Excellencies,
Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by expressing my deep appreciation to each and all of you for entrusting me with the privilege and honour of being President of ECOSOC for this historical year - the first year of the new millennium. While this historical fact, in itself, does not hold any concrete significance, it should add a sense of urgency that could greatly help to reinforce our drive to promote social and economic development and to eradicate poverty. Moreover, being on the cusp of the new millennium should serve to put a bright spotlight on our collective activities this year and help impart a new impetus.

Let me also take this opportunity to sincerely thank my predecessor, H.E. Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci, Permanent Representative of Italy, for his tireless efforts in advancing essential reforms and for his innovative initiatives in helping ECOSOC reach its full potential. This time last year when Ambassador Fulci took over control of the Council, he promised as a first priority to bring the Council back home to the ECOSOC Chamber by expanding the seating arrangements and opening the Office of the ECOSOC President on a permanent basis. Obviously the Ambassador was true to his word and we now stand to enjoy the tangible proof of his promise. Having said that, I sincerely hope I can do justice to his legacy and build on his efforts to reestablish a clear identity for ECOSOC, a key organ of the United Nations.

I should also avail of this opportunity to thank the other distinguished members of the Bureau for 1999: H.E. Ambassador Percy Metsing Mangoaela of Lesotho; H.E. Aliaksandr Sychov of Belarus and H.E. Alfonso Valdivieso of Columbia on the excellence of their work and their unswerving dedication. Indeed it was my deep privilege and honour to have worked so closely and productively with them over the past year.

At the same time, I wish to congratulate my new colleagues on the Bureau, H.E. Ambassador Martin Belinga-Eboutou of Cameroon; H.E. Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter of Austria, H.E. Ambassador Bernd Niehaus of Costa Rica and H.E. Ambassador Vladimir C. Sotirov of the Republic of Bulgaria on their respective elections and look forward to a productive year together on the Bureau.

Without going into great detail or pre-empting our discussions at the Organizational session next week from the 1st to the 4th of February, I should like to briefly highlight some priorities of this year's agenda that should serve to define the thrust and tone of our forthcoming work and activities. As we launch into this new year, at the dawn of a new millennium, I should first like to emphasize that the need for continuity in pursuing the ongoing programmes of the Council is central to our activities. At the same time we should also stay open to new ideas and initiatives to best address the emerging challenges in these rapidly changing times. While I pledge myself to the noble tasks in our programme of work, I am very much aware that, in our increasingly complex and integrating world, a presidency and the Bureau cannot stand alone or be successful in carrying out their mandated role. For this they depend, to a large extent, on the cooperation, expertise, active participation and decision-making involvement of all the member states. Thus, we intend to encourage an active partnership and participation of the Member States, the Bureau and its subsidiary bodies.

Secondly, one of the top priorities for this Presidency will be to seek to reassert the central coordinating role and core function of the ECOSOC to help make ECOSOC work more effectively and to maintain its status vis-à-vis its subsidiary bodies, functional commissions, funds and programmes and the specialized agencies.

Thirdly, we want to ensure that the ECOSOC has the ability to respond in a timely manner to new emerging issues and problems of major international significance in the social and economic fields, such as the recent global financial crisis and the natural disaster that afflicted in Latin America. Otherwise, with only one substantive session per year, crises may come and go before the Council has had a chance to adequately address them. I believe it is therefore advisable that the Council explores ways and means to authorize its Bureau to call a meeting or special session at any time during the year to deal with such crisis and emergencies in a more timely and responsive manner.

Fourthly, and we consider this to be vital, this Presidency will give top priority to the crucial issue of the role of Information Technology (IT), a dominant driving force of globalization, in the international development and cooperation. Information Technology represents the most powerful technological revolution of our time and its impact and rapid pace define the challenges and opportunities all countries face in the coming months and years. There is no doubt, for example, that it could represent a major force for promoting equality in the field of economic growth and development and for narrowing the gap between the developed and the developing countries. But there is also little doubt that it can further marginalize the developing countries and further widen the gap between them and the developed countries. Hence, the critical importance of this year's High-level Segment. We should therefore take full advantage of this unique opportunity to both help shape the path of Information Technology to ensure that this phenomenon benefits all humankind not just those who have the necessary connectivity and capacities to harness its potential.

We also intend to use the occasion of the High-level Segment to heighten the awareness of this crucial phenomenon for development. We will therefore conduct a series of panel discussions on Information Technology and Development in New York and, if possible, we will seek to organize regional dialogues co-sponsored by ECOSOC and the Regional Economic Commissions during the lead up to the High-level Segment.

Moreover, to further highlight Information Technology and to greatly enhance the impact of the Segment's deliberations, we will hold an exhibition on information technology and its role in international cooperation and development at the United Nations headquarters. This exhibition will be a first and it should constitute a unique departure for the ECOSOC. Given the critical importance of Information Technology for development, we believe that the exhibition will provide an excellent opportunity to both disseminate information on Information Technology as well as to showcase such technologies that are currently available, affordable and applicable to development. We hope the exhibition will help to further reduce barriers to accessing such technologies and should also greatly facilitate networking and building contacts between Government and the private sector.

Fifthly, since one of the more productive and potentially significant initiatives of the Council has been its engagement with the Bretton Woods Institutions, particularly in the form of a High-level dialogue, we are committed to continuing and strengthening these crucial meetings. This could be done by strengthening the annual meeting between the two institutions through focusing the discussions on specific issues in the social and economic fields.

Sixthly, concerning the major issues, in the context of globalization particularly trade and finance and as mandated by resolution 50/227, it is important that we seek to intensify contacts with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Commission on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Such a dialogue will be designed to facilitate greater coherence and understanding between the economic and trade sectors. For this purpose, it is important that we explore ways to initiate a dialogue between the ECOSOC, the WTO and UNCTAD.

In conclusion, I should just like to say that during the substantive session in New York, it will be Indonesia's great honour to introduce Indonesian haute-cuture cuisine in the Delegate's Dining Room of the United Nations together with a sampling of Indonesian cultural exhibitions and performances for the whole month of July, 2000.

Thank you.