Closing Remarks
by
H.E. Dr. Makarim Wibisono
President of the Economic and Social Council
at
The Substantive Session
of the Economic and Social Council
New York, 28 July 2000
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Four weeks ago, almost to the day, I
gaveled the month long substantive session of ECOSOC 2000 into session
here at Headquarters, the first of the new millennium. Since then,
four action-packed weeks have followed covering the work and activities
of all 5 segments of ECOSOC 2000. Each of these segments has been
successful in providing a platform for policy deliberations and for
forging policy recommendations and new initiatives on a broad range
of economic and social concerns that humankind faces on its journey
into the 21st Century.
Looking back over that period, I recall
the wonder expressed on how ambitious some of the undertakings were,
but in the end, how successful the session turned out to be, a success
that was clearly reflected in the extraordinary high-level and broad-based
participation that was achieved. This included over 50 Ministers
and Heads of States as well as Heads of all organs of the United Nations
system, the Director General of the WTO, the President of the World
Bank together with the Heads of the main United Nations Funds and
Programmes and the Specialized Agencies and representatives of Civil
Society, the CEOs of leading companies from both the developed and
developing countries, NGOs and the media.
I have no hesitation in saying that the
success of the segment was largely due to the dedication and hard
work of the many delegates and others who so actively participated
in the negotiations and activities of the Council. I would therefore
like to express my sincere thanks to each and all of you for a job
well done. Let me hasten to add a very special thanks to my distinguished
colleagues on the Bureau, the four Vice-Presidents: H.E. Ambassador
Martin Belinga-Eboutou of Cameroon, H.E. Dr. Gerhard Pfanzelter of
Austria, H.E. Dr. Bernd Niehaus of Cost Rica and H.E. Dr. Vladimir
C. Sotirov of the Republic of Bulgaria, for the excellence and professionalism
of their work as well as their preparations for this substantive session
and particularly for the high standards they brought to their responsibilities
in the respective Segments.
On their behalf and on my own, I would
like to express our sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Anan and to the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Louise Frechette.
Let me also acknowledge and thank Mr. Nitin Desai, Mr. Patricio Civili,
and Mr. Sarbuland Khan and their dedicated staffs for their unparalleled
support for the session and the excellent reports provided on a wide
range of issues for the attention of the Council. In similar vein,
I wish to thank Ms. Peggy Kelley and her able staff for making this
session work so workable and so smooth running at all times. Our
sincere thanks is also due to Mr. Kensaku Hogan, Ms. Therese Gastaut,
Mr. Tim Wall and all of the staff at DPI for their tremendous assistance,
for developing an excellent press strategy and coverage. I should
also not fail to mention the important work done by the interpreters,
conference officers and documentation personnel and to express our
sincere thanks. Last but not least let me thank the leadership for
major groupings, such as the distinguished Representative of Nigeria
on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the distinguished Representative
of Portugal and France on behalf of the EU.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
When Indonesia assumed the Presidency
of ECOSOC last January, we set an ambitious agenda and we pledged
to do our utmost to carry it out. I do not intend to give a thorough
accounting of progress made but rather I should like to highlight
some of the major events and undertakings during this last month.
Thus, after the opening ceremony on July
5, which included a video presentation on ICT and development, a high-level
policy dialogue with international finance and trade organizations
took place. This was designed to strengthen and intensify the Council’s
cooperation and contacts with these organizations by focusing on specific
issues in the social and economic fields. It also served to build
upon progress made at the Third High-level meeting on April 18 between
the ECOSOC and the Bretton Woods Institutions.
Let me now briefly look at the proceedings
and activities of the 5 main segments of this session. The High-level
segment, which was chaired by the Council President on the theme of
information and communication technologies for development, the dominant
driving force of globalization and an issue to which this Presidency
has given top priority. I should mention here that in the lead up
to the high-level segment and in order to intensify its preparations
the Bureau organized, in cooperation with various international organizations
and the subsidiary bodies of the Council, a series of panel discussions
and regional dialogues co-sponsored by the Council and the Regional
Commissions. These events, which took place over the past few months
proved to be extremely informative, stimulating and productive. As
a result, it is said that this high-level segment was a resounding
success and that it succeeded in transforming the Council into a truly
global, strategic and open forum for dialogue inclusive of all key
players and stakeholders. These participants included, among others,
academia, the private sector including the ICT gurus, the NGOs and
the media. Each, in their own way became fully engaged in the process
and contributed greatly to the intergovernmental dialogue, thereby
enhancing the political relevance of the Council’s deliberations.
