GLOBAL GROWTH AND PROGRESS SHOULD LEAVE NO STATE BEHIND – ROMULO 

18 September 2006, United Nations, New York – Speaking before the High Level Meeting on the Comprehensive Global Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Program of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo called on the members of the United Nations to ensure that in pursuing global growth and progress, no state should be left behind. 

“In the race to wealth, no one should be left behind,” the Secretary said. The Secretary also emphasized that even as the private and public sectors pursue economic growth “We must never renege on our collective responsibility to guarantee the rightful place of the least developed countries (LDCs) in global growth.” 

Secretary Romulo pointed out that “on the march to globalization, the interests of vulnerable LDCs must not be ignored.  Their serious concerns must be given special care and attention. They must be with us on our journey and road to prosperity.” 

In remarks, the Secretary also endorsed the strategy, proposed by South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, for the further implementation of the Program of Action for the LDCs.  In 2001, the United Nations adopted the Brussels Program of Action for LDCs. The report of the Secretary-General on the performance of LDCs during the past five years since the adoption of the Brussels Program of Action shows noticeable improvement in the performance of several LDCs.   

The Secretary also said that regional cooperation is important in terms of ensuring the sustained growth of LDCs. 

“The achievement of sustained growth by the LDCs, given their vulnerabilities and their limited financial resources, needs strong partnerships with their neighbors in particular,” the Secretary said, adding, “This is exemplified by our own regional experience.”   

“When the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), made up originally of robust economies, expanded to include four less developed countries, two of which are LDCs, we launched the Initiative for ASEAN Integration, a strategy to avoid a widening gap in economic growth among member countries,” the Secretary said. 

“ASEAN’s regional story shows that we must not leave anyone behind in our quest to improve our economies and our peoples’ standards of living,” the Secretary said. 

The Secretary said that as Chair of ASEAN, the Philippines will continue to ensure that “our programs place every member firmly on a common road to growth.” 

/jay

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