CHAIRMAN: We will continue our discussion, on this item.
M. ZJALIC (Observer for Yugoslavia): My Government attaches great importance to the commodity work of FAO and particularly to the work which is managed and organized through the Commodities Division and the Committee on Commodity Problems. This Council has in front of itself a report of the last session, and the report by itself is a faithful reflection of the well-prepared and successful work done during the last session. We endorse this report of the Committee during the session but we would like to draw the attention of the Council to some points which we consider to be of interest and importance to the Council members and the member countries of this Organization.
We would like to start - briefly of course - with the problem of inter-dependence between developed and developing countries. It has been partly reflected in paragraphs 14 and 17.The problem is whether the economic recovery in some industrialized countries will have some or any impact on the economic position of developing countries, particularly their trade position, and as it was clearly stated by many Council members, particularly by delegates of Brazil, India, Kenya and Sudan, unless this principle of interdependence is recognized as a predominant principle in international economic relations, the economic position of developing countries will be stagnant or will further deteriorate.
The second point I would like to mention is the interlinkage between trade and food security issues as reflected in paragraph 15, and particularly in the second part of paragraph 17 of this report; paragraph 15 at a global level and paragraph 17 the problem of adjustment of national policies which should include concern for food security at national level.
The third point I would like to mention is our full agreement with paragraph 19 and a call for a progressive and multilateral liberalization of markets with a special emphasis on enhancing the purchasing power of developing countries, although we are fully aware that it is probably an idealistic goal, but all our eftorts should be concentrated in finding at least a remedial solution in the temporary solutions in order to attain this final goal.
We fully support the approach of the Committee to the FAO role in commodity and international trade, and particularly as reflected in paragraph 20 and further elaborated in paragraphs 116 to 122.
We support also the role of FAO in promoting and supporting the developing countries to implement economic cooperation among themselves as reflected in paragraph 42 and paragraph 113.
Finally, we would like to join those delegates who have repeated paragraph 125, and we would like to express our thanks and congratulations for Mr Leeks' distinguished service and long years of work for this Organization and member countries.
J. GAZZO (Observador de Peru): Permítame hacer uso de la palabra en mi calidad de observador y miembro del CPPB. La delegación de mi país felicita, en forma muy especial, la brillante labor que tuvo mi colega y amigo Horacio Carandang en la conducción de este Comité. Mi delegación expresa su profunda preocupación por el efecto negativo que significa para los países en desarrollo, el encontrar limitaciones generadas en el comercio internacional de subproductos agrícolas, al limitarnos en el crecimiento de nuestras fronteras agrícolas.
Resulta que las aptitudes agrícolas en las zonas de la gran mayoría de los países en desarrollo guardan estrecha relación con sus respectivas ecologías, cuyas características les colocan dentro de las categorías de países tropicales y subtropicales; posición geográfica que les permite producir con significativas ventajas económicas comparativas, diversas materias primas de origen agrícola como son el azúcar, algodón, café, oleaginosas tropicales, yute, banano y otros que eran justamente los que les permitían, cuando sus precios de exportación eran razonablemente justos, en relación con sus costos de producción, el obtener un volumen de divisas que les permitían a su vez, importar los
productos alimenticios producidos principalmente en países desarrollados de clima templado y de ecologías apropiadas para su producción eficiente y económica. Pero resulta, en cambio, que muchos de estos países desarrollados no se han contentado con esas ventajas ecológicas que les dió la naturaleza sobre los de nuestros países en desarrollo; sino que, ademas, se esfuerzan vehementemente y con altas tecnologías en producir productos sustitutorios y/o sintéticos que nos están limitando en el crecimiento de nuestras únicas posibilidades agrícolas posibles.
Tal es el caso, por ejemplo, de la producción de azúcar, de beterraga y el uso de fructuosas producidas a base de variedades de maíces adoptadas a sus ecologías, estando ultimamente en pleno apogeo, el uso de variedades azucareras de sorgo. Igualmente, cuando los países en desarrollo produjeron abundantes proteínas animales de origen marino, fueron rápidamente sustituidas por proteínas de origen vegetal que ellos no producían, sin importarles el aporte de ciertos aminoácidos esenciales que tienen las proteínas de origen animal y que en cambio, no poseen las proteínas de origen vegetal. Estas tendencias al uso de sustitutos y sintéticos son una de las grandes contradicciones al espíritu del nuevo concepto de seguridad alimentaria enunciado por nuestro Director General que se ha hecho dogma en el mundo moderno.
En cambio, en los ambientes de alta investigación que manejan los países desarrollados se ha hecho muy poco por ejemplo, para encarar con carácter técnico, económico y social el desarrollo de la agricultura de temporal y/o secano, que tantos problemas causan en los países en desarrollo. Aun después de tantas décadas no se ha desarrollado todavía una variedad de trigo tropical tipo low energy, y se ha logrado enriquecer el valor proteico de nuestros tubérculos y raíces; es necesario remarcar que las únicas áreas de cultivo que aun se pueden ganar están pricipalmente en los países en desarrollo; por consiguiente, es necesario hacer una invitación a través de la FAO y de nosotros mismos a los países desarrollados para que limiten el uso de sucedáneos y/o sintéticos que desalojen nuestras actuales áreas de cultivo y nos obliguen, por consecuencia, a usarlas en la producción de otros cultivos, inclusive alimenticios, para los cuales no tienen aptitudes nuestras ecologías y con las consecuencias que erogan los bajos rendimientos que no hacen competitivas estas producciones fuera de sus áreas ecológicas.
Muchas veces la demanda de determinados productos por parte de los países desarrollados nos ha hecho hacer un desarrollo de infraestructura especial y costosa que después queda obsoleta, muchos millones de dólares han sido gastados por nuestros países con aprobación y préstamo de los organismos de crédito internacionales para la producción e industrialización de varios productos tropicales y subtropicales, cuya caja de precio en los mercados mundiales han producido profundas brechas en nuestra balanza de pagos por fuerte endeudamiento contraído para tales fines.
Si se piensa, finalmente, que hace veinte años adquirí un tractor con la venta de 20 toneladas de azúcar y, en cambio. hoy si se quiere vender para el mismo tractor de 70 a 80 toneladas esto nos indica que el valor agregado de los productos industriales se ha mantenido, sin duda alguna, en base al desmedro del valor agregado de las materias primas de origen agrícola.
G. DESESQUELLES (Observateur pour la Communauté économique européenne): La Communauté économique européenne considère que le document CL 84/6 est un rapport satisfaisant résumant parfaitement les débats du récent Comité des produits. A cet égard, la CEE et ses Etats membres rappellent, notamment en ce qui concerne le protectionnisme agricole, que la CEE est de loin le meilleur importateur mondial de produits agricoles et qu'elle a accompli des efforts importants pour favoriser les importations originaires des pays en voie de développement soit dans le cadre de la convention de LOME soit dans le cadre du système des préférences généralisées ou d'accords tel celui entre la CEE et le Pacte andin cité ce matin par M. l'Ambassadeur Bula Hoyos.
