CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

GROUP OF 77 & CHINA
G E N E V A

Statement by Mr. Fidel Ortega
Counselor of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations Office
and other International Organizations in Geneva
on behalf of the Group of 77 and China
at the 50th Executive Session of the Trade and Development Board
Thursday 8, July 2010

H.E. Ambassador Jean Feyder,
President of the Trade and Development Board
Mr. Petko Draganov, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates

1. It is an honor for me to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. This annual executive session of the Board is an opportunity for us to examine in depth UNCTAD's technical cooperation work in Africa and to examine these activities in the context of the three pillars. This exercise takes on added significance in light of the ongoing work of the TDB in addressing the impact of the global economic and financial crisis on developing countries, and in view of the forthcoming review of the implementation of the Accra Accord.

3. I would like to begin by addressing some general points which would set the context for the more specific and technical points the Group wishes to make. I would also like to flag that this statement is not intended to be exhaustive, and that indeed we will actively participate in the forthcoming debates, including the round table this afternoon.

Mr. President.

4. Allow me to once again make the important observation that the global economic and financial crisis has been of profound importance, and has underscored the deep and fundamental changes which must take place in the international economic system if countries are to overcome the adverse effects of the events of the past two years, and if they will succeed in accomplishing their various development objectives.

5. At least two key observations of direct relevance to our debates today can be discerned. First, fundamental systemic reform has to take place if the international community is to overcome its blind and misguided faith in the infallible powers of self-adjustment of the global economic system. The invisible hand of the markets must be guided by the very visible will of the developmental state.

6. Second, the effects on the ground and on the real economy, and the consequent crisis in the accomplishment of the MDGs has underscored that while the Goals are valuable as tools for development policy, the approach that has been anchored on poverty reduction must be overcome. Put bluntly, an approach based mainly on poverty eradication focuses on achieving an acceptable level of poverty. We must be more ambitious than that and focus our efforts on achieving a minimum level of acceptable prosperity.

7. This may seem to be a subtle difference, but it marks the difference between minimizing misery for a few with achieving prosperity and happiness for the many. Nowhere is this more important than in Africa, where the failed policies and prescriptions of the past continue to mire the continent to an unacceptable rate of development.

8. The Group therefore believes that what is needed at the global level is to anchor new development approaches on an international economic system which places development at the center. These discussions are not mere rhetoric but represent the best chance for a more prosperous future for billions of people around the globe.

9. At the regional and national level, in view of recent events and accumulated experience over the past few decades, there is a need to identify new and urgent workable actions for Africa. These should be anchored on what the Group has described as the three new Ps to supersede the prevailing PPPs which have become the center of development for many stakeholders. These three new Ps, of political solidarity, policy space, and productive capacity, should be considered as core principles of a new approach to development which takes into account the lessons of recent years and indeed of the development challenges which continue to persist.

10. In the context of our discussions today, we wish to make the following clear: political solidarity must be mobilized to provide Africa with the resources and support to follow nationally owned and formulated development policies. This should be translated into providing Africa with sufficient real policy space to use the various policy tools available. In turn the continent must be assisted in developing productive capacity to actively and meaningfully participate in the global trading system

Mr. President.

11. In order to accomplish this, we believe that there is a need to focus UNCTAD's technical assistance to Africa into those areas which will help to steer the region towards new and more successful development strategies as determined by African countries. In addition to UNCTAD's current work on the mobilization of domestic resources and equitable distribution of income, this could be done by expanding technical cooperation activities which:

(i) Help African countries develop proactive trade policies and examine the future of the international trading system including transcending the WTO. This would include helping to develop their capacity to grasp the full implications of competition law and policy in order to enhance their ability to fully harness policy space as a developmental tool;

(ii) Strengthen technology transfer and the diffusion of knowledge and know-how to African countries. This included helping African countries to fully and adequately deal with the development dimension of the evolving intellectual property system;

(iii) Assist African countries realizing developmental gains from increased investment flows and enterprise development, and enhancing international competitiveness through productive capacity building;

(iv) Help to enhance connectivity in Africa including creative applications of ICT for development such as through the diffusion and sharing of knowledge and information;

(v) Help African countries to strengthen their manufacturing and agricultural sectors with a view of expanding their economic horizons and also to build food security;

(vi) Assist African countries to fully exploit the developmental impact of the commodities sector;

(vii) Assist African countries in developing their services sectors and maximizing their contribution to development;

(viii) Continue and intensify assistance to African countries to address the development implications of climate change; and

(ix) Address the development implications of migration for African countries, including harnessing remittances as an important source of development financing in addition to other sources including ODA.

Mr. President.

12. I would also like to touch on a few other matters on the agenda of this session.

13. With regard to the evaluation of the commodities program, we would like to once again underscore our concern with the work of the special unit, and emphasize the need for the quality of the work to reflect our high expectations. We wish to make the same point regarding the Africa and LDC program. We would appreciate receiving information on what measures have been taken to ensure that it is provided with adequate resources to enable it to discharge fully its functions in line with its mandates and the expectation of members states.

14. At the same time, and in recognition that Africa and LDC issues are cross-cutting and are therefore addressed by all of the substantive divisions, we would appreciate receiving information on what measures have been taken to both enhance UNCTAD's work in this regard, as well as what specific steps have been undertaken to provide member states with a fuller picture of the collective work of UNCTAD on Africa and LDC issues.

Thank you Mr. President.