Vienna Chapter
Mr. Chairman,
It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on behalf of the Group
of 77 and China on your election as the Chairman of the 28th session of
the UNIDO Industrial Development Board. The Group is confident that your
experience and diplomatic skills would lead to a successful and fruitful
conclusion of this session. I wish to also avail myself, on behalf of the
Group, this opportunity to felicitate the other members of the Bureau on
their election. The Group would also like to thank your predecessor H.E.
Ambassador Raimundo Alberto Gonzalez Aninat Permanent Representative of
Chile for successfully steering the work of the last session of IDB. The
Group also extends its appreciation for the excellent arrangements of the
meeting as well as the provision of necessary documentation by the
Secretariat.
The Group would like to take this opportunity to express its deep
sense of grief on the sad demises of H.E. Ambassador Federico Urruela
Prado, PR of Guatemala and H.E. Ambassador Tirivafi John Kangai, PR of
Zimbabwe and wishes to convey its sympathy to the bereaved families and
their respective governments.
The Group of 77 and China welcomes the opening remarks of the
Director General Mr. Carlos Magariños and assures him the Group's
continued support and cooperation in carrying out the mandate of the
UNIDO.
The Group would be making comments on the Agenda items 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
and 13 in the course of discussions on these items. I would restrict my
intervention to comment on item 3 for this opening statement.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The Annual Report of the Director-General on UNIDO's activities in
2003 can be considered as a good document that summarizes with clarity the
effort made by the Organization to fulfill the mandates given by the
Member States and their Governmental organs. We are pleased to acknowledge
the successful achievements of the Organization in the past year as
reflected in the document.
2. We point out as positive in the work of the Organization in the
past year of 2003 that UNIDO is making their efforts in gaining strength,
maturity and stability in all aspects. This can be ascertained by its
renewed financial stability and the much more specialized focus of the
cooperation activities towards our countries during the year.
3. The figures of the execution of the technical cooperation
programmes in 2003 show a modest increase in comparison with the figures
for 2002 and 2001, and are not too far below the established target, since
the execution was 94,6 million USD and the target was 95 million for the
year. This figure constitutes an example of the rehabilitation that is
still going on within UNIDO, a positive fact that the Member States
recognize in the work of the Organization.
4. We consider the adjustment of the modules of integrated services
as a positive factor in the internal work of the Organization in the year
2003. Nevertheless, the Group strongly believes that the adjustment should
respond to the needs of our countries, in particular the fulfillment of
the objectives of the Millenium Development Goals.
5. We acknowledge with satisfaction the fact that in 2003 various
technical cooperation projects of UNIDO received prizes for excellence in
specialized international events such as the Congress of the World
Federation of Chambers of Commerce, the State Organ for Environmental
Protection of China and the Ministry of Environment of Egypt, inter-alia.
6. We support UNIDO's Global Forum initiatives such as the Global
Biotechnology Forum and we propose the strengthening of UNIDO's role in
this matter whenever it brings added value to technical cooperation
activities. We consider important the follow-up that the Organization will
give to the Forum. The success obtained by the Forum, recently celebrated
in Concepción, Chile, demonstrates the level of excellence that
UNIDO acquired in different fields of action. This is why we believe that
a programme of activities should be drawn, as a follow-up to the Forum
that will allow the Organization to materialize it into concrete projects
for the benefit of developing countries.
7. The Group of 77 and China takes note with satisfaction that the
level of fund mobilization in the Organization was higher than in previous
years and that the Industrial Development Fund reached, in 2003, the
highest figure since 1993, with a total of 47,4 million USD. In this
sense, we are grateful for the voluntary contributions of the main donor
countries to this fund such as Austria, Denmark, Egypt, France, India,
Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, United Kingdom and Switzerland. In
addition, it is important to note that in 2003 the largest figure in the
contributions by developing countries was obtained, since 1997. The Group
further requests the Secretariat of UNIDO to enhance funds mobilization
programmed in collaboration with the Member States and the donor community
to speed up the implementation of the agreed Integrated Programmes and
Country Service Framework (CSF).
8. We see a significant increase in the contributions received from
different International Funds and Programmes that deposit their trust in
UNIDO, as an agency of excellence for the execution of their projects and
programmes. This is a sign of greater credibility in the work of the
Organization. Nevertheless, we note with concern that there seem to be no
net approval of funds by the UNDP for UNIDO to execute projects, but there
is a clear tendency that these funds be reduced in the future. This leads
us to design feasible proposals for funds mobilization including through
enhanced Inter-Agency cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The Group of 77 and China followed with keen interest the work of
the Informal Consultative Groups and welcomes the progress made so far.
