Pakistan for equitable economic order: UNIDO moot opens
ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: Pakistan on Monday expressed the hope that the new millennium would see a phenomenal industrial growth in the developing countries resulting in bridging the huge gulf of economic disparity between the rich and poor countries.
It said that sharing the benefits of development would build the lasting edifice of a new world economic order that would lessen the North-South divide.
This was stated by Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production and the leader of Pakistan delegation Dr Muhammad Akram Sheikh while addressing the opening session of 9th Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna on Monday, says a message received here.
Dr Sheikh said four years back, doubts were expressed on the viability of UNIDO, owing to its financial and management difficulties, and a business plan was thus devised to outline UNIDO’s priorities and future course of action.
He said the member states had shown a strong resolve in supporting the Director General and the Secretariat in revitalizing and reinvigorating the organization through this plan of action.
Now that this reform process is almost complete, time is ripe for consolidation of its gains and devoting more energy to the delivery aspect, he said.
He said the trust reposed by the member states in the Director General has also enhanced their expectations.
His job is, therefore, now more demanding, as he has to meet the objectives with the scarce resources. In this challenging task “we assure him our full cooperation and support in his endeavours to realize the business plan.”
Dr Sheikh added that UNIDO’s constitution adopted in 1979 set forth its primary objective as the promotion and acceleration of industrial development in the developing countries with a view to assisting in the establishment of a new international economic order.
Twenty-two years down the road, industrialization still remained the key to the eradication of poverty and attainment of prosperity, wealth and improved standards of living, he remarked.
UNIDO’s performance during this period has largely been mixed. It has been successful in providing assistance in industrialization to a number of developing countries in a wide variety of spheres, he added.
Nonetheless, he said, the overall impact of UNIDO’s efforts could not be fully realized in a number of cases due to a variety of socio-economic and political reasons including vicious cycle of debt burden, reluctance to transfer of technology and above all adverse terms of trade for the developing countries.
The establishment of a new economic order based on equitable sharing of prosperity, unfortunately, still remains a distant and illusive goal. The achievement of this aim would require a greater support to UNIDO, he remarked.
Dr Sheikh said the international programmes, which may well be regarded as the heart of UNIDO’s business plan, suffer a perennial shortage of funds.
On the whole only 23.9 per cent of the required funds were available for the planned activities under the integrated programmes during the last year, whereas 76.1 per cent of the projects remained opened for funding.
“It is our hope that the situation would improve in the future and the donor community would give a better response,” he added.
He said at the same time a more realistic planning should be made keeping in view the availability of resources.
If the planned projects do not take off due to non-availability of funds than even the amount spent on planning activity such as feasibility study, etc., is wasted, which could have been used to carry forward some other project, he added.
He said the economic betterment of the under-developed and the under- privileged countries and consequential reduction of poverty and increase in the employment opportunities would go directly towards stemming the tide of radicalism that is rocking the world and disturbing the world peace and harmony. UNIDO has a great role and responsibility ahead.
“We have great hope and expectations that this historical 9th session of the General Conference, under the leadership of its President, which we would be electing, the Director General, and above all with cooperative approach and positive attitude of the distinguished delegates would steer through in a smooth and orderly manner.”
“We envisage a strengthened leadership role of UNIDO in the industrial development of the developing countries through training of their human resources, provisioning of the advisory services, establishment of selected industry and enabling these countries in taking full advantage of future opportunities,” he remarked.
He said it is heartening to note that UNIDO is today involved in multifarious activities adding the ever-increasing involvement of UNIDO in Global Forum activities, and execution of Global Environment Facility (GEF), Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol projects through UNIDO is an explicit recognition of the high level of technical expertise available with the organization.
Subject to availability of finances, he said, UNIDO should try to expand its activity in the area of technology foresight in more developing countries.
Dr Sheikh said the emphasis should be on the capacity building and sustainable growth in the developing countries.