Par ailleurs, tout en considérant que les enceintes de la FAO peuvent discuter librement des questions relatives au commerce agricole, la CEE et ses Etats membres rappellent que les propositions pour des mesures concrètes relèvent d'enceintes spécialisées telles que le GATT. A cet égard, il nous paraît inutile de constituer un groupe d'experts chargé de mettre au point des lignes d'orientation comme suggéré par le représentant de la Thaïlande car cela ferait double emploi avec les travaux actuellement en cours dans le cadre du GATT.
En ce qui concerne les accords internationaux des produits de base, la CEE rappelle son attachement aux arrangements visant à assurer la stabilisation des marchés. C'est pourquoi elle souhaite qu'on reprenne instamment les discussions sur un nouvel accord international sur les céréales en tenant compte des intérêts des pays en voie de développement comme il a été indiqué dans la résolution 154 de la sixième CNUCED; de même elle espère que les conversations qui se poursuivent pour un nouvel accord sur le sucre permettront d'aboutir lors de la troisième session de février 1984.
En ce qui concerne les résultats de la CNUCED VI, la CEE se félicite de la nouvelle impulsion donnée à la mise en place du fonds commun et à la réalisation du programme intégré. Elle relance son appel pour que les gouvernements qui n'ont pas encore signé et ratifié cet accord le fassent sans délai. La CEE pour sa part s'est engagée à financer la cotisation au capital du fonds commun de certains pays en développement parmi les plus démunis.
J'en viens maintenant au sujet qui semble passionner certaines délégations, à savoir l'introduction d'une éventuelle taxe sur les matières grasses autres que le beurre. Je ne voudrais pas rouvrir le débat qui s'était instauré lors du Comité des produits et qui est excellemment résumé aux paragraphes 66 à 71 du document CL 84/6. Je rappellerai simplement qu'à ce stade ce n'est qu'une proposition de la Commission des communautés européennes. Cette taxe serait conforme aux règles du GATT et elle traduit la volonté politique d'améliorer l'équilibre global du marché des matières grasses sans préjudice des produits importés.
A un moment où la CEE demande des sacrifices à ses propres producteurs, notamment par des taxes de coresponsabilité pour les produits laitiers tels que le beurre, la Commission des CEE estime qu'elle ne peut plus laisser entrer n'importe quoi dans la communauté sans risque de réduire à néant les efforts entrepris.
En ce qui concerne la demande des Etats-Unis d'Amérique de traiter cette question lors de la Conférence, la CEE considère que cela est prématuré car aucune décision n'a encore été prise. En outre, des sujets beaucoup plus importants pour le tiers monde, comme les vicissitudes des cours des produits de base agricoles et la dégradation de la situation alimentaire des pays en dévelop-pement, notamment en Afrique, mériteront une attention particulière. Toutefois, si les Etats-Unis d'Amérique en font une question de principe, la CEE suppose que nos amis américains marqueront également leur accord pour que l'on discute, lors de la Conférence, des récentes ventes agricoles par les Etats-Unis à des conditions de "dumping" au mépris des règles du GATT.
La CEE estime que nos travaux doivent être constructifs pour aboutir à des résultats raisonnables. C'est dans cet esprit que la CEE est pour un dialogue permanent basé sur la coresponsabilité, sur un plan interne comme sur un plan externe. Nous souhaitons que tout ce que nous faisons par contributions successives serve d'exemple et de référence pour toute progression dans le domaine de l'amélioration de la sécurité alimentaire.
D. R. GREGORY (Observer for Australia): At this stage and as an observer, I would not wish to enter into the debate, but after listening to the last observation I must admit that one is somewhat tempted. However, I think that the important matter has been raised in paragraph 43 that suggests that we will have a further opportunity to raise this matter during Conference and I notice that Council members have referred to that and we fully support those proposals as well as many of the arguments that have been made in that situation.
In relation to the proposals by the delegate of Thailand, since it was just mentioned, I think perhaps in the light of recent events it might be enough just to say that one has cause for being somewhat doubtful about the intentions and resolve of some member nations to achieve within the GATT what that body was established to achieve. Perhaps those proposals that the delegate for Thailand raised at the meeting of the Committee on Commodity Problems reflect some of the frustration that possibly those experiences in other bodies bring to mind.
I would just take this opportunity to compliment generally the work done by the Commodities Division within FAO. I think that work contributes very much to the achievement to some transparency in international commodity markets and for Australia's part, we find that a reflection of the sort of policies that we try to achieve in our own domestic situation.
I would also finally not like to let the opportunity pass to express Australia's appreciation, indeed, its sincere appreciation and deep thanks to Mr. Leeks for his help to Australia over the years and we wish him well in the future.
CHAIRMAN: I think we are behind time so I shall avoid the temptation of saying anything except to add my words of congratulations to the chairman and members of this Committee for the excellent job they have done, for the issues which have been discussed. Twenty-one members of the Council and four observers have taken part in this debate. I am glad that there was such a widespread discussion because the issues are essential to the whole question of ushering in a desirable form of economic order. So I would like to thank Mr. Carandang for introducing the topic and all the members of the Committee. I would also like to add my own words of gratitude and the Council's gratitude to Mr. A. G. Leeks for his most outstanding services during the last 31 years. We would like to wish him well and all I want to say is, may his tribe increase, we want more people with such dedication and such ability.
CHAIRMAN: I have now the complete list of the Drafting Committee and I can read them out: Congo, Cuba, Mexico, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, India, Iraq, New Zealand, Norway, Thailand, and the United States of America. The Committee will elect its chairman. They will meet, according to the Secretary General, tomorrow.
Now I have one more vice chairman. This morning we elected His Excellency Alfredo Pinoargote Cevallos of Ecuador first Vice Chairman, and His Excellency Albert Fequant representative of France to FAO as the second Vice Chairman. We now have to elect the third Vice Chairman.
SJARIFUDIN BAHARSJAH (Indonesia): Recognizing the role of the government of Pakistan in the affairs of this organization, my delegation would like to propose the election of Pakistan to the Vice Chairmanship of this Council.
CHAIRMAN: The delegate of Indonesia has proposed Mr. Qureshi of Pakistan to be the third Vice Chairman.
J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): On behalf of my delegation, it gives me great pleasure to second the nomination of Mr. Qureshi which of course reflects very much the detailed, extensive and significant involvement of the government of Pakistan in FAO and this Council in particular.
Sra. Da A. CAVERO (España): España quiere apoyar la propuesta del Sr. Qureshi, de Pakistán, para esta Vicepresidencia.
CHAIRMAN: I gather the election of Mr. Qureshi is unanimous and I would like to congratulate him on your behalf on the election. I am very happy to have three such very distinguished colleagues.
A. M. QURESHI (Pakistan): I would like to express my deep gratitude for the confidence which this august house has laid in Pakistan. I assure you that we will continue to work along with all the member States to further our common interests in line with the objectives of this Organization. I thank you very much and I thank the members for this confidence that they have placed in Pakistan.
J.E. CARROZ (Subdirector General, Departamento de Pesca): El decimoquinto período de sesiones del Comité de Pesca ha concluido sus labores hace pocos días. Las sesiones han tenido lugar del 10 al 19 de octubre bajo la presidencia del Almirante Abu Rahman, Director General de Pesca de Indonesia.
