STATEMENT BY MR PRAKASH GUPTA, FIRST SECRETARY  DURING OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES SEGMENT  OF THE UN DEVELOPEMENT SYSTEM AT ECOSOC IN THE 68TH UNGA
 
(26 FEBRUARY 2014)

Mr. President, thank you for giving me the floor.

India aligns itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Bolivia, on behalf of the G-77.

While we welcome the significant strides made by UN Development system in recent years, the real focus for all of us now, should be to ensure that the UN Development System delivers on the mandate given to it by the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Resolution (QCPR) - 67/226. As we follow up on implementation of the same in this segment, my delegation would like to submit the following :

First, for UN development system to be successful globally it needs to be firmly rooted in its core focus area, which primarily has to be development related only. Poverty eradication still remains the over-riding priority for developing countries and the greatest global challenge. With the adoption of the QCPR Resolution, this was made even more abundantly clear. For the first time ever, in such a resolution, there was a section dedicated exclusively to Poverty Eradication, in which all 193 member called upon the UN Development System to ‘assign the highest priority to poverty eradication’.

OP 70 of the QCPR stated : ‘eradication of poverty through the development of national capacities in developing countries should continue to be the core focus area for the United Nations development system and that all its development programmes and projects should attempt to address this greatest global challenge as their underlying objective’

To my delegation, this is the defining mandate from the QCPR, and the true test of operational activities segment lies in ensuring that effective implementation mechanisms that developing countries need to achieve the same, are followed up, and provided for by the UN Development system.

In this regard, the QCPR had further identified in Para - 73,  capacity building, employment generation, education, vocational training and rural development and the mobilisation of all possible resources,  as some of the concrete instruments, to be utilised by the UN Development System in tackling the challenge of poverty eradication. However, we find that this aspect is surprisingly missing both from the SG's report of 5th Feb 2014, as well as from the Secretariat's explanation on the operational activities segment so far.  

Second, financing for development is increasingly coming under acute pressure. The recent global economic slowdown has adversely impacted plans of national governments in developing countries to even consider scaling up developmental financing. The requirement of enhanced ODA is therefore, all the more critical now, when developing countries are faced with curtailed capital flows, economic slowdown and increased programming requirements. These needs must be met by efforts to increase ODA, promote investment and trade by facilitating transfer of and access to advanced technologies for developing countries.

Third, there is a ‘negative impact of policy conditionality’ that is tied into donor driven aid arrangements when planning for development activities. UN's operational activities for development should feed into national development plans and steer clear of conditionality. Developing countries need to have the policy space required for their own development. It is therefore important that development projects flowing from the multilateral platform are not strait-jacketed in terms of rigid rules and regulations or policy prescriptions. Flexibility and adaptability are  key to their success and these must not be compromised. The fundamental principles of national ownership and adherence to national development priorities must be the pivots around which UN development activities need to be implemented.

Fourth, when it comes to  ’South South Cooperation’ it's time that its given the muscle it needs from the UN Development System, by actually providing resources for development projects for South South cooperation. The least the UN Development System should be willing to do, is to assist developing countries in implementing projects of South South cooperation, whenever such help is being so requested.  However, we find the only entity in the UN Development System mandated to look after South South cooperation, i.e. the UN Office for South South Cooperation, is itself facing severe resource constraints with everyone calling for its strengthening, but not much happening to change the situation on ground!

India's approach to South-South Cooperation has been to share our experience and knowledge in a spirit of solidarity with countries from the South. A key facet of our joint initiative has been along with Brazil and South Africa has been the IBSA Fund.  We are extremely pleased that our partners in this, are the UN Office for South South Cooperation.  We do hope that it would be given the resources it needs to assist developing countries in implementing projects of South South Cooperation.

Fifth, strengthening institutional capacity building in developing countries has to be a key focus area of any operational activity for the development agenda. It is a strategic choice that should be made and sustained by all stakeholders. Many countries could do more if additional finance and technology were available, especially enabling technologies such as ICT technologies for the real empowerment of women and the girl child. Unfortunately, there is little evidence of support from the industrialised countries in these areas. We hope that this imperative would be recognised and addressed sooner than later.

Mr. President, as we move decisively closer in crafting the post 2015 development agenda, the real task before us is to give practical shape and meaning to the guidance provided by the QCPR and ensuring its overall and effective implementation. Selective implementation which benefits the interest of a few and ignores the interests of the larger developing world may not be a prudent approach to take.

As one of the founding members of the United Nations, please count on our fullest support and steadfast commitment in ensuring the fullest implementation of the QCPR.

I thank you Mr. President.