the draft resolution issued as document A/59/L.63 under the sub-item, may I take it that the General Assembly wishes to consider sub-item (b) of agenda item 85 directly in plenary meeting under heading B, "Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences"?

The President

May I further take it that the Assembly agrees to proceed immediately to the consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 85?

As there is no objection, we shall proceed accordingly.

The President

In connection with this item, the General Assembly has before it a note by the Secretary-General circulated in document A/59/872, transmitting the report of the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

I give the floor to the representative of Jamaica to introduce draft resolution A/59/L.63.

Mr. Neil (Jamaica)

On behalf of the States members of the Group of 77 and China, I have the honour this afternoon to introduce for the consideration of the General Assembly the draft resolution entitled "International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States", which has been issued as document A/59/L.63. The following countries have added their names to the list of sponsors: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Turkey and Tuvalu.

The draft resolution addresses the outcome of the International Meeting held in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005, which had as its principal focus a review of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. The draft resolution, in paragraph 2, endorses the outcome of the International Meeting, as embodied in the Mauritius Declaration and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. Their adoption was the culmination of months of extensive preparation and intensive negotiations among delegations at the International Meeting.

The draft resolution focuses special attention on implementation, calls for concrete measures to fulfil agreed commitments and urges all parties, Governments and international agencies towards effective action. That is the principal theme of paragraphs 4, 5 and 6. In paragraph 7, the draft recommends that the outcomes of the meeting be taken into consideration at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, to be held from 14 to 16 September 2005, and in its preparatory process.

Also of particular importance is the role of the Secretariat in advancing coordinated and coherent implementation. Accordingly, paragraphs 8, 9, 10 and 11 call for particular measures to be taken by the Secretary-General and by agencies within the international system.

The sponsors take this opportunity to express their deep appreciation to the Government and the people of Mauritius for hosting the International Meeting and for making all the necessary arrangements for reaching a successful outcome.

The constructive proposals in the draft resolution merit the support of the international community. The widespread consultations allowed for the views and interests of the United Nations membership to be accommodated in a consensus text. On that basis, we invite the General Assembly to give favourable consideration to the draft resolution, and we express the hope that it will meet with the unanimous approval of the Assembly.

Mr. Koonjul (Mauritius)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). We would like to add our voice to that of the Chairman of the Group of 77 and China.

We commend to the General Assembly draft resolution A/59/L.63, endorsing the outcomes of the Mauritius International Meeting, namely, the Mauritius Declaration and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, adopted at the International Meeting. I would also like to thank all the countries that sponsored the draft resolution.

The Mauritius International Meeting, held from 10 to 14 January 2005 -- the first major United Nations international conference that took place after the catastrophic tsunami of 26 December 2004 -- saw the participation of almost 2,000 delegates, including 18 Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Prime Ministers, some 60 other ministers, and representatives of United Nations agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Your own presence, Mr. President, and that of the Secretary-General at the International Meeting -- which were very highly appreciated and which enhanced the profile of the Meeting -- attested to the prime importance you both attach to the cause of small island developing States.

The Mauritius International Meeting was the culmination of more than a decade of efforts by small island developing States and by our partners in the international community to elaborate a framework for the sustainable development of small island developing States. The 10-year review of the Barbados Programme of Action provided us with an opportunity to look back at our efforts towards the sustainable development of our countries with the support of our development partners. For AOSIS, the preparatory process started more than two years ago and culminated in the January 2004 inter-regional ministerial meeting of small island developing States, held in the Bahamas, from which the small island developing States' draft strategy for the further implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action emanated.

The review highlighted the causes of poor implementation: a dearth of resources, poor human and institutional capacity, a lack of technology transfer and, in some cases, the absence of a holistic and integrated approach to sustainable development. In addition, new and emerging issues such as HIV/AIDS, globalization and the erosion of trade preferences traditionally enjoyed by small island developing States, as well as the new emphasis on security, have further slowed implementation efforts.

Good progress in the negotiations on the draft strategy document was made here in New York at United Nations Headquarters and in the course of the three informal rounds of consultations, as well as during the two days of pre-meeting sessions in Mauritius. We wish to express our deepest appreciation to our partners for their flexibility and understanding during the negotiating process. I would also like to thank all the Friends of the Host of the International Meeting and other friendly countries for their important contributions to the success of the Mauritius Meeting.

We would like to place on record our special thanks and gratitude to the former Permanent Representative of New Zealand, His Excellency Ambassador Don MacKay, for his outstanding role as the facilitator of the negotiating process. His leadership, vision and excellent diplomatic skills proved to be critical in reaching the very successful final outcome. Our thanks go also to the Secretary-General of the International Meeting, His Excellency Mr. Anwarul Chowdhury, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, and to all the staff of the United Nations Secretariat, in particular those in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and its Small Island Developing States Unit. I would also like to thank most sincerely all the countries that contributed to the Small Island Developing States Trust Fund. A word of thanks goes also to Mr. Mark Ramsden, Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of New Zealand, who kindly facilitated the reaching of consensus on the present resolution.

Allow me to highlight some essential aspects of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation. The Strategy provides the blueprint for action-oriented, concrete and practical measures to address the concerns of small island developing States as identified in the Barbados Programme of Action, as well as new and emerging issues. The Mauritius International Meeting brought the Barbados Programme closer to gaining a broader perspective on the sustainable development of small island developing States and to current funding priorities, and forged links with the review of the Millennium Declaration. The Mauritius Strategy also combines the relevant aspects of the Millennium Development Goals with the sustainable development priorities of small island developing States.