Este ha sido un período de sesiones muy especial del Comité, ya que representó además la fase técnica de la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca de la FAO sobre ordenación y desarrollo pesqueros. Asistieron a la reunion más de 350 delegados y observadores de más de 120 países y de 20 organizaciones internacionales, es decir un número muy superior al de años anteriores.
Al cumplir con sus obligaciones reglamentarias de examinar el trabajo de la FAO en materia de pesca, el Comité dio su total apoyo a las propuestas del Director General para el próximo bienio. Expresó también su satisfacción por la estrecha integración existente entre el programa regular y el programa de terreno. El Comité apoyó además decididamente la continuación del programa especial de asistencia a los países costeros en desarrollo del Director General para el desarrollo y ordenación de las pesquerías en las zonas económicas exclusivas, tanto en lo concerniente al envío de misiones solici-tadas por los países, como en lo que atañe a estudios a largo plazo.
En su papel de fase técnica de la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca, el Comité llevó a cabo debates muy importantes sobre cuestiones fundamentales relacionadas con la ordenación y desarrollo de las pesquerías. En esa oportunidad el Comité recalcó, tal como se había ya señalado en anteriores reunio-nes del Consejo, que debía evitarse absolutamente la discusión de cuestiones ya resueltas en la Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar. Igualmente, la gran mayoría de las dele-gaciones destacaron la importancia prioritaria del concepto de derechos soberanos de los Estados Ribereños en lo que concierne a la explotación, preservación y ordenación de los recursos vivientes en las respectivas zonas económicas exclusivas. Debo agregar que el Comité se ocupó en sus discusiones no sólo de las pesquerías marinas, sino también de la de agua dulce y de la acuicultura.
Las principales cuestiones discutidas fueron los objetivos y políticas nacionales para el desarrollo pesquero, los principios y técnicas de ordenación pesquera, los problemas especiales que presentan las pesquerías en pequeña escala y de aquellas de los pequeños estados insulares en desarrollo, el comercio internacional de pescado y de productos pesqueros, y la colaboración internacional en materia de investigaciones pesqueras, así como de ordenación y desarrollos pesqueros, con especial referencia al papel jugado por los organismos regionales pesqueros de la FAO y de sus respectivos Comités Subregionales. Como ustedes ya habrán podido notar, hay un breve resumen de los principales puntos propuestos por el Comité, en la sección que precede el Informe del mismo, y que lleva por título "Cuestiones que requieren la atención del Consejo".
En lo que hace a la fase política de la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca, que tendrá lugar el año próximo, el Comité recibió con satisfacción la recomendación efectuada por el Consejo en su ultimo período de sesiones, de elaborar un proyecto de Estrategia de ordenación y desarrollo pesqueros. El Comité aprobó una serie de elementos básicos sobre los cuales la FAO deberá formular orientaciones y princi-pios. Al hacerlo, el Secretariado deberá por supuesto tomar bien en cuenta las discusiones llevadas a cabo por el Comité sobre las cuestiones fundamentales relacionadas con la ordenación y el desarrollo pesqueros. El acento de esta Estrategia deberá ser dado al aumento de la contribución de las pesquerías a los objetivos nacionales en materia económica, social y alimentaria, y por lo tanto a las disponibilidades mundiales de alimentos así como a una mayor autosuficiencia de los países en desarrollo en materia de ordenación y desarrollo pesqueros.
El Comité trató en detalle también el tipo de programas de acción que deberían asociarse con la Estrategia y sobre los cuales la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca debería buscar un acuerdo. Teniendo en cuenta las sugestiones efectuadas por el Secretariado y por un gran numero de delegaciones, en particular las de Noruega y de Canadá, el Comité recomendó que las siguientes cinco propuestas para Programas de Acción sean sometidas a la Conferencia: un Programa de Acción sobre ordenación y desarrollo pesqueros (que cubra tanto las pesquerías marinas como de agua dulce); uno sobre el desarrollo de las pesquerías en pequeña escala; uno sobre la acuicultura; uno sobre el comercio del pescado y de los productos pesqueros; uno para fomentar el papel de las pesquerías en la lucha contra la malnutrición.
El Comité recibió con agrado la recomendación efectuada por el Consejo en el mes de junio, de que se realicen otras consultas con los gobiernos antes de presentar a la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca propuestas detalladas sobre la Estrategia y los Programas de Acción. A este respecto el Comité hizo una serie de sugerencias específicas, que ustedes podrán encontrar en el párrafo 207 de su informe, y que se refieren a las medidas que podrían ser adoptadas por el Director General.
El Comité invitó también al Director General a contactar donantes e instituciones de finaneiamiento, dado que su participación activa y su apoyo concreto resultarán indispensables para convertir las intenciones en una realidad práctica. Tengo la satisfacción de informarles que ya algunos gobiernos y organizaciones han indicado su intención de contribuir a la ejecución de los Programas de Acción.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much for bringing out the highlights of the meeting, which was held only recently.
I would again like to draw the attention of Council members to the fact that under'Matters requiring attention by the Council' there is no particular matter for decision, the points are for information.
H. CARANDANG (Philippines): I would just like to say that the Philippines delegation endorses the Report and welcomes its conclusions on the key issues for Fisheries Management and Development and the work of FAO in Fisheries.
In particular we would like to welcome the conclusions of the Committee on the five Programmes of Action proposed, to wit: (i) Action programme on fisheries management and development (covering both marine and inland fisheries); (ii) Action programme for the development of small-scale fisheries; (iii) Action programme on aquaculture; (iv) Action programme on trade in fish and fish products; (v) Action programme to promote the role of fisheries in alleviating undernutrition.
With regard to the first Action Programme, we understand this to include planning. This is but logical, since before anybody can manage and develop fisheries he has to plan. In fact this has already been indicated in paragraphs 188 and 189, and I quote:
"In this period of change, the challenge was to promote the self reliance of developing countries in the rational planning and management and the optimum utilization of their fish resources, "
Then the last sentence:
"In this respect, the Committee emphasised that the reorientation of strategies and policies for fisheries planning management and development should take due account…" etc.
There the word planning is also indicated. Then in paragraph 189:
"The Committee therefore welcomed the proposal that the World Fisheries Conference should elaborate a Strategy for fisheries planning management and development, comprising guidelines and principles for the reference of governments and international organizations as they consider …" etc.
With regard to the steps recommended by the Committee, we welcome those steps as indicated in paragraph 207, wherein the following steps are foreseen:
"The Committee agreed that fuller, revised drafts for the Strategy and the five Action Programmes would be prepared by the Secretariat, in the light of the Committee's views and recommendations, and would be circulated to all governments, agencies and concerned organizations preferably before the end of December 1983. Written comments would be requested before the end of February 1984. FAO would then convene in March 1984 an ad hoc consultation of government experts to review the drafts and the comments received."
We particularly like the sentence that follows:
"For practical purposes, the number of such participating experts would have to be limited but, in order to ensure proper regional representation, invitations would be extended by the Director-General after seeking the advice of the Chairman of the Regional Groupings."
