GENEVA, July 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday called for attaching priority to needs of developing countries in the UN’s country programme as the secretary-general’s High Level Panel (HLP) on UN System-wide Coherence discussed draft recommendations to improve efficiency of the world body.
Prime Minister Aziz, who is the co-chair of HLP with his counterparts from Norway and Mozambique, presented draft recommendations before the panel at its marathon session held here.
Headed by Prime Minister Lusia Dias Diogo of Mozambique, the HLP held discussions on the recommendations which are to be presented to Secretary-General Kofi Annan before the next General Assembly.
The panel has been tasked with improving coherence in the UN with focus on development, improving the environment and streamlining humanitarian assistance.
Mr Aziz underlined that needs of developing countries should be the priority in the determination of the country-programme of the United Nations. He said the panel also needed to take into account political reality.
Later, the three prime ministers and the panel members discussed with the members of the UN Economic and Social Council proposals for a more strengthened UN.
“We have seen the need of greater coordination, greater communication and greater cohesion within the various UN agencies and bodies and with the Breton Wood institutions as well as bilateral development partners,” Prime Minister Aziz said.
Stressing the need for making funds available, he said the UN and the member countries must be able to act promptly for saving human lives and control the suffering of people as a result of natural calamities.
He said the panel also looked at various business practices, human resources and policies, better use of resources, more transparency, funding and spirit of openness which, he added, would only strengthen the UN family and the UN system.
The panel particularly discussed the effective response by Pakistan to the Oct 8 earthquake and how the country was working on the development of the affected areas.