It is in that context that, in the informal consultations convened by the President of the General Assembly in relation to the September 2005 High-level Plenary Meeting, we have repeatedly stressed the outcomes of the Mauritius International Meeting and the fact that they need to be taken into consideration in the September 2005 outcome document. We have also pointed out that the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation constitutes an important input in the area of sustainable development.

The Mauritius Strategy also notes that small island developing States have implemented the Barbados Programme of Action principally through utilization of their own resources and that their efforts have been pursued within financial constraints, including an overall decline of official development assistance to small island developing States. The Strategy covers all the sectoral chapters of the Barbados Programme of Action and also addresses new and emerging issues. It clearly identifies areas in which small island developing States will require the support of the international community.

The Mauritius Strategy calls, inter alia, for a substantial increase in the flow of financial and other relevant resources, both public and private, and ensuring their effective use; improved trade opportunities; access to and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies on a concessional or preferential basis, as mutually agreed; support in the area of education and awareness-raising; capacity-building; and support for national country-driven and country-owned strategies for sustainable development, including poverty reduction and resilience-building.

We appeal to our partners and to all donor institutions to assist small island developing States in enhancing their ability to implement the Mauritius Strategy.

The Alliance of Small Island States also welcomes the decision of the Commission on Sustainable Development, at its thirteenth session, to devote one day of the review sessions of the Commission to the review of the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy as well as any new developments on sustainable development efforts in small island States. This is indeed a step in the right direction.

As the Secretary-General pointed out in his March 2005 report, the adverse effects of climate change, sea-level rise and associated phenomena such as the increase in intensity and frequency of extreme weather events threatens the sustainable development, the livelihoods of the people and the very existence of some States.

As we speak, a severe hurricane is once again pounding Grenada, causing severe damage. As the Assembly will recall, the AOSIS summit held in the margins of the Mauritius International Meeting has called for the establishment and development of an all-hazard early-warning system as a priority in all the regions of the world and has also called for international support in that regard. We welcome progress in that area, but it is equally important that our vulnerable group of countries receive urgent assistance to build resilience to such adversities.

The Mauritius Strategy will necessitate a clear road map for quick and practical actions to address the unique challenge facing the sustainable development of small island developing States and to address their economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities. We believe also that the Small Island Developing States Unit within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSnet) should be sustainably staffed and appropriately reinforced so that it can effectively service this important group of countries.

We have high expectations of the plan to be devised by the Secretary-General for DESA, and we look forward to clear recommendations for actions, to be taken in a coherent and coordinated manner, involving all the relevant United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, regional commissions and other stakeholders. In that regard, the Alliance of Small Island States appreciates the initiative taken by some United Nations agencies to mainstream the small island developing States and the Mauritius Strategy in their work programmes and to establish focal points for small island developing States within their respective secretariats.

The AOSIS member States will work closely at the national and regional levels with DESA for the convening of the regional meetings in 2005 and 2006. Once again, we appeal to the donor community to contribute to the voluntary Trust Fund for Small Island Developing States to enable the effective participation of the small island developing States in those regional meetings.

Mauritius was indeed honoured to have had the opportunity to host the International Meeting on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and we look forward to the adoption today of the draft resolution endorsing the Mauritius outcome by consensus.

Ms. Banks (New Zealand)

New Zealand looks forward to the adoption of this draft resolution, which we trust will add impetus to the fulfilment of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation within the United Nations system.

New Zealand remains committed to the Mauritius Strategy. We are pleased to see that its importance has been recognized, Mr. President, in your draft outcome for the September summit. We want to see the summit outcome focus on all groups of vulnerable countries and those unlikely to meet the Millennium Development Goals, including small island developing States.

New Zealand has consistently supported the strengthening of the Small Island Developing States Unit within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. As a donor that has contributed extra-budgetary resources to fund its activities, we consider it important that the Secretary-General allocate sufficient resources to enable the Unit to carry out its mandated functions. We would like to see the Unit's permanent staffing numbers raised to facilitate this. As the draft resolution notes, this should be done within existing resources; from New Zealand's point of view, there is scope to reduce duplication in the system. That could help us to free up resources that might then be reallocated to the Small Island Developing States Unit.

Ms. Walpole (United Kingdom)

I will preface my statement with a short clarification. I am speaking now as a representative of the United Kingdom, not of the European Union.

I now have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania, the candidate countries Turkey and Croatia, the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries Iceland and Norway members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, align themselves with this statement.

The European Union would like to take this opportunity warmly to welcome the formal endorsement by the General Assembly of the Mauritius Declaration and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

The European Union believes that these documents provide an important and substantial blueprint for future international support for, and collaboration with, the small island developing States. We look forward to a continuing close coordination with the small island developing States in follow-up to the decisions taken in Mauritius.

Those of us who have been involved in the past months in the small island developing States process are keenly aware that many of the issues addressed in the Mauritius Strategy are those same important issues which the United Nations membership is now considering in the context of the upcoming Millennium review summit. We remain committed to ensuring that the concerns of small island developing States are appropriately addressed at the forthcoming summit.

The European Union would also like to take this opportunity to express its warmest appreciation of, and thanks for, the central role played by the Government of Mauritius in piloting us through extensive preparations for the Mauritius International Meeting and for having so splendidly hosted that Meeting last January.