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Statement by Ambassador Wang Min, Deputy Permanent Representative of China at the General Debate on Operational Activities for Development Segment at the 2014 Substantive Session of ECOSOC

2014-02-26 04:46

 

Photo by Niu Xiaolei/Xinhua News Agency

Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation wishes to thank the Secretary General for his report submitted under this segment and associates itself with the statement made by Bolivia on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr. President,

The 67th session of the GA adopted resolution 67/226 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review (QCPR) of the operational activities for development, setting out explicit requirements and pointing out the direction for the work of the UN development system and agencies. Since the adoption of the resolution, the UN development system and agencies have made active efforts to implement the resolution, and completed the relevant work including the formulation of new strategic plans, thus laying a solid foundation for the comprehensive implementation of the QCPR resolution.

The Chinese delegation encourages the UN development system and agencies to continue their efforts to comprehensively implement the resolution; maintain the fundamental characteristics of the UN operational activities for development; preserve the universal, voluntary and grant nature as well as neutrality and multilateralism of such activities; and respect the ownership and leadership of the program countries of their own development. The UN agencies should continue to pursue the attainment of the MDGs, focus on development and poverty eradication, strengthen management and improve efficiency so as the effectively help the developing countries, the LDCs in particular, to realize sustainable development.

The Chinese delegation wishes to reiterate and stress the following views:

1. On the core issue of the development agenda.

Poverty eradication constitutes the biggest global challenge and the core requisite for the sustainable development of the developing countries. Eradicating poverty via increasing the capacity for self-development of the developing countries should remain the main focus of the UN development system. The Chinese delegation is pleased to see that the UN development system and agencies are making efforts to implement the QCPR resolution and have set as the overall goal of their strategic plans support for the poverty eradication efforts of the developing countries. We hope that they will continue to make project planning and implementation more in line with this overall goal. My delegation is of the view that poverty eradication should remain the core of the post 2015 development agenda.

2. On the total volume and structure of resources.

Adequate resource volume and rational resource structure are essential to the achievement of the IADGs, including the MDGs. Parties concerned in development assistance need to take the two way approach in order to really improve financing for development by the UN, namely by increasing the quantity of core resources and improving the quality of non-core resources. The developed countries should shoulder the primary responsibility in financing for development, honor their ODA commitments, and increase assistance to the developing countries.

3. On the operation of the development system.

Improving the management and operation of the UN development system will help enhance the effectiveness of project implementation and make the projects really fit to purpose, thus supporting the development of the program countries. The UN development system and agencies should fulfill their respective responsibilities, leverage their operational advantages, further enhance coordination and cooperation, and avoid overlapping and conflict of mandates. The designation and implementation of development assistance frameworks should be based on "national ownership and leadership," ensure that assistance programs are in line with the national development strategies and priorities of the recipient countries, and, based onthe national conditions of the recipient countries, improve the efficiency and flexibility of the drafting, formulation and implementation of the frameworks. The UN development system and agencies also need to continue to explore ways to increase coordination and improve efficiency. Assistance should be aimed at meeting different needs of different countries instead of forcing uniformity or adopting one-size-fits-all models.

4. On South-South cooperation.

South-South cooperation is an important way for the developing countries to make use of their own comparative advantages, unite in mutual help and pool their efforts to realize common development. In recent years, with the development of the developing countries and the increase of participants in development cooperation, the world's development cooperation scene has undergone some changes. However, the main structure of development cooperation remains unchanged with North-South cooperation as the mainstream. South-South cooperation is a supplement to rather than a substitute for North-South cooperation, whose main status and role must not be weakened or diluted. The UN development system should provide necessary policy and financial support to South-South cooperation, explore new ideas and methods of facilitating it, and increase support to the work of the UN Office for South-South cooperation.

Mr. President,

The MDGs embody a solemn commitment of all countries to greater development. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to development. It has integrated MDG-related efforts into the overall national strategy for development and is committed to a balanced development in economic, social and environmental areas and has made remarkable achievements. The Chinese government will continue to deepen reform in all areas, open up further to the world and pursue a more comprehensive and sustainable development in economic, social and environmental areas. China's development will continue to contribute to the world's sustainable development. The Chinese government will continue to provide, to the best of its capability, assistance to other developing countries, including the LDCs, within the framework of South-South cooperation. We will continue to take a constructive part in international development cooperation, and are willing to engage in deep-going discussions with other countries and the UN development system on ways and means to reinforce South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation, thus further contributing to the early realization by the developing countries of the MDGs.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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