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Sixtieth session of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Geneva, 22 February 2005
Introductory remarks by
the Executive Secretary,
Ms. Brigita Schmögnerová
Thank you all for accepting the invitation
to participate in the sixtieth Annual Session
of the UNECE. While the sixtieth anniversary
of the UNECE will be celebrated in two years,
in 2007, this sixtieth annual session is
also noteworthy, despite the fact that we
do not celebrate it in a way as was done
by our sister organization, UNESCAP in April
2004. Member States have decided on a very
important agenda, including high-level discussions,
particularly timely in view of the up-coming
high-level dialogue at the 2005 UN General
Assembly on the follow-up to and implementation
of the Monterrey Consensus on Financing
for Development which will form part of
the basis for a comprehensive review of
the progress made in achieving the MDGs.
This, including other items that we will
discuss in the coming days demonstrates
that the UNECE is a part of the United Nations
and reaffirms the bigger context of the
UNECE. This is an important starting point
in decision-making regarding the programme
of work and regarding the directions of
the UNECE in the future in the context of
the comprehensive report on the state of
the UNECE, on which work has just begun.
The terms of reference for that study asks
for an analysis and recommendations on the
changes to the role, mandate and functions
of the UNECE that are necessary taking into
consideration the changes in the European
institutional architecture since the UNECE
was created.
The terms of reference very correctly state
that the UNECE’s role as a UN Regional
Commission should be taken into account.
Allow me to recall that regional commissions,
including the UNECE fulfill a dual role.
As emphasized by ECOSOC, on the one hand,
the regional commissions are regional outposts
of the United Nations, and, according to
regional needs and circumstances “they
fulfill norm-setting, dissemination and
analytical functions as well as undertaking
operational activities that are complementary
and reinforcing”. In other words,
they respond to the regional needs.
But at the same time, ECOSOC has stressed
the importance of the commissions as the
“regional arms of the United Nations”
and stressed the need for linking the activities
of the regional commissions with the overall
activities of the United Nations. This has
been even more recently stressed by the
General Assembly in order to ensure the
achievement of internationally agreed development
goals, a subject we will debate later this
week.
Indeed while the United Nations as a whole,
including the UNECE, performs very important
norm-setting and standards work, work to
which I and many others attach great importance,
we are much more than a “standards-setting
organization”.
The major engine of the
United Nations in recent years has been
the development agenda and the achievement
of the development targets articulated by
the United Nations - targets that relate
not only to the developing world but also
to the developed countries.
The recently released report of the High-level
Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change
emphasizes that development is the indispensable
foundation of a new collective security.
As the Secretary-General himself has stated,
“if we are to succeed in better protecting
the security of our citizens, it is essential
that due attention and necessary resources
be devoted to achieving the Millennium Development
Goals.”
As part of the United Nations, the UNECE
has a role to play in helping countries
to achieve those goals. It is clear that
our work in harmonization and standard setting,
which contributes to economic integration,
contributes to the achievement of those
goals. But it is only one side of our work.
Our work in providing a neutral forum where
all countries can participate in policy
discussions, debate the issues, exchange
experiences, and participate in decision-making
on an equal footing, and our links to the
global agenda, is also important.
This point was emphasized by UNECE member
States in the 1997 reform and it remains
valid. I hope that all stakeholders will
remember it in their reflections on the
future of the UNECE.
For my part, I continue to believe that
the UNECE exists, and continues to exist
because its work is valuable and contributes
to the formulation of, and the implementation
of the UN values, policies and tasks in
the region.
I remain convinced that it can continue,
indeed, is continuing, to be an instrument
of economic integration that works to meet
the needs of its members and helps to forge
bridges and reduce gaps among them. At the
same time, UNECE as a demand-driven organization,
in order to better respond to the demands
of its membership in a rapidly changing
environment, has to continue to adjust and
reform itself and I look forward to working
with you to this end.
Thank you.
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