In addition, the Council undertook a
plethora of formal meetings, Ministerial breakfast round-tables and
a public exhibition. All of these were designed to stimulate discussion
and understanding of this complex issue, the most powerful technological
revolution of our time, and to motivate participants to make commitments
for bridging the digital divide and promoting digital opportunities
for all in the service of development and the eradication of poverty.
A special effort was also made to engage our development partners
in the process as is clearly seen by the keynote addresses by high
level officials of both the developing and developed countries including
H.E. Alpa Oumar Konare, President of Mali and Lawrence H. Summers
Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.
For the very first time, the Council
organized two Ministerial Round Table breakfasts providing an informal
setting that helped foster open exchanges of views and discussions
involving all relevant stakeholders. The staging of an ICT public
exhibition that ran concurrently with the High-Level Segment was unprecedented
and unique undertaking for the United Nations. The participation of
41 leading private companies and agencies, representing both developed
and developing countries, showcased their relevant ICT products and
services that were affordable, available and applicable to development.
In doing so they helped provided added value to the segment thereby
enhancing its impact and facilitating participant networking and contacts.
This also helped to bring the private sector into close contact with
government and organizational decision-makers.
During the segment’s deliberations, which
had before it both a comprehensive report by the Secretary-General
and one by the high-level panel of experts on ICT and development,
a broad sense emerged that the United Nations could play a central
role in providing an interface between the information technology
community and the development community. The Council Members also
emphasized the unique role of United Nations in accelerating global
development and international cooperation by utilizing ICT as a key
instrument. At the same time the need was recognized that the United
Nations itself should be strengthened through the adoption and effective
use of ICT. What was also unique for the High-level segment this
year was that the outcome was taken to a new level and thus, for the
first time, a draft Ministerial Declaration presented by the President
was deliberated and in spite of difficulties was successfully adopted.
The resultant Ministerial Declaration reflected the broad consensus
on the importance of ICT for development as well as the need to harness
these technologies in the service of development. In this context
great importance was also attached to the establishment of an ICT
Task Force as well as an ICT Trust Fund for development.
One of the major challenges in the aftermath
of all policy agreements is of course the need for effective follow-through
and for building on successful outcomes. One promising development
in this regard was the attention and recognition given by the Group
of 8 in Okinawa, Japan to the significance of the ECOSOC Ministerial
Declaration and it came to similar conclusions concerning the need
for an ICT Task Force. In this regard, the Working Group on Informatics
has helped the Council develop a framework for creating such a task
force. Further testimony to the Council’s resolve and vitality was
the rapid pace with which the session moved towards following-up on
the Ministerial Declaration. In this regard, the Council’s Working
Group on Informatics has already taken action on the Declaration by
forging a response in the form of a resolution, a first, I believe,
as it was adopted within the same substantive session. The next step
will be the consideration of the Declaration by the United Nations
Millennium Summit in September.
In this respect, I would like to express
my deep appreciation to all the delegations involved for their very
hard work in resolving a number of rather difficult, and perhaps,
contentious issues before agreement was reached on the Ministerial
Declaration. Personally I hope that the Secretary-General will ensure
that action on our proposed ICT Task Force will be taken expeditiously
so as to enable it to serve as a catalyst for building strategic partnerships
with all key players in the field of ICT so that a tangible outcome
can be achieved for the benefit of all.
As to the coordination segment under
the very able leadership of Ambassador Pfanzelter, progress was also
achieved. This year’s segment, which was devoted to the integrated
and coordinated follow-up to United Nations conferences and summits,
has learned well from the lessons and experience gained over the
last few years. For the first time, therefore, the Council directly
addressed the mechanisms and processes for reviewing the implementation
of the major United Nations conferences and summits. For this reason,
I firmly believe that the Council has taken decisive, albeit initial,
steps to move the process forward. We have defined the parameters
for the continuation, and hopefully for the completion, of this urgent
work at our next session. In this context, the functional commissions
have now been called upon to introduce their recommendations on how
best to enhance the review process. I trust that with their full
support, the Council will be in a strong position to effectively discharge
its management and coordination responsibilities in the process of
conference follow-up.
Turning to the segment on operational
activities for development, under the very able leadership of Ambassador
Niehaus, an impressive array of issues were taken up and tangible
progress was recorded. This progress was clearly evidenced by two
important resolutions adopted on the crucial issues of funding and
on the triennial comprehensive policy review. Delegations also made
important statements on efforts to revitalize the simplification and
harmonization of the rules and procedures guiding operational activities.
These themes, among others, were explored in the dialogue with the
executive heads of the United Nations funds and programmes, and in
the presentations by senior officials as well as by the United Nations
system country teams of Ghana and Madagascar.