This I think would ensure that there would be a balanced representation in this consultation of Government experts. Finally, the third step would be:
"Following the consultation, the Director-General would finalise the draft proposals for the Strategy and Action Programmes for circulation to all governments, agencies and organisations which would be invited to participate in the policy phase of the World Fisheries Conference to be held from 27 June to 6 July 1984."
SJARIFUDIN BAHARSJAH (Indonesia): The Indonesian delegation would like to thank the Assistant Director-General for Fisheries for his excellent introduction to the Report of the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries. Needless to say, the Indonesian delegation endorses the Report and the results of the undertaking of the Committee.
There is, however, one item that we would very much like to emphasize. Throughout the Report it has been brought up many times that the field of fisheries also has great potentials for regional and international cooperation and collaboration. One such cooperation and collaboration is in the field of research.
Turning now to the Action Programme as formulated in paragraph 199, we would like very much to add to the five Action Programmes something that will mean that these Action Programmes will benefit from the international and regional collaboration in research in fisheries,
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO ROMANO (México): Deseo aclarar que esta declaración, la hacemos a nombre del grupo latinoamericano y del Caribe, y por tanto también a nombre de la delegación mexicana, para los efectos a que dé lugar en el Comité de Redacción y en el informe de este Consejo.
En primer lugar, deseamos felicitar y agradecer al Sr. Carroz su estupenda presentación y destacar, en particular, el que lo ha hecho en español, lo que consideramos es un obsequio a nuestro idioma; muchas gracias.
La Conferencia Mundial para la Ordenación y Desarrollo Pesqueros, a celebrarse en junio de 1984, tuvo en la 15a. sesión de COFI su fase técnica para analizar los problemas y mecanismos que serán necesarios adoptar para que el Nuevo Orden Jurídico del Mar tenga una vigencia plena.
Como base para los debates, la Secretaría preparo una serie de documentos, varios de los cuales fue-ron calificados por gran parte de las delegaciones de países en desarrollo, como deliberadamente pesimistas respecto a la posibilidad de hacer uso eficiente de los recursos pesqueros en sus nuevas zonas económicas exclusivas. El pronunciamiento del Director General de FAO en su discurso inicial, que las delegaciones solicitaron fuese considerado documento de trabajo, permitió dar un marco ponderado y abrió posibilidades que, junto con la presentación adicional de los temas, permitió un debate fuerte y constructivo.
Los países de la región latinoamericana asistieron a COFI con un trabajo preparatorio materializado en un mandato resultante de la reunión de Ministros de Pesca celebrada en Panamá, en el seno del Comité de Productos del Mar y de Agua Dulce del SELA y apoyados por el trabajo de las delegaciones de los países latinoamericanos dentro del GRULAC (Grupo Latinoamericano y el Caribe).
El trabajo coordinado aunado a la relevancia que los países de América Latina tienen en la producción y comercio mundial de los productos pesqueros y al hecho de que tres de las áreas de mayor potencial de producción se encuentran en la región, constituyen un elemento importante en esta reunión. La posición de los países latinoamericanos está estrictamente vinculada al espíritu de CONDEMAR, por lo que están resueltos a defender el derecho que asiste a sus estados para la libre y soberana disposición de todos los recursos pesqueros mientras se encuentren en sus aguas jurisdiccionales.
Asimismo, existe la conciencia de la necesidad de defender la autosuficiencia y reforzarla a través de las asociaciones a nivel regional, por lo que se ha decidido la creación y puesta en marcha de la Organización Latinoamericana de Desarrollo Pesquero (OLDEPESCA), como medio para lograr la utilización plena de las potencialidades internas de la región, así como la eficiente canalización de la cooperación internacional en armonía con las necesidades regionales.
Apoyamos la afirmación del COFI en el sentido de que debe reconocerse claramente el derecho soberano de cada Estado para determinar la política más adecuada para su desarrollo pesquero y explotación de sus recursos, y que no es aplicable adoptar un unico modelo para el desarrollo pesquero.
Se manifestó de particular trascendencia y sensibilidad, el tema de condiciones y control del acceso a los recursos pesqueros en las zonas económicas exclusivas, habiéndose impugnado el documento preparado por la Secretaría aunque se aceptó la discusión del tema. Apoyamos la afirmación del Comité, que hizo hincapié en que debe darse primordial importancia al objetivo de desarrollar las pesquerías del propio país y las capacidades nacionales de captura en las zonas económicas exclusivas, y que propuso que la FAO ayude a los Estados ribereños en desarrollo a crear su capacidad nacional, facilitándoles información sobre disponibilidad de recursos y el desarrollo de tecnologías y capacidad de gestión en general.
Insistimos ahora en el espíritu del artículo 300 de CONDEMAR relativo a la buena fe con que deben cumplir los Estados firmantes las obligaciones contraídas de conformidad con la Convención, y en el ejercicio de los derechos, competencias y libertades reconocidas en ellas, de manera que no constituyan un abuso de derecho.
Recalcamos que las pesquerías de pequeña escala, párrafo 69 del Informe, también constituyen una de las esferas prioritarias en el contexto del desarrollo y ordenación pesqueros, y que ello debe reflejarse en la estrategia respectiva. Por lo tanto, pensamos que la Conferencia presenta una oportunidad para destacar su importancia. Apoyamos la Estrategia y los Programas de Acción sugeridos por el COFI, especialmente los párrafos 189, 190 y 192 de la Estrategia, y los elementos del Programa de Acción propuestos en el párrafo 199 y 203.
Consideramos que las estrategias y los programas de acción se deben centrar en que la FAO y los organismos internacionales enfoquen su asistencia en áreas técnicas necesarias, como son información, capacitación, tecnología de captura, procesamiento y mercadeo, y en los aspectos sensibles, y que deben actuar por solicitud expresa de los países o las regiones sin duplicar esfuerzos ni recursos.
Enfatizamos que en la estrategia se incluya el tema de financiamiento a la pesca, para lo cual solicitamos nuevamente que la FAO coordine una reunión con los representantes de las fuentes financieras a fin de establecer las necesidades de finaneiamiento del sector, políticas y mecánicas de financia-miento y asistencia en la formulación de proyectos, tal y como fue aceptado por el Banco Mundial en el párrafo 210 del informe del COFI.
Finalmente, apoyamos y colaboraremos en todos los trabajos de preparación de la Conferencia, especialmente en la consulta de expertos gubernamentales que consideramos de gran importancia.
Para los efectos a que tenga lugar, me voy a permitir entregar a la Secretaría, por escrito, esta declaración de manera que pueda ser adecuadamente traducida y se corrijan algunos posibles errores que haya habido en la traducción.
A.A. MALEK (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Pour commenter le rapport établi par le Comité des pêches à sa quinzième session, la delegation de mon pays voudrait faire les remarques suivantes.
