GLOBAL PROGRAMME ONLINE NEWS, SAO PAULO
The Global Programme organised a side-event at UNCTAD XI aht took place during lunchtime on Tuesday the 15th of June (click here for the meeting page). 60 persons attended the event, from developing countries, developed countries and the International Community.
Mr. Reinaldo Figueredo, as Director of the Global Programme, presented the approach followed by the Programme and its critical path of action. Mr. Juan de Castro, Consultant to the Programme, made a presentation on the economy of knowledge as an axis of action, while Ms. Nathalie Vialle presented the specific case of Senegambie. Mrs. Veronique Dethier explained more precisely the concept of "competitiveness and social efficiency".
The UNDP representative, Mr. Kamal Malhotra, reaffirmed the commitment of UNDP in this joint Programme. He also stressed the fact that the Global Programme was a concrete manifestation of UNCTAD XI's overall themes, uneasy issues, which represented therefore a challenge to put in action.
The Belgian representative, Mr. Gunther Sleeuwagen, expressed the support of Belgium to the Programme and made an appeal to potential donors for the next phase.
The ILO representative, Mr. Armand Pereira, Director in Brasilia, expressed the willingness of the ILO to be part of the process initiated by the GP and explained the potential linkages between the ILO and the GP on decent work and the report of the "World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization".
The Bolivian Ambassador in Geneva, H.E. Alvaro Moscoso, insisted on the pertinence of the GP in the very broad development cooperation in Bolivia, furthermore in relation to the two wars that Bolivia went through in the last decade, the Water War and the Energy War. He said that all the issues that the Programme is working on in Bolivia - the Parliamentary Dialogue, the creation of an Economic and Social Council and the advise on energy issues - are of great importance to the country. He mentioned the appreciation of the Bolivian government for this work.
The Senegalese Adviser to the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Boubacar Ba, said that he could only support the concepts implemented by the GP. The activities developed by the Programme in Casamance are most important in terms of natural resources and potential development and the way it is being implemented is precisely what the government is trying to promote in Casamance to help consolidating the peace. The Government of Senegal was happy that Casamance is part of the beneficiaries of the action of the UNCTAD-UNDP joint Programme.
The Vietnamese Ambassador in Brazil, H.E. Nguyen Van Huynh, expressed the Vietnamese's satisfaction that the project elangviet in Viet Nam benefits the grassroots people. The government thinks this project possesses all elements for success: the right beneficiaries, the fact that it was conceived in full partnership with the Vietnamese authorities and that it is integrated within the Country Policy Framework of the UN.
As time was running short, M Figueredo thanked the speakers, as well as all participants to the event, and thus closed the session.
