Monaco
H.E. Mr. Franck Bianchéri, Government Counsellor for External Relations and International Economic and Financial Affairs
27 September 2008
- Video: English | French [RealPlayer - 11 min]
- Statement: French [PDF]
- Back to the list of speakers
Statement Summary
© UN Photo
Click for caption and to enlarge
FRANCK BIANCHÉRI, Government Counsellor for External Relations and International Economic and Financial Affairs of Monaco, said that the international community could not fail in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Acknowledging that there were food, energy and environmental crises that seriously affected the entire planet, he said Member States must redouble their efforts and build on their concerted action in the only universal forum -- the United Nations -- in order to achieve the Goals.
Still, since the road map set out in the Millennium Declaration had been defined eight years ago, States could not have imagined that things could worsen. Each country suffered the consequences of the current crises in a different way, depending on its geographic location, economy, and commercial and financial market share. Each country attempted to face the challenges with its own means. Monaco, for its part, had chosen to fight the food and the climate crises with resources at hand.
In order to implement the target of 0.7 per cent of its gross national income by 2015, Monaco’s Government was increasing its official development assistance (ODA) by 25 per cent every year, and focusing on the needs of the least developed countries. In 2008, 22 countries had benefited from a development partnership with Monaco, particularly those located around the Mediterranean Basin and in sub-Saharan Africa.
On the issue of climate change, Monaco would further its commitment to tackling the impact of the phenomenon by hosting meetings on the situation in the Arctic region in the coming months. The first gathering, organized by the French Presidency of the European Union, would be in November, and the second, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), would be convened at the beginning of next year.
Notwithstanding the obstacles encountered on the road to implementing the Millennium Development Gaols, he continued, it was necessary to stay on track. Monaco was deeply committed to the United Nations, which was a truly universal Organization that placed human rights and dialogue among nations at its core. Without the United Nations, human rights might not have reached their universality, and that was indisputable. At the same time, it was necessary to modernize the world body and adapt its institutions with the democratic principles of States, and with new geopolitical balances. Monaco also supported the increase of the members of the Security Council.
Only the combined efforts of all partners would enable real progress in the fight against poverty, for better health care and education, and for water access and the protection of the environment. The primary responsibility for achieving the Goals remained with African Governments, who had shown tremendous leadership in recent years and put in place ambitious programmes that could attract the financial support of partner countries for development.
[Source: GA/10757]