Tout d'abord, nous nous félicitons du fait que le COFI s'est fait l'écho de la résolution adoptée en juin 1983 par le Conseil de la FAO au sujet de la consultation qui doit se faire au niveau des experts gouvernementaux en vue d'établir une stratégie et un programme de travail pour le développement des pêcheries pour 1984. Nous concordons avec la proposition faite par le Comité, à savoir qu'une consultation spéciale doit se tenir avant octobre 1983, c'est-à-dire avant la Conférence mondiale qui aura lieu elle-même en 1984. Nous attendons avec intérêt les résolutions qui seront adoptées lors de la Conférence mondiale et nous espérons qu'elles seront conformes à la stratégie ainsi qu'au programme d'action proposés par l'Organisation.
Nous devons également nous intéresser au développement des pêcheries en eaux douces tout autant qu'au développement des pêcheries en haute mer. De nombreux pays, parmi lesquels le Liban, estiment qu'il est nécessaire de développer cette ressource en produits halieutiques, et nous souhaitons que l'Organisation offre une assistance dans ce domaine.
Il faut aussi coopérer dans toute la mesure du possible avec les organisations et institutions régionales qui s'occupent de recherche à propos des pêches et des produits halieutiques. La FAO doit coordonner les efforts de ces institutions et doit aussi être encouragée à créer un projet méditerranéen dont le siège sera à Tunis. Nous espérons que ce projet arrivera à bon port, car il offre beaucoup d'intérêt pour les pays du tiers monde dans la mesure où il démontre l'efficacité de la coopération entre les pays en voie de développement dans le domaine du développement et de l'aménagement des pêcheries. Nous espérons donc que l'Organisation poursuivra son aide à ce projet que nous appuyons totalement.
La délégation de mon pays se félicite également de toute coopération régionale pour le développement et l'aménagement des pêcheries, la coordination des législations aux niveaux régional et sous-régional. A ce sujet, nous espérons que toutes possibilités nous serons données pour que nous puissions exercer notre souveraineté sur nos zones économiques exclusives. Ces droits doivent être renforcés afin que les ressources halieutiques puissent être exploitées dans l'intérêt national.
Nous estimons que tout ceci ne peut être mis en oeuvre sans un aménagement efficace et rationnel des pêcheries. C'est une opération inséparable du développement en général. A cet effet, nous appuyons le paragraphe 31 concernant la nécessité d'analyser et de diffuser les informations et de former les compétences nationales. J'estime que l'OAA a la compétence et les experts nécessaires pour remplir ce rôle. Il est hors de doute que les problèmes auxquels font face les petites pêcheries dans les pays en voie de développement sont très importants en raison des situations économiques et sociales qu'elles représentent et des ressources en protéines qui en découlent. Nous reconnaissons tous que les systèmes traditionnels suivis par les petites pêcheries ont besoin d'être rénovés pour développer l'industrie halieutique. A ce sujet, nous appuyons tout ce qui est contenu dans les paragraphes 79 à 85 du rapport du COFI.
A. FEQUANT (France): La délégation française appuie les conclusions du rapport du Comité des pêches, particulièrement claires, précises et pleines d'enseignement pour nos différents pays. Ces recommandations sont fort utiles à la phase politique de la Conférence mondiale sur le développement et l'aménagement des pêches, qui se tiendra l'an prochain aux mois de juin et de juillet.
Compte tenu de l'intérêt manifesté par la Communauté économique européenne, mais aussi en tant que pays méditerranéen, nous approuvons les dispositions prises par la FAO en vue de mettre en place le projet régional de développement et d'aménagement des pêches dans la Méditerranée, tel qu'indiqué au paragraphe 132 du rapport. L'importance de cette initiative mérite d'être soulignée
Mrs. J. WALLACE (United States of America): The United States was one of many governments and organizations represented at the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries. We considered that meeting a success both in terms of the normal COFI business as well as in considering technical issues of fisheries management and development in preparation for the policy level of the World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development to be held next year.
My delegation would particularly like to endorse the five action plans as foci for the discussion of the 1984 World Conference. We also want to express our support for the procedure the Secretariat is using in making the final preparations for the World Conference. We believe the Secretariat has been flexible in shaping the basic elements for discussion. They were particularly receptive to points raised on the floor at the technical phase. The result has been a great improvement over earlier proposals. Likewise the Secretariat has commendably strived to keep our governments adequately informed and involved in the final preparations.
In sum, my delegation believes that the discussions at the World Conference will largely reflect the hard work, sensitivity and cooperation that the Secretariat has displayed today.
Let me conclude by congratulating Mr. Carroz both for the excellent work he and his staff have done, and for his recent elevation to the helm of the Fisheries Department as Assistant Director-General.
ABDUL WAHID JALIL (Malaysia): The Malaysian delegation would like to congratulate the FAO and the Committee on Fisheries for the very successful completion of the technical phase of the World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development. We find in the report of the Committee a complete and comprehensive discussion of the technical aspects relating to fishery management and development, particularly those relating and having significance to the developing countries. We congratulate the Committee for being able to agree on global fisheries strategies and the associated action programmes. We generally endorse the conclusions and recommendations as contained in the report.
Mr Chairman, my delegation welcomes the strategies and action programmes agreed by the Committee, and feels that they would subsequently lead to the development of new policies and approaches to effectively use and manage the available and newly created fishery resources for the purpose of providing better scope to the social and economic conditions of the small-scale and other artisanal fishermen in particular, and those in the nations in general.
My delegation also hopes that the committee could further develop an appropriate conceptual framework for a systematic approach to planning and policy management. We should take into consideration all aspects of the proposed strategies and action programme. By doing so we feel many developing countries would be able to develop a well-conceived long range national policy as against the uncoordinated fishery policies commonly used now to overcome the problems and obstacles that may hinder an effective management and development of the fishery resources
The cooperation from developed countries and other international organizations having expertise and resources in this field cannot be over-emphasized. Since many developing countries have themselves developed expertise and have gained expertise in certain aspects of fishery development and management, the concept of TCDC and ECDC in the fishery sector should be strengthened.
W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): I can be very brief on the agenda item before us. My delegation welcomes the report of the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries which represents in our opinion a very good working paper for the World Conference on Fisheries Management and Development.
The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany took an active part in the preparatory phase of the World Fisheries Conference at the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries last month. I shall refrain therefore from dwelling on details. Let me just say that we welcome the important role attributed to the work of the regional fisheries bodies.
To make the forthcoming conference a success we feel the prerequisites for this must be clearly outlined strategies and action programmes on fishery management and development. As regards implementation of such strategies and programmes we are of the opinion that their formulation should be based on realistic assessments of the possibilities for financing them.
To conclude, I would like to point out that my country is also prepared to cooperate constructively in the forthcoming consultations on the formulation of programmes of action and strategy.
J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): First my delegation welcomes the report of the Committee on Fisheries and we feel it reflects very well the extensive discussions that took place only a week or so ago. Also we would like to record our thanks to Assistant Director-General Carroz and his staff for the work they did in advance of thé COFI meeting, and indeed, so I am told, for the work they put in at the time of the meeting.
New Zealand is in general agreement with the proposed strategy and action programmes to be submitted to the policy phase of the World Fisheries Conference next year. In particular the procedure by which revised strategy drafts and revised drafts for the action programme are to be circulated to all concerned for further comments in advance of the policy phase of the conference is, we feel, to be commended and this will continue the thorough preparation which has characterised this exercise thus far.
