Brussels, 19/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - Although massive success was not forthcoming, the special general assembly of the UN last week in New York was not the failure that had been so much feared. The EU appealed for Heads of State and Governments in the world to work toward UN reform and for industrialised countries to confirm their firm commitment to allocate 0.7% of their GDP to public development aid by 2015 - with the sine qua non condition of achieving the millennium objectives (EUROPE 90215). This was not a lost cause. The risk to rid of any reference to the Millennium Development Objectives (MDO), as initially sought by the USA, was not supported. The final declaration contains the commitment reiterated by world leaders to hike up their level of official development aid at 0.7% of national GDP by 2015, it confirms the plan to cancel the poor countries' debt, as approved by the G-8, and contains an appeal to go further. On the subject of UN reform, it notes the progress already made and the resolve to go further.
In New York, José Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, had called on all rich countries to follow suit after the European Union by doubling their efforts to combine development aid and aid to trade: “A one percentage point increase in Africa's share of global trade would deliver four or five times more income every year than the continent currently receives in aid. (…) If others match Europe's increased aid and trade and development initiatives, if we can support a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Round of world trade negotiations, if developing countries deliver on their side of the bargain; then I firmly believe that achieving the Millennium Development Goals will be within our grasp”, he said.
After the work, the EU welcomed the overall result of the summit and welcomed the fact that the following moves forward had been made in particular: - emphasis placed on increasing the volume for aid and its effectiveness, as well as on the development efforts to be made to achieve the MDGs and promote sustainable development; - the commitment taken by the African countries to adopt ambitious development strategies that create or strengthen good governance structures, favour an environment for economic growth and the rise of the private sector; - clear condemnation of terrorism; - a detailed mandate for the establishment of a commission for consolidation of peace; - strengthening of the role and doubling of resources available to the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, and the decision to create the Human Rights Council; - as well as the unprecedented recognition of the responsibility to protect populations against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity, and also the first crucial steps towards a reformed United Nations Secretariat.
Speaking on behalf of the British EU Council Presidency, Jack Straw, British Foreign Minister, said: “Like the Secretary General [Kofi Annan], the EU had hoped for greater progress in some areas: more substantial terms of reference for the new Human Rights Council; agreement to give the Secretary General more flexibility and authority as Chief Administrative Officer of his Secretariat, in return for greater accountability; and backing for further measures on non-proliferation and disarmament”. However, he said, one should not underestimate progress accomplished. World leaders, Jack Straw went on, have answered the challenge to make the UN more effective, efficient and relevant. The European Union is convinced that the summit was a decisive stage on the road to reform with a clear mandate for change, to tackle the challenges that have faced the world for a long while now - and others that it will have to face up to in the future.
Little progress on climate change, Friends of the Earth deplore
The Environmental NGO, Friends of the Earth International, expressed disappointment at the results of the summit on the question of climate change and deplores the “empty words” of the final press release that justly refers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change and to the Kyoto Protocol although it does not recognise that the international conference (Montreal, COP 11, in November) does not have the required authority to launch negotiations on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for after 2012. Catherine Pearce of the NGO states: “World leaders have clearly failed to face up to the urgent need to take action on climate change. This summit was a golden opportunity for the UN to commit resources to and support some of the world's poorest countries who will face the harshest impacts of the world's changing climate”.
ICFTU now tables on Hong Kong to make development agenda move forward
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) considers the summit in New York gave poor results when it comes to poverty, security, reform of the United Nations or the UN's reaffirmation as a central element of the multilateral system, but that this does not mean one should lose hope. The ministerial conference of the WTO in Hong Kong is another opportunity to be seized, ICFTU says, inviting the leaders of the planet to ensure that the conference leads to a fair and equitable trading system that supports the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the broader development agenda. Guy Ryder, ICFTU General Secretary, considers as disappointing the fact that the first Millennium Goal - that of having an equal number of boys and girls at school - has not just been unfulfilled but also that the final press release does not even note this failure.