The Group commends the efforts of the Director-General and the Co-chairmen
of the Consultative Groups for taking up the mission to explain and
underline UNIDO's new structure, performance and recent achievements in TC
delivery in order to widen the membership of the organization.
2. The Group took note of the consultations held with the authorities
of the USA and notes its recognition of UNIDO's active engagement in a
huge and challenging task of facilitating global available energies to
developing countries and to least developed countries.
3. However, the Group is disappointed in the context of a radical
reform of UNIDO and the streamlining of organizational structure after
1996, the USA is still not considering rejoining UNIDO in a short-term. In
this regard, the Group encourages the Director-General to continue
consultations and dialogue with former Member States including maintaining
contacts with the USA to solicit interest to rejoin the Organization and
for non-Member States to seek membership of the UNIDO.
4. The Group also encourages UNIDO to implement the proposals put
forward during the consultations by the Co-chairmen of the Informal
Consultative Group and prepare the future plans for further discussions
with Small Island States. The Group further took note with satisfaction of
the interest expressed by UNDP in establishing a permanent table of
consultation with UNIDO for sharing information. The Group welcomes
readiness by the international financial institutions to start concrete
cooperation with UNIDO and hopes that such promising efforts would be
sped-up.
5. On Trade Capacity-building, the Group takes note of UNIDO's trade
capacity-building activities and cooperation with other International
organizations in implementing the initiative on trade and market access
facilitation and encourages UNIDO to expand its unique experience in this
field in order to solicit greater technical assistance particularly
narrowing the gap existing in internationally agreed technical standards
for developing countries.
6. The Group takes cognizance of the need to strengthen UNIDO's field
operations and concurs with GC.10/Res.2 and encourages the
Director-General to continue consultations with Member States on how best
decentralization of field operations process could be carried out and is
seeking more information about the decentralization and the cooperation
with UNDP.
Mr. Chairman,
7. The Group of 77 and China has actively participated in the
informal working on decentralisation or field representation. The Group
welcomes the recommendations made by the Advisory Group. We believe that
this could serve as useful guidelines for the formulation of proposals on
this issue. The Group notes with appreciation endeavours by the
Director-General to decentralise UNIDO. The Group is of the view that such
decentralisation should, however, be done for efficiency and enhancement
of UNIDO's TC delivery. The envisaged alliance with the UN and any other
international agencies should maintain UNIDO's homogeneity and its
specialisation. New synergies should ensure that UNIDO is placed in a
position where it can better implement its Business Plan and the Strategic
Guidelines "Toward Improved UNIDO Service Delivery". The
Secretariat should further define decentralisation bearing in mind its
multi-faceted nature, all inclusiveness and extension not only to the UNDP
but to all other sister UN organisations.
8. The Group believes that decentralisation is a key and central
issue, which deserves closer attention, scrutiny and should be done well
ahead in the spectrum of the currently envisaged reform of the United
Nations bodies. There is therefore need for Member States to guide and
support the Director General in this regard to ensure that UNIDO takes a
lead in the UN reform. Such support should specify the conditions and
parameters in which the Director-General should explore decentralisation,
proposed alliances and synergies further. The Group therefore encourages
the Director-General to continue consultations with Member States on how
best decentralization of field operations can be done while maintain the
progressive trend of UNIDO interventions, efficiency and its homogeneity.
9. Finally, the Group commends members of the Informal Consultative
Groups for exploring and sharing information with Member States and would
appreciate further briefings as progress unveils.
Mr. Chairman,
1. Even though the Group appreciates the already existing North-South
Cooperation, enhancing the South-South Cooperation is of vital importance
to developing countries at large.
2. The Group therefore commends UNIDO, and particularly the efforts
made by the Director-General, for having active participations in
conferences related to this and to enlarge private sector development.
3. The Group of 77 and China is very encouraged by the efforts being
done so far to bolster relation between Asia and Africa and would like
UNIDO to foster its activities in this area to realize results especially
in promoting investment and technology.
4. The G-77 and China would also like to request the Secretariat to
create a special facility for the South-South cooperation and to seize
this opportunity to call upon other international organizations and donor
countries to increase their all types of contributions to UNIDO.
5. Concerning the Bio Technology Forum of March 2004 that has taken
place in Concepción, Chile, the Group, expresses its interest in
the results of the Forum and would highly appreciate if UNIDO gives
special emphasis to the four points indicated on document IDB.28 /8 page
8.