Secondly, I do not propose to go through all the wealth of information and detail in the report. I would just like to flag one or two areas of particular importance in the South-West Pacific. Firstly, fisheries to the Member States of this Organization and their neighbours in the South-West Pacific are assuming considerable importance. Many of these countries suffer from the particular problems of small island states, for example very small size, remoteness, and the associated problems of transport and communications. For a number of these countries the opportunities afforded by the declaration of economic zones provide one of the few possibilities of securing additional resources for development. The establishment of the South Pacific Foreign Fisheries Agency in Honiara in the Solomon Islands was the result of a collective realization of the importance of fishing cooperation to these countries, cooperation of course not only among themselves but also with distant water fishing nations operating in their waters. The New Zealand delegation is glad to see that the report makes specific mention of the work of the FFA. The FFA, the Foreign Fisheries Agency, is providing considerable help to its members not only in production but increasingly in marketing. It is still a young institution but it should be recorded that FAO is providing support for the Foreign Fisheries Agency, but of course it is not only the Foreign Fisheries Agency which needs support but the Committee on Fisheries. Many of the developing countries spoke of the specific needs they had for assistance in the developing field of fisheries.
I hope, that as this report goes forward to the Conference and to next year's ministerial meeting on fisheries, adequate account will be taken of the need for future arrangements to be supported but also to be flexible enough to answer to the varying needs of different regions of the world, and to be able to strengthen and encourage groupings which have been established in response to the needs of particular regions.
A. BOTHNER (Norway): I would like to make a few comments on the report of the recent session of the Committee on Fisheries. These comments will on the whole also reflect the views of the other Nordic countries. In the view of our authorities the Fifteenth Session of COFI was a very good one and a useful one. It served the dual purpose of a more regular examination of world fisheries problems and particularly of the preparations for the World Conference on Fisheries Development and Management to take place next year.
Commenting more specifically on the report, I would like to submit the following views. I am trying to concentrate on matters of future relevance, particularly on the action programmes of which we approve. The action programme on fisheries management could become an important element in the endeavours to ensure that the stocks are harvested in a sensible manner. We have stressed the need for coastal states who share the same stocks to administer these stocks in such a way that overfishing is avoided.
The action programme on trade receives our full support. Norway is particularly interested in the removing of formal and institutional barriers to obtain fish. Action Programme No. 5 on the role of fisheries in alleviating undernutrition was, as it is known, proposed by ourselves on the basis of expert consultations held in my country earlier this year. We are indeed convinced that fish constitutes an important health element in a diet that often mainly consists of cereals. It is also our opinion that there is a need to merge part of fisheries policies with the objective and strategies of food and nutrition policies.
In conclusion, our authorities try to take an active part in the remaining preparations to the conference as well as the conference itself.
J.L. MESEGUER (España): Permítame, Sr. Presidente, felicitar como lo han hecho otras delegaciones al Dr. Carroz, Director General Adjunto para el Departamento de Pesca, por la magnífica presentación que ha efectuado del Informe que aprobó el Comité de Pesca en su 15 período de sesiones celebrado el pasado mes de octubre.
Mi delegación muestra su conformidad con el Informe, toda vez que el mismo recoge de manera equilibrada las distintas y encontradas posiciones expuestas en el Comité en todos los temas sometidos a debate y debe constituir este Informe un buen punto de partida para valorar las distintas documentaciones que sirvan de base para la discusión de la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca. En efecto, el Comité de Pesca ha tenido en cuenta tanto la creación de las Zonas Económicas Exclusivas de 200 millas y el régimen que las comportan como la obligación de dar acceso a las flotas de otros Estados en los supuestos previstos en la Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre Derecho del Mar, acceso que podría condicionarse a una eficaz cooperación económica, técnica y científica tendente a favorecer el inte-gral desarrollo pesquero de los países ribereños en desarrollo.
Por último, mi delegación quiere destacar dos aspectos positivos en este Informe. En primer lugar el tratamiento que el Comité ha dado a los recursos situados dentro y fuera de las 200 millas en una adyacente a las zonas económicas exclusivas; tratamiento que, como no podría ser de otra manera, se ha ajustado a lo dispuesto en la Convención sobre Derecho del Mar respecto a estos recursos compartidos.
En segundo lugar, sin perjuicio de las consideraciones favorables a la apertura de mercados y de mejoramiento de las redes de comercialización en los países en desarrollo, el Comité ha tenido el acierto de resaltar la vinculación existente entre el acceso de pesca y el acceso a los mercados pesqueros.
Finalmente, el Informe destaca la gran importancia que el Comité concedió a la cooperación entre las organizaciones internacionales, habiéndose destacado especialmente la necesidad de que la FAO refuerce su colaboración con la Comisión Oceanográfica Internacional en beneficio de la potenciación integral de la investigación científica pesquera. También mi delegación quiere manifestar su apoyo y simpatía sobre el posible establecimiento de un proyecto regional para el desarrollo y ordenación de la pesca en el Mediterráneo.
K.C.S. ACHARYA (India): Development of fishery resources is vital to the maritime states, as it is a renewable resource and yields a lot of benefits. Similar is the case with the inland fisheries, though the scale and nature of operations for its exploitation are different. The social and economic aspects of fisheries are amongst the dominant forces in the economies of the maritime countries. The recent treaty under the aegis of the United Nations on the Law of the Seas has added a new and path-breaking dimension to the development of fishery resources. The declaration of the EEZ has suddenly endowed the maritime nations and landlocked nations as well, with an enormous resource which they will have to exploit in a rational manner so that it does not cause any irreparable damage.
It is not mere formality when I say that the report of the 15th Session of the Committee on Fisheries is comprehensive and well written. Practically all the aspects of fishery development - both marine and inland - have been considered and included in the report. The Chairman and members of the Drafting Committee deserve our compliments. But this report has its importance from another angle too. It represents the preparatory phase for that epoch-making World Conference on Fisheries to be held next year, only a few months away from now. Just as the 1974 World Food Conference was an epoch-making conference in the field of food and agriculture which led to worldwide awareness of the scourge of hunger and privation, which led to the urgent examination of the various issues connected with world food security and how it quickened the pace of work in a number of world bodies like UNCTAD, the International Wheat Council, the World Food Council etc., with FAO playing the role of a catalyst, so it is going to be with the World Conference on Fisheries. It is in that status and role that we look to this conference and the labours of the 15th Session of the Committee which has done this preparatory work.
We would like to highlight briefly a couple of points which should, in our opinion, receive paramount consideration in drawing up the strategy for fishery development in future.
One, development of national capability for the exploitation of resources in the EEZ: we support the recommendations of the Committee on this point, that chartering of foreign fleets can at best be a temporary and stopgap arrangement. Ultimately it is the nationally owned fleets which must be built up. All policy and action programmes should be based on this basic hypothesis.
Two, harmonization of interests between the large mechanized fleets and the traditional sector: this is acutely a human and social problem and it would be a poor testimony to us if in the craze for development and exploitation of resources, we allowed the tensions, conflicts and inequality of opportunity to become accentuated.
