Interventions by

His Excellency
Mr. M. Morshed Khan, MP
Foreign Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

at

The Twenty-ninth Annual Meeting of the
Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 and China

on

"Implementation of the Development Agenda following the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly"

ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters
New York, September 22, 2005

Hon'ble Minister Knight,

Our deep appreciation is owed to you as well as Ambassador Stafford O'Neil and his team for the able and efficient leadership of the Group.

Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Dear Colleagues,

Only last June we met in Doha to draw up our development agenda. Some have been reflected in the outcome of the plenary meeting. Yet a lot remains to be realized. I shall touch upon some of the key areas where we need to further pursue our common goals and in some where we shall have to ensure implementation.

Mr. Chairman,

First, the decision making process of the international financial institutions must be democratized, allowing for greater policy space for the developing countries in formulating their own development strategies.

Secondly, an open, rule-based, equitable international trade regime, with greater market access for the products of the developing countries has to be established to address urgently in the forthcoming WTO Ministerial meeting the issues relating to implementation, S&DT, market access, particularly for LDCs, erosion of preference, arbitrary use of non-trade barriers and non-tariff measures. We have to factor the development dimension in the work of the WTO. The Hong Kong meeting this December will be such an opportune event.

Thirdly, delivery on the commitments reiterated in paragraph 42 of the Monterrey Consensus relating to ODA and reach the internationally agreed target of disbursing 0.7 per cent of the developed country GNP as ODA through immediate frontloading of aid must be ensured. ODA must be untied and provided as a direct budgetary support.

Fourthly, FDIs to the meager or non-recipient developing countries has to be channeled by providing incentives for such investments.

Fifthly, urgent steps need to be taken to address the worsening debt burden of the developing countries, particularly through debt cancellation.

Sixthly, while all factors of production move freely across national boundaries, labour mobility from the developing countries to the developed countries, must be enhanced including through Mode IV of the GATS.

Seventhly, developed countries must make available knowledge, information and technologies to the developing countries, including formula for producing life-saving pharmaceutical products.

Eighthly, increase international assistance in the creation and strengthening of national, subregional, regional and international mechanisms for prevention, preparedness and mitigation of natural disasters and their effects and extend financial and technical support for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the economically most vulnerable group of countries. I refer to the LDCs. In the Millennium Declaration, the world leaders undertook to address the special needs of the LDCs. Sadly the outcome document of the Summit failed to capture the urgency and seriousness to address the needs of the LDCs. A holistic approach to resolve LDC problems would require full and effective implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action - a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for the LDCs based on mutual commitments. The Programme also contains 30 time-bound and measurable international development goals including the MDGs which provide benchmarks for measuring the progress of the LDCs on economic growth, health, education and infrastructure. The commitments made must be implemented. We view that three urgent steps are necessary to resuscitate these resource-strapped countries:

a. Delivery of 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of developed country GNP to the LDCs as ODA;
b. Providing immediate duty-free quota-free access to all products of all LDCs to their export destinations and structuring of realistic rules of origin requirements based on the capacities of the LDCs;
c. Cancellation of all official debts of all LDCs.

The list, Mr. Chairman, is only indicative and by no means exhaustive.

Mr. Chairman,

The UN system has an important role to play in materializing the outcomes of the major conferences. To ensure the full realization of the internationally agreed development goals, development must be brought to the centre stage of the UN. Each conference has generated its own political momentum. This momentum and the distinct identity of each conference follow up must be maintained.

Mr. Chairman,

For us, the outcomes of the great conferences of the 1990s remain fully valid. Unfortunately, the commitments made remain unrealized. These must be honoured. Necessary wherewithal for development must be provided. It is only through combining our collective endeavours we shall be able to achieve our shared objectives of peace, security, development and harmony.

I thank you.

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