Let me now turn to the Humanitarian segment,
which was so ably chaired by H.E. Dr. Vladimir Sotirov, during its
rather lengthy and extremely complex deliberations. While the Council
was unable to adopt a set of Agreed Conclusions, nevertheless considerable
progress was achieved in addressing the agenda. The panel discussions
contributed a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics and thus
greatly facilitated our deliberations. The important theme of this
year’s segment tied in well with the overall theme of the high-level
segment on information technology and its benefits to the world’s
impoverished and those living in precarious situations. Given the
complexity of the issues involved and the dearth of time for their
deliberation, agreement could not be reached. Lessons can be learned
from this year’s segment. Recognizing the valuable activities of
the United Nations in the field of humanitarian assistance over the
past year, we must continue to fulfill our commitment to strengthen
the role of the United Nations in this regard.
As to the general segment under the capable
leadership of Mr. Felix Mbayu, the Council confirmed its determination
to effectively exercise its coordination and management responsibilities
over the work and activities of the United Nations system in the economic
and social fields. Having considered the large number of reports
and resolutions forwarded to it by its functional commissions and
other subsidiary bodies, the Council took action as well as adopting
a number of resolutions of its own. As has often been recognized,
there is a dire need to ensure that the rather large array of disjointed
issues on this segment’s agenda, should be given more focus and direction.
At the same time it has become clear that the Council is increasingly
committed to ensuring that the segment’s guidance is effectively implemented
by the United Nations system at large.
Before concluding let me add that, at
the organizational session earlier this year, we pledged to seek ways
to speedily respond to new emerging issues and problems of major international
significance without having to wait for the annual substantive session.
I am therefore pleased to report that the Bureau was able to convene
an unprecedented meeting on March 9th this year to be briefed
on and to deliberate on providing guidance to the United Nations agencies
in the field to solve the tragic situation in Mozambique in the wake
of devastating flood waters, that swept across the country resulting
in havoc and destruction. Having consulted with the members of the
Bureau, I was able to convene this meeting on the basis of the Council’s
coordinating mandate. We see the provision of humanitarian assistance
in the face of natural disasters as central to our coordinating responsibilities.
The Council then called on governments, the United Nations, its specialized
agencies and other bodies as well as the international financial institutions,
NGOs and the private sector to intensify their efforts in a coordinated
manner to provide a continuum of relief and assistance to Mozambique
leading to the eventual reconstruction and development of the country.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
A great deal has been accomplished during
this substantive session of the Council. The question is now how
can then these advances be consolidated and effectively built upon?
I would suggest that while the substantive issues have been well addressed,
the more logistical and organizational aspects of the Council’s work
will need to be bolstered as they can often significantly effect the
overall image and impact of the Council. For this purpose, I have
requested the Bureau of the Council to take a searching look at these
issues and with the support of the Secretariat to submit a proposal
for the consideration of the Council in the Fall of this year. We
trust that this would help to ensure a more efficient work programme
and organizational structures before next year’s substantive session.
Particular attention must be, of course, paid to the availability
of documentation in all official languages of the United Nations.
We recognize the problem this year and it is important that we seek
ways, together with the concerned Departments within the Secretariat,
to ensure that documentation is issued in a timely fashion to adequately
support the Council’s deliberations.
In closing, I believe we should leave
this substantive session with the larger picture in mind, a picture
that pervade much of the deliberations. That is, that globalization
is unrelentingly altering the world economic and social landscape,
that it is yielding unparalleled choices and opportunities for prosperity
but, that likewise, it is spawning new uncertainties and concerns
particularly about exclusion, marginalization and a widening digital
divide. Our great challenge and our responsibility is to seek ways
and means to work together in strategic partnership to ensure that
this power and potential of globalization and that of the information
revolution is harnessed in the service of all. As the principal organ
of the United Nations for promoting, among other things, higher standards
of living, full employment and conditions for economic and social
progress and development for all, the Council during this session
provided a unique global forum for combining our strengths and for
joining forces in bridging the various gaps between the developed
and developing countries in the cause of development and the eradication
of poverty. In sum, I believe that this substantive session has greatly
helped to continue the path of renaissance begun by my predecessors
and thereby ensure that the Council’s potential and noble mandate
as envisioned in the Charter can be fulfilled. Through much has
been accomplished, much more needs to be done. The Council’s Bureau,
through your support cooperation and consultation stands ready to
continue on this path. In this way, it can be truly said that this
substantive session of ECOSOC 2000 not only saluted the new millennium
and mankinds struggle to reconcile nature and technology, it also
very definitely did something about it.
Having said that, let me once again congratulate
you on the fruits of your labour and for your excellent participation
in this substantive session. I wish you and yours an excellent summer
and I look forward to continue the work of the Council with you this
coming September.
Thank you very much.