6. Concerning the ongoing activities of UNIDO in the field of
sustainable energy for productive use, such as energy efficiency, bio
mass, and small hydropower, the Group would like UNIDO to support the
establishment of centers for efficient management and production of energy
in other regions. The Group also takes note with satisfaction of the
second UNIDO/International Center-Small Hydro Power (SHP) Seminar on Small
Hydro Power (SHP) cooperation among developing countries held in Hangzhou,
China.
7. Even though the Group is encouraged by the future prospects of
UNIDO to work closely with NEPAD, it would be appreciated, if the
Director-General reports what has been done so far in this field and in
implementing the resolutions "The Role of UNIDO on implementing the
Millennium Development Goals" adopted by the last General Conference.
8. The Group strongly supports the cooperation between UNIDO and the
Perez Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF) for Economic and Technical cooperation
among developing countries on their first project concerning technology
needs assessment. This project represents a valuable example for the
implementation of UNIDO's initiatives in general.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The Group of 77 and China takes note with appreciation of the
Report by the Director-General as contained in doc IDB.28/5 on UNIDO
activities in countries emerging from crisis situation.
2. The Group strongly supports this thematic initiative taken during
the 10th General Conference in accordance with its resolution GC.10/Res.6,
and with the outcome of the round table that took place on this issue in
the sidelines in the same Conference in December 2003, and looks forward
to its widespread implementation, where needed, bearing in mind the
critical status and vulnerability of people in countries emerging from
crisis situations, including countries emerging from conflicts where
industrial rehabilitation and reconstruction represents a key element in
view with economic recovery.
3. The formulation of appropriate responses to specific industrial
development challenges in post-crisis situations should be pursued, and
further financial resources should be available to implement approved
projects. The Group wishes in this regard to welcome the announcement made
in February 2004 by the DG for the creation of UNIDO special Facility for
Human Security. In preparing the documents, in particular document
IDB.28/CRP.4 and all other related documents, the Group would like to
reaffirm that the Secretariat should only use the agreed language as
mentioned in GC.10/Res.6.
4. The Group believes that the establishment by the end of 2004 of
the Post-crisis and Post-conflict Electronic Support Resource (PPESR) as
part of UNIDO's Electronic Data Management System (EDMS) will enhance the
efficiency of the UNIDO activities in the targeted countries.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The G-77 and China takes note with satisfaction of the document
IDB.28/10 on the financial situation of UNIDO. We are encouraged by the
continued improvement of the financial situation, though the improvements
are neither substantial nor substantive. The Group 77 and China has noted
that the regular budget is planned to be implemented with an average
allocation of 91% of the 2004 appropriations. The operational budget
recorded a surplus of EURO 0.7 million during the first two months of 2004
and the cash resources under the regular budget was EURO 35.3 million. We
also note that technical cooperation delivery during 2003 amounted to USD
94.7 million. The Group regards as positive the increase in the delivery
of technical cooperation and hopes more voluntary contributions would lead
to a further improvement on the level of TC delivery.
2. The G-77 and China takes satisfaction in the fact that the
collection rate of assessed contributions for the biennium 2002-2003 has
reached 92.5%. It shows favorable trend at the beginning of the biennium
2004-2005. We appreciate that 27 Member States, including 6 least
developed countries (LDCs) have made full payments for their assessed
contributions for the year 2004. The Group commends that Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine are cooperating closely with the
Secretariat in carrying out their payment plans.
3. Mr. President, in spite of the above improvements, UNIDO's
financial situation has not fundamentally changed to the satisfaction of
its Member States. For instance, there are still 46 Member States having
no voting right as of 17 May 2004 owing to accumulation of arrears; Funds
for technical cooperation as required by integrated programs and country
service framework fall far short of the needs of developing countries in
general and least developed countries in particular; And there is still no
indication to pay the substantial arrears by some major developed and
developing countries. Therefore, we once again strongly urge the Member
States that are in arrears to settle their outstanding dues and call on
former Member States that are still in arrears to fulfill their
constitutional obligations.
Mr. Chairman,
1. The Group of 77 and China takes note of document IDB.28/11 and
welcomes the generous offer made by the Government of Colombia to host the
11th session of the UNIDO General Conference, to be held from 28 November
to 2 December 2005 in Cartagena de Indias, which has been declared as a
world historic heritage by UNESCO.
2. The Group welcomes this initiative due to the report made by the
Secretariat on the results of the official visit made by the
Director-General to the Colombian authorities and the commitments accepted
by the host Government regarding the assumption of the financial aspects
of the extra costs of this event for adequate participation of all Member
States and considers this as a great opportunity to strengthen UNIDO's
presence in the field, to call the attention of the international
community on the sustainable industrial development and to motivate new
membership and the return of former members.
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