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Statement by Minister-Counsellor YAO Wenlong on Agenda Item 69 (b): Special Economic Assistance to Individual Countries or Regions at 2nd Committee of UNGA 61st Session

2006-10-11 00:00

Mme. Chairperson,

The Chinese delegation thanks the representatives of OCHA and UNDP for their introduction on Agenda Item 69 (b) and (c). I wish to take this opportunity to share with you some of our views on sub-item 69 (b).

Mme. Chairperson,

The Secretary-General's reports outline the progress made in the United Nations and the international community's follow-up of the relevant GA resolutions through the provision of humanitarian relief and reconstruction assistance to the eight countries of Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, Serbia, Montenegro, Somalia, El Salvador and Guatemala, as well as the achievements obtained in helping those countries with the preparation of their social and economic development plans. Among other things, the report mentions that the government of Angola has formulated its national development plan and is preparing to push ahead with its reconstruction efforts through expanded South-South cooperation. The report acknowledges the Liberian government's recent efforts at formulating a poverty reduction strategy and the Mozambique government's ratification this year of a new National Disaster Management Institute strategy. These efforts fully demonstrate the disaster-afflicted governments' leading role in post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction. The Chinese delegation supports and appreciates the concerted efforts and achievements of the United Nations, the international community and the afore-mentioned countries.

Mme. Chairperson,

Most of the countries mentioned above have gradually moved from an emergency and humanitarian assistance phase to post-disaster recovery, reconstruction and development. Due to the repercussions of long-standing disasters and conflicts, and due to the constraints of damaged infrastructure, however, these countries still face daunting challenges in their economic recovery endeavour--challenges which impede their progress in the attainment of the MDGs. For this reason, these countries are in dire need of financial support from the international community. Although the UN system has raised some funding for these countries through the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) mechanism, the funding level is far from the projected target; the shortage of financial resources has seriously hindered the launching of post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. The adoption by the General Assembly of resolutions on special economic assistance to individual countries or regions reflects the moral support of the international community for the affected countries. It is our hope that the commitments of assistance will be honoured as soon as possible so that these countries will benefit from them at the earliest possible date. We call on the developed countries to contribute generously and provide the disaster-afflicted countries, the LDCs in particular, with more humanitarian relief and reconstruction assistance.

Mme. Chairperson,

As a disaster-prone developing country, China knows only too well the sufferings disasters bring to the local populations. In the past year, the Chinese government has, in the people-oriented spirit and in response to the requests of governments of the affected countries and the appeals of the international community, actively participated in major international emergency relief operations and, through bilateral and multilateral channels and to the best of our ability, provided some affected countries with emergency humanitarian relief, in cash and in kind. We also dispatched relief and medical teams to these countries to assist in their disaster relief efforts, as a demonstration of our sympathy, support and care for the governments and people that have been affected by disasters. The Chinese government and people will, as always, support the UN system in its disaster relief and reduction assistance and humanitarian assistance efforts, and make its contributions by helping the affected countries in fighting disasters and in rebuilding their homes.

I thank you, Mme. Chairperson.

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