Three, place of aquaculture in the development of fishery resources: this is a relatively neglected sector, perhaps because the technology is not well established, perhaps because the economics of the operations are not very favourable; and perhaps also because the people who have to do it are too poor to make the initial investment. Nevertheless, it is a sector full of promise and would also contribute a supporting plank for conservation efforts. It must receive its due place in any future development programme.
Four, in my country the traditional fishermen, whether in the marine sector or inland, constitute the poorest of the poor sections of the community; in the scale of social values, education and other physical amenities they are very backward, they need the support of the society at large to improve their lot. Their economic exploitation by middlemen has to be stopped and some ways have to be found to enable them to receive a fair price for their catch.
Lastly, a word about poaching. In the annals of maritime history, going back in point of time in the ancient law of the sea, poaching is an ancient game; but then the law of the sea did not obtain with the same force and validity as it does today. This menace must be curbed and finally stopped. I was very happy to learn that in the deliberations of the Committee Canada made a very sound and sensible suggestion that responsibility for poaching should lie as much on the flag States as on the countries whose wealth is being poached. India supports this proposal fully and would suggest that it should be given the sanctity of law.
With these brief observations we endorse the suggestions and recommendations contained in this excellent report.
KONG CANDONG (China) (original language Chinese): The Chinese delegation would like to thank Mr. Carroz, ADG of the Fishery Department, who has just briefed us on the 15th Session of the Committee on Fisheries. We endorse the report of the Committee as contained in document CL 84/7.
As the 15th Session of COFI constituted the technical phase of the FAO World Conference on Fisheries Development and Management to be held in June 1984, it bears a special importance and significance. All through the Session the delegates from various countries fully expressed their views and exchanged experiences and in so doing deepened their understanding of the related problems in the field of fisheries, and finally reached consensus on some major issues. Its report reflects the views and positions of governments on the items voiced during the Session. This, we believe, has surely formed a good basis for the coming World Fisheries Conference.
We think the 15th Session of COFI was a success and we look forward to seeing the success of the World Fisheries Conference to be convened in Rome next year. We hereby wish to assure delegates that the Chinese Government will continue its endeavours and collaboration with FAO and strive to achieve the principal objectives of the Conference, that is, better utilization of fishery resources, promotion of self-reliance on the part of the developing countries in the development and management of their fisheries and improved international cooperation; a greater contribution to national self-sufficiency in food and world food security. Parallelly we shall also make our modest contribution in pursuing to formulate the strategy for the development and management of world fisheries as well as the programme of action.
F. RAZZAQUE (Bangladesh): My delegation read with great interest the document CL 84/7 and expresses its appreciation for its excellent quality and high standard. We place on record our deep appreciation for the Committee and the Assistant Director-General. In deference to your wishes, we shall keep our intervention brief and touch upon only a few issues.
Bangladesh attaches a great deal of importance to development of TCDC fisheries management skills and we therefore support the proposal that FAO should prepare an inventory of regional skills and facilities as well as a basis for TCDC programmes between neighbouring countries.
In many countries, including Bangladesh, small scale fisheries and small fishing communities account for a substantial part - in some cases the majority - of the total produce. Social and economic aspects of these small communities are of great importance. Development of small fisheries in an integrated manner therefore calls for appropriate policy formulation. FAO can meaningfully assist us, the developing countries, in formulating the appropriate policies.
Finally, we do support the Committee's view that fuller and revised drafts for the strategies and the five action programmes would be prepared by the Secretariat in the light of the Committee's views and recommendations and these would be circulated to all governments for comments.
Sra. E. HERAZO DE VITI (Panamá): Además de los señalamientos indicados por el distinguido representante de México en su declaración, sobre los cuales coinciden los países del grupo latinoamericano y el Caribe (GRULAC), nuestra delegación desea manifestarse en relación al informe del decimoquinto periodo de sesiones del Comité de Pesca, COFI, destacando la premisa fundamental del derecho soberano de cada estado para determinar la política más adecuada para su desarrollo pesquero y para el aprovechamiento de estos recursos y poder adoptar, en consecuencia con la Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar, las decisiones relativas a la explotación, ordenación y aprovechamiento de los recursos ícticos en las zonas económicas exclusivas que se derivan de estos derechos soberanos.
Además de este principio fundamental, señalamos otros hechos de indispensable importancia para el desarrollo de las pesquerías en los países en vías de desarrollo, como lo son la conservación y ordenación racional de estos recursos dentro de una cuidadosa planificación que esté en función y responda a los objetivos económicos, sociales, nutricionales, de investigación y de capacitación de nuestros países, al igual que fortalecer cada vez más la colaboración tanto internacional, regional y subregional a través de organismos intergubernamentales como el Sistema Económico Latinoamericano, (SELA), a través de su Comité de Acción sobre producción del mar y de agua dulce, que en reciente declaración ministerial dada en la ciudad de Panamá formuló objetivos en torno al desarrollo pesquero que incluyen importantes aspectos, tales como los del incremento y la diversificación pesquera alimentaria, la mejora en los sistemas de comercialización de esos productos y la atención adecuada a la investigación y desarrollo tanto de la pesca artesanal como de la acuicultura.
Nuestra delegación aprecia la calidad de la documentación de la FAO en materia de pesca y muy en especial aquélla que va dirigida a la oportuna información de los Estados Miembros, como aquélla que en forma efectiva transmite conocimientos y tecnología.
Siempre hemos considerado que la FAO, a través de su Departamento de Pesca, no debe disminuir ni desligarse de la atención de este importante aspecto; ademas destacamos y reconocemos el importante papel desempeñado con los recursos de los cuales dispone en materia de asistencia pesquera.
Consideramos que se debe afinar y perfeccionar esta asistencia para que atienda aspectos específicos como el de la necesidad de que se conciba la acuicultura como parte integrante de programas de desarrollo rural. Sobre este tema somos partidarios de la idea de que en un próximo futuro se celebre el Año Internacional de la Acuicultura, con el propósito de centrar la atención mundial sobre este importante aspecto que tiene que ver con la cría artificial de peces, tanto en aguas continentales como marinas.
Nos manifestamos de acuerdo con la propuesta del COFI en el sentido de que se prepare para la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca un documento de estudio sobre el posible mandato y las repercusiones financieras y de otra índole que pudiera tener la creación de un Grupo Intergubernamental de la FAO sobre productos pesqueros.
Por último, mi delegación apoya los elementos para la formulación de una estrategia sobre la ordenación y desarrollo pesquero, de la cual nos habla el párrafo 190, e igualmente aprobamos la propuesta relativa a los cinco programas de acción que, finalmente, será presentada a la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca de junio de 1984 y de la cual nos habla el párrafo 197 del informe en discusión.
