SFA-AGR-277-08

STATEMENT OF H.E. ERLINDA F. BASILIO
HEAD OF DELEGATION OF THE PHILIPPINES TO THE
 TWELFTH UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
Accra, Ghana, 22 April 2008

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

At the outset, I would like to reiterate our profound thanks to the Government and the People of the Republic of Ghana for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements.

Mr. Chairman.

We meet at a time of relentless change.  Globalization continues unabated, its pace accelerating.   While globalization has brought undoubted benefits, the spread of those benefits has been uneven. 
 
With the increasing complexity and deepening integration of the global economy, it has become increasingly difficult for many to actualize our cherished principles of interdependence on the basis of equitable and sustainable development and social justice.  The attainment of the IADGs and their goal of significant global poverty alleviation remains problematic, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.  In this regard, the Philippines is fully committed to continuing cooperation with the nations of Africa to promote development, including in the context of the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership (NASP).
 
In this time of uncertainty and challenge, UNCTAD must remain a strong instrument to help developing countries secure a more level playing field in integrating and maximizing development gains from the global economy.  UNCTAD’s expertise and technical cooperation must continue to provide developing nations with the analytical armory needed to obtain a clear appreciation of the dynamic global situation in order to better decide on the policy options open to them.  UNCTAD must also continue to facilitate consensus-building so that developing nation solidarity will ensure them a voice in constructing the architecture of the global economy, including bringing the Doha Round to a successful and timely conclusion.

Unfortunately, this crucial role of UNCTAD has eroded over the past few decades.  This trend must be reversed.  UNCTAD is one of the few global institutions with the credibility to comprehensively address current and emerging global trade and development realities and problems.  UNCTAD’s role must be accordingly enhanced.

Mr. Chairman.

Two key areas that merit increased focus and attention are the high and rapid rise of energy prices and food prices.  These are inter-related and have profound effects not only on the development prospects of many countries such as my own, but also on the broader global economic system.
 
Rapidly escalating global energy prices has a direct impact on the economic competitiveness of many countries.  Spill-over effects on the international financial and monetary systems further disadvantage our national economies. 

In addition, the energy situation has negatively affeted the agriculture and food sector.  Many countries, therefore, face the dual problem of an energy crisis exacerbated by a food crisis, with attendant effects on the global economic system.

The manifold implications of these complex and interrelated issues, and the possible responses to them, need to be fully studied and understood.  UNCTAD can contribute to developing a better and clearer understanding of the issues and their interrelationships, and can help countries formulate adequate policy responses, which must include not only policy options at the national level, but also possibilities for action by the global community of nations.

Mr. Chairman.

As many of our leaders have already pointed out, and as highlighted by Dr. Supachai at this Conference, billions have been spent on issues such as good governance.  Yet it is inconceivable that only one percent of total global ODA has been spent on developing the agricultural sector.  This is not to mention what is being allocated to address climate change, and ensuring that developing countries meaningfully participate in the international economic system.

UNCTAD XII is an important opportunity to bring this into perspective, and to realign the way we approach development especially as we begin to pave the way towards 2015, and the global event on development which should evaluate implementation of the internationally agreed development goals, as well as develop new solutions to address the challenges of development in a new global environment.
 
The times require that UNCTAD be bolder and more visionary.  We should go beyond a general discussion of the vital issues that confront us.  UNCTAD’s analytical work and technical cooperation should support this broad approach by being more interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral.  Towards this end, UNCTAD should facilitate our ability to manage cross-cutting methods to better address the complex problems and prospects of globalization and interdependence.

Mr. Chairman.

We should leave this conference with a sense of accomplishment: of accomplishing the goal of strengthening UNCTAD; and of accomplishing important consensus-building on key development issues.  I would like to highlight specific areas in this regard.

First, to strengthen UNCTAD, we must enhance its three pillars to address the trade and development challenges that developing countries face.  This means reinforcing both consensus-building and the secretariat’s analytical capabilities, including its creativity and independence.
 
We, therefore, look forward to even stronger work on systemic issues as well as the increasing complexity and interdependence of today’s development issues.  UNCTAD should have the flexibility to address food security, migration, climate change, and energy issues. 

This does not mean that UNCTAD will become FAO or ILO, or UNEP.  But the situation requires that UNCTAD contribute its unique perspective and expertise, in partnership with other entities of the UN system, as well as with other international organizations.  In this regard, we welcome the UN Secretary General’s declaration at this Conference of the establishment of a high-level group to address food security and its related issues, which is in line with the call for greater global cooperation on food security made by the Philippines. We fully expect that UNCTAD will make a valuable contribution to this effort.

Second, to advance consensus-building, we must energize our close partnership, which has sustained us since the birth of UNCTAD to address the multiplicity of development challenges before us.  This is not always easy, given our different perspectives and priorities.  Yet the spirit of partnership is essential for the success of our global effort to overcome poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The key to this partnership is the recognition that while we may not always agree all of the time, it is important to encourage full and transparent dialogue in order to optimize the prospects for consensus and concerted global action wherever and whenever possible.

In closing, Mr. President, I would like to emphasize that UNCTAD’s role as the only major UN conference on development which takes place on a regular basis means that we have to redouble our efforts to preserve its integrity and profile.  In this way, we will be able to enhance its development role while ensuring that when we speak of development impact, we refer not only to UNCTAD, but to the global partnership for development to which all member states have committed themselves.
 
Thank you Mr. Chairman.

drc