Mr.
President
Distinguished delegates,
The
majority of nearly 750 million people of the Least Developed
Countries live in rural areas. The agriculture sector in
the structure of the economies of the LDCs occupies a critically
important place and that makes rural development absolutely
essential for the development of these most impoverished
countries. Economic growth, poverty reduction and food and
nutritional security in most LDCs will remain elusive as
long as agriculture and rural development do not receive
priority attention. Heavy dependence on primary commodities
makes the situation even more complex. Continuing high population
growth in many of these countries, particularly in rural
areas, further underscores the importance and urgency of
action.
Recognizing
the primary importance of rural development for the LDCs,
the ECOSOC decided to devote special focus on the LDCs in
the theme for the coordination segment this year on rural
development. The Report of the Secretary-General (E/2004/58)
on this segment's theme appropriately identifies rural development
as "a precondition for the reduction of extreme poverty
and hunger". In considering the item, it is necessary
to recall that the Ministerial Declaration of the 2003 ECOSOC
session emphasized that rural development should be pursued
through an integrated approach, encompassing the economic,
social and environmental dimensions, taking into account
the gender perspective and consisting of mutually reinforcing
policies and programmes. It went on to say that the approach
should be balanced, targeted, situation-specific, locally
owned, include the local synergies and initiatives and be
responsive to the needs of rural populations.
It
is also worth recalling that rural development was addressed
by the World Food Summit (1996), the Millennium Summit (2000),
the Third UN Conference on the LDCs (2001), the International
Conference on Financing for Development (2002), the World
Food Summit - Five Years Later (2002), and the World Summit
for Social Development (2002). These conferences recognized
the need to create an enabling environment for rural development
and poverty eradication. In the context of the integrated
and coordinated follow up of the implementation of the outcomes
of major global conferences and bearing in mind the wide
network of the organisations of the United Nations system
with varying mandates, coordination, policy coherence and
collaboration within the UN system, especially when implementing
major internationally agreed development goals, is very
vital and absolutely essential. ECOSOC, as the central mechanism
for the coordination of the UN system activities, has therefore
decided in a timely manner to consider coordination issues
relating to rural development, particularly in LDCs, soon
after adopting the Ministerial Declaration on rural development
last year.
For
the LDCs, the Brussels Programme of Action for the current
decade emphasizes the key role of agriculture and agro-industries
as well as that of rural development and food security in
their development processes. The Brussels Programme calls
upon the LDCs and their development partners to undertake
specific and detailed actions in these areas. The Programme
also provides the UN system with a guiding framework for
coordination of support to LDCs in the various components
of the Programme, including the building of productive capacities.
To be effective and results-oriented, coordinated actions
by the UN system entities are essential. The Secretary-General's
report specifically underlines that an integrated approach
to rural development across a broad front is required in
order to effectively assist the LDCs to break out of the
poverty trap and make progress towards the international
development goals, highlighting the need for effective coordination
of national efforts and international support. The report
also emphasizes policy coherence as especially important
for achieving adequate resource allocation to LDCs.
Identification
of what the entities of the UN system have been doing and
should be doing at the international and national levels
to promote rural development in the LDCs would enhance synergy
and eliminate duplication. The major load of the work of
the United Nations for the LDCs in the area of rural development
is carried mainly by the FAO, IFAD, WFP and they have enhanced
coordination by defining a global agenda for rural development.
These agencies are increasingly joining forces to promote
agricultural growth and broad-based rural development particularly
LDCs. Of relevance to the LDCs, it is also noteworthy that
the governing bodies of these three agencies have adopted
separate resolutions to mainstream the implementation of
the Brussels Programme in their activities. The same could
be said of a number of other relevant entities of the UN
system whose governing bodies have mainstreamed the Brussels
Programme, thereby bringing in the special attention needed
by the LDCs.
Commodity-dependent
LDCs will benefit from the International Task Force on Commodities
that is being put together by UNCTAD promoting a multi-stakeholder
approach and forging a global coalition that includes the
Bretton Woods institutions. It is relevant to note that
in responding to the Brussels Programme and the General
Assembly resolutions, the UN Office of the High Representative
has the responsibility for the full mobilization and coordination
of all parts of the United Nations system to facilitate
coordinated implementation as well as coherence in the follow-up
and monitoring of the Programme of Action at the national,
regional, sub-regional and global levels. The UN Regional
Commissions also play a supportive role for the implementation
of the Brussels Programme in their own regional context.
Partnerships
with civil society organizations and the private sector
are increasingly becoming an integral part of many activities
undertaken by the UN entities at the country level thereby
enhancing their effectiveness. The UN Public-Private Alliance
for Rural Development is a worthy initiative and the framework
could be taken up for replication following positive results
out of the first LDC pilot country, Madagascar.
Let
me emphasize here that the poverty eradication and rural
development role that the microcredit and microfinance play
in the LDCs require that the UN system must give further
impetus to this area that have also contributed to closing
the gap in rural gender inequalities. However, few least
developed countries have reached a credit penetration rate
over 1 percent, indicating an enormous growth potential
for microcredit. Bangladesh, a leader in this area, where
roughly 7 per cent of the population has access to credit,
is an exception.
The
potential of the United Nations system to support South-South
cooperation has also not been fully realized. Hence, I would
also like to emphasize that in its coordination efforts
the United Nations must give due attention to supporting
South-South cooperation in various fields and activities.
For instance, the potential for expanding LDC participation
in intraregional trade in agricultural and agro-industry
products has not yet been fully exploited.
My
Office will take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate
of coordinating the implementation of the Brussels Programme,
within the United Nations system. In this context, the conclusions
and recommendations as contained in the Report of the Secretary-General
(E/2004/58) should receive the full and committed support
of the ECOSOC. I am confident that the outcome of the Coordination
Segment will prove a major impetus to effective coordination
of UN system organizations and entities in supporting rural
development in the Least Developed Countries.
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