P. GOSSELIN (Canada): As my delegation participated fully in the recent technical phase of the meeting on fisheries, we do not intend at this point to revisit that debate. We are certainly heartened by the work of the technical phase of the Conference and we endorse the report, its conclusions and its recommendations, especially those with regard to the development of the five action programmes. In this context we would like to lend our support to the proposals contained in paragraph 207 leading to the preparation of revised drafts of the action plans and their eventual consideration by a group of experts in March 1984 before their presentation to the policy phase of the World Fisheries Conference.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): La délégation de mon pays a, le mois dernier, pris activement part aux travaux de la 15ème session du Comité des pêches siégeant également en phase technique de la Conférence mondiale des pêches, aussi voudrions-nous apporter tout notre appui à l'excellent rapport qui nous est soumis, et notamment aux recommandations qui y sont faites sur les conditions des activités de la pêche, ainsi qu'aux mesures proposées pour l'améliorer.
La République populaire du Congo, l'instar de bien d'autres pays côtiers en développement, est désireuse de voir les activités de pêche maritime et continentale permettre de combler le déficit en protéines animales de nos pays. L'accroissement des activités dans ce domaine est clairement exprimé dans notre plan quinquennal de développement économique et social et se caractérise par un besoin évident d'expansion progressive de la capacité nationale des pêches. Cependant, nous sommes d'avis qu'en attendant il est nécessaire de mettre au point une stratégie de développement de la pêche qui tienne compte du contexte actuel. En effet, devant l'insuffisance marquée des ressources
à investir pour accroître notre propre capacité de capture, en ce moment, il importe de négocier des accords bilatéraux avec les pays possédant la technologie et les ressources financières, pour mettre en place une coopération fructueuse, mutuellement avantageuse, et qui tienne compte du droit inalié-nable des pays côtiers sur les ressources biologiques de leurs ZEE.
Les vues du Comité à ce sujet rencontrent donc notre assentiment. De même, nous partageons l'avis exprimé par le Comité au paragraphe 11, pour insister sur la nécessité pour chaque Etat d'intégrer dans sa planification des objectifs nationaux le développement de l'important secteur des pêches à partir duquel nombre de ruraux tirent le maximum de leur revenu. Malheureusement, au stade actuel, dans de nombreux pays, ces revenus restent encore très faibles, malgré la volonté exprimée par les gouvernants.
Nous reconnaissons également que l'absence de données sur les ressources halieutiques des zones économiques exclusives est un handicap pour les pays en développement qui, de ce fait, disposent de peu d'atouts dans des négociations éventuelles avec les flottilles étrangères pouvant être autorisées à pêcher dans les ZEE.
C'est pourquoi l'accent mis sur la recherche et la nécessité d'une évaluation approfondie du type, de l'importance et de l'état des stocks de poissons, revêtent pour ma délégation une importance capitale. Mais nous reconnaissons que l'accès des flottilles étrangères ne change pas fondamentalement la situation d'avant l'adoption de la nouvelle convention sur les droits de la mer. C'est pourquoi notre politique vise à accroître notre propre capacité de pêche, tout en acceptant la création d'entreprises mixtes, en attendant de disposer de la technologie et de plus de ressources tant financières qu'humaines, et ici autant qu'ailleurs le concours actif de la FAO est plus que jamais requis.
Au stade actuel de développement de nos pêcheries, notre gouvernement tient à apporter son concours aux petits pêcheurs, en les organisant en groupements, et en leur permettant d'accroître tant soit peu leurs moyens de capture, de conservation et de commercialisation, en vue d'augmenter leurs revenus et de faire reculer la pauvreté qui caractérise les populations pratiquant cette activité. Cependant, des efforts encore plus importants sont faits en vue d'acquérir des moyens d'exploitation modernes seuls susceptibles d'assurer un approvisionnement suffisant et régulier en poissons à l'intérieur de notre pays et de permettre la fourniture de cette denrée à nos voisins sans littoral. Mais cette dernière ambition pourrait être favorisée par une coopération sous-régionale dans le domaine de la pêche.
Signalons que dans notre pays la pêche continentale est assez largement pratiquée en raison des cours d'eau suffisamment poissonneux. Aussi, le gouvernement a décidé d'encadrer ces petits pêcheurs par une structure nationale susceptible de favoriser l'expansion de cette activité, dans le but de créer des emplois et de permettre à ces petits pêcheurs d'obtenir des revenus plus conséquents. Voilà pourquoi notre délégation voudrait appuyer la place réservée dans le rapport du Comité sur la pêche continentale ainsi que l'aquaculture.
Enfin, lé gouvernement de mon pays, qui tend à prendre une part active aux travaux de la phase politique de la Conférence mondiale sur les pêches, apporte son appui aux propositions détaillées relatives à la stratégie, notamment les points soulignés au paragraphe 192. Nous appuyons également la mise en place de 5 programmes d'action contenus dans le paragraphe 199, car leur mise en oeuvre est susceptible d'apporter les améliorations sensibles à la situation prévalant actuellement dans Jes pays en développement.
W.E. ADERO (Kenya): Kenya participated at the proceedings of the Fifteenth Session of the Committee on Fisheries. My delegation therefore generally supports the report tabled before us on the reference CL 84/7. We particularly support the observations and recommendations of paras. 69 to 85 under which special problems of small-scale fisheries are discussed and paras. 95 to 109 under which special problems of inland fisheries and aquaculture are discussed. My delegation also welcomes and endorses the Committee's proposals of the five action programmes as contained in para. 119 of the Report and action to be taken on them as at para. 207 before they are submitted to the World Fisheries Conference in June of next year.
TESSENA NEGASH (Ethiopia): Considering the time constraint I shall refrain from making an exten-sive analysis of the document before us. However, my delegation feels duty bound to point out one point of great concern - which incidentally has just been referred to by the delegate of Kenya who spoke before me - a point of great concern to the African region. While giving due attention and importance to the exclusive economic zone declarations, equally more consideration needs to be given to the small-scale inland fisheries. A great many countries in Africa are either landlocked or have very little access to the sea. For such countries large-scale fisheries have little meaning. With this in mind we endorse and welcome the last line of paragraphe 96 and paragraphs 101 and 102, which call for special attention to the role of inland fisheries. Lastly, we endorse the Report of the Committee in its entirety.
A.M. QURESHI (Pakistan): Most of my friends have already spoken at length on the subject, so I would like to be brief.
First, I would like to congratulate the Assistant Director-General on the excellent document CL 84/7 which succinctly highlights the key issues relating to fisheries management and its development. It also brings into focus the commendable efforts of FAO in promoting a well-conceived global strategy for fisheries development and its management. The Report before the Council this afternoon marks the culmination of the technical phase of the forthcoming World Fisheries Conference to be held in 1984.
We fully endorse the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Fisheries. It fully refects the aspirations of the developing countries for the management and better utiliza-tion of fisheries resources and the promotion of their national self-reliance for the exploitation of this valuable renewable resource. We eagerly look forward to the policy phase - that is, the World Conference on Fisheries.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia escucho con atención la presentación que de este tema hizo el Sr. Carroz, a quien reiteramos nuestra felicitación por su merecida designación como Subdirector General Jefe del Departamento de Pesca, Igualmente nos complació oír al Sr, Carroz hablar en la linda lengua castellana, lo cual puede contribuir al equilibrio lingüístico que venimos propugnando.
La delegación de Colombia apoya plenamente las declaraciones anteriores de los distinguidos embajadores de Mexico, quien habló en nombre del grupo latinoamericano y el Caribe, la distinguida embaja