Statement
By
H.E. MR. Makmur Widodo
Deputy Permanent Representative
of Indonesia to the United Nations
At the
Resumed Organizational Session
Of The
Preparatory Committee for the High-Level
International Intergovernmental Event
On Financing for Development

New York, 27 March 2000

Mr. Co Vice-Chair,

            Allow me to begin by expressing my delegation's sincere appreciation to H.E. Ambassador Asda Jayanama of Thailand, H.E. Ambassador Jorgen Bojer of Denmark and the members of the Bureau for their unrelenting efforts in providing us with the report on modalities for the participation of all relevant stakeholders that would reflect the richness and in-depth discussions both during the Fifty-fourth Session of the General Assembly as well as the framework of the Ad-hoc Working Group on Financing for Development last year.  We sincerely believe that the report represents an enormous undertaking by the Co-Vice Chairpersons and the Bureau and is also a thorough-going and delicate treatment of our discussions so far.

            Since the distinguished Chairman of the Group of 77 and China has already expressed the collective view of the Group, I intend to limit my remarks to highlighting some specific issues related to a number of questions suggested in the report.

            First, let me say that we really admire the achievement of producing the report within the short space of time allocated. Indeed, we don’t underestimate the extent of the labour that went into addressing the numerous views expressed during our previous extensive dialogue. While the report has served as a solid basis for our deliberations on the modalities for the participation of all relevant stakeholders, it is clear from the discussions we have had that a decision on this particular issue needs to be taken immediately if we are to at least tackle the substantive part of the preparatory process in the next substantive meeting of this preparatory committee. We believe that the Bureau has exerted tremendous efforts in formulating the concrete suggestions and proposals which are expected to meet the interests of all by dealing with outstanding issues identified in resolution 54/196 of 22 December 1999. But then again, the ultimate goal of this exercise is perhaps not so much to satisfy everybody’s interests as it is to generate a spirit of cooperation and compromise.

            With regard to the modalities for the participation of the relevant stakeholders, it has become clear from the report, that while cooperation and coordination are greatly encouraged, there is a distinct division of roles and mandates as well as mechanisms for decision making between the United Nations and the relevant stakeholders.  In this regard, the views of the relevant stakeholders should be fully reflected in addressing the issues of financing for development. In our previous meeting for example it was asserted that the UN should play the role of guardian and custodian of the principles and core values involved while the BWIs and WTO should support the UN in devising ways and means to translate those principles into implementable policies on the financial, monetary and trade related issues. If therefore, we divide our work according to these respective roles in the near future, our discussions should also take into account the involvement of the relevant stakeholders, particularly with regard to those parts of the agenda which fall under their purview.  Only in this way can we expect the UN to play its mandated role in effectively addressing this issue.

            To this end, we would like to reiterate our commitment in supporting the involvement of major stakeholders both in the preparatory process as well as in the final event itself. We are particularly encouraged by the great interest demonstrated by the World Bank in this regard, and support the efforts of the Bureau to vigorously pursue consultations with the IMF as well as with WTO.   It would be useful, however, to seek further clarification on the good intention by the World Bank in particular with regard to the nature of co-ownership in the process as well as in the outcome expected by proposing the three-tiers modalities of their participation. My delegation would be grateful if the Co-Vice Chair could enlighten us on this matter.

            With regard to the participation of other stakeholders, my delegation would like to support the suggestion made by the Bureau to commence the process of regional consultative meetings of the Regional Commissions, in conjunction with UNCTAD and the Regional Development Banks during the second half of 2000 on the substantive matters before the Preparatory Committee. In this context, and as mandated by paragraph 15 of resolution 54/196, I am pleased to inform my Government’s plan in collaboration with ESCAP and UNCTAD to convene a regional meeting on financing for development for the purpose of providing inputs for the preparatory process. This meeting is scheduled to be convened in Indonesia during the first week of August 2000. For this purpose we have worked closely with ESCAP and UNCTAD to prepare the necessary arrangements required by a such meeting.

            As to the nature of the event and given the importance of this issue for all member countries, we would like to reiterate our support for the position taken by the Chairman of the Group of 77 and China in saying that a self-standing event, preferably a conference, would be of great interest to my delegation.  With regard to the venue we are still waiting for a decision to be taken on the exact timing and confirmation of the agenda of the final event before consulting with our capital, as I believe is also the case of other countries, so as to seek concrete suggestions, not necessarily on being the host of the venue.  The meeting should preferably take place in a developing country.

            Finally I should add that we also need to establish a timeframe to implement the outcome of this event as well as modalities for a possible review of the outcome at such a time and in such a place agreeable to all the member states.

I thank you, Mr. Co-Vice-persons.