STATEMENT BY H.E.
DR. M. JAVAD ZARIF
PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE ISLAMIC
AT THE SECOND
COMMITTEE
In the name of God,
the Compassionate, the Merciful
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, I
would like to congratulate you and other members of the Bureau for your
well-deserved elections. I am confident that under your leadership, the 2nd
Committee will achieve successful results. I would also like to associate my
delegation with the statement made by the Chairman of the G77&China. This
year, the 2nd Committee, in addition to its standing agenda items,
has undertaken the important task of making decisions on the follow up of two
major conferences, FFD and WSSD. Commitments and obligations emanating from
these historic events need to be operationalized in the UN system. Apart from
procedural work, there are a number of issues referred to us by these
conferences which call for a thorough discussion in this Committee.
Given the historical significance of
the International Conference on Financing for Development and the wide range of
substantive issues involved, we should take it upon ourselves to ensure the
implementation of its substantive follow up mechanism commensurate with the
requirements of the long-term development of developing countries. It could be
asserted that the deliberations in the substantive session of ECOSOC two months
ago took us a step further in the process. These deliberations provided a
better and more nuanced appraisal of the bigger picture in the successful
pursuit of the process. While we look forward to a more consolidated and
cooperative approach, we need to remain vigilant that important quarters and
stakeholders continue their full participation and increase their substantive
interaction.
The outcomes of WSSD, as a plan for
further implementation of Agenda 21, contain many achievements for the entire international
community. The General Assembly in its present meeting has a particular and
important task of taking the decision for following up the implementation of the
WSSD outcomes including the program of work of the Commission on Sustainable
Development for the next ten years.
We are also happy that in the WSSD
Plan of Implementation, once again the international community reaffirmed the
importance of the principle of common but differentiated responsibility as the
indication of its continued relevance and validity in the sustainable
development discussions. The establishment of the world solidarity fund,
recognition of the GEF as a financial mechanism for the CCD, successful
replenishment of the GEF which paves the way for improving its efficiency in
financing the projects of the developing
countries in particular in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy and
advanced fossil fuel technology, agreements in the section on means of
implementation and the conclusions on the institutional frameworks for
sustainable development… all require concrete follow up for their
implementation.
That
said, let me underline that the importance of conferences such as FFD and WSSD
is not only due to the substance of the issues involved but equally, as alluded
by Mr. Nettin Desaee yesterday, because of the serious long-term implications
these processes have for the future of multilateralism. We have on previous
occasions drawn attention to the trend of gradual downgrading of developmental
aspects within the framework of multilateral work and activities. Fortunately
our leaders in
Furthermore, the
still on-going globalization process which now can be clearly reckoned as to
have failed the poor, has made the situation all the more complex. Still worse,
recent developments at the international level seem to have further shifted the
attention away from development to the area of peace and security, particularly
when narrowly defined. It is within this unfavorable overall context that we
believe genuine multilateralism and international cooperation for development
need a new boost; morally, politically and no less importantly, in an
institutional and organizational manner.
As a developing
country, I should reiterate, the high expectations of my country with regard to
the development agenda of the United Nations in the years to come. Success of
this unique universal organization in effectively promoting genuine,
substantive development on a global scale will certainly make a difference
towards a better, more humane, and hence, more secure international environment
for humankind and the generations to come.
We believe that
poverty eradication in its broad interpretation should continue to be the major
pillar of operational activities of the United Nations. The right policies and
institutional capacity, along with adequate international assistance, can
significantly and rapidly reduce poverty. The United Nations system can play an
important role in this process, especially through supporting capacity
building. However, the major factor constraining such a UN role is declining
financial resources for multilateral assistance and lack of resources at the
domestic level. This situation needs to be addressed and redressed, both at the
international and national levels.
Provision of
financial resources for operational activities of the United Nations is a
precondition for ensuring efficiency and impact of such activities for
development. Funding for these activities should be sufficient, secure and
stable and on a predictable, continuous and assured basis, and equally
important, commensurate with the increasing needs of developing countries. The
core or regular resources have been and still continue to be the bedrock of the
operational activities of the United Nations system; they allow funds and
programs to follow the multilateral agreed targets for development. In this
regard, we stress the need to achieve the targets for resource mobilization
which have been identified in the programming arrangements of UN funds and
programs.
Mr. Chairman
My delegation
welcomes the appointment of the High Representative for LDCs, Land locked
Developing Countries and SIDS. We are of the view that full implementation of
the commitments undertaken at the Third United Nations Conference on the Least
Developed Countries, particularly in the areas of trade and mobilization of
financial resources, should be a key priority. It is within this framework that
we call on the developed community as well as the United Nations system and
other multilateral organizations to undertake what is needed to live up to
their commitments.
And finally,
Islamic Republic of Iran as a transit country is looking forward to
participating in the Ministerial Conference on transit transport cooperation to
be held in 2003 and is ready to cooperate with the international community in
general and developing Land-locked countries in particular for the success of
the conference.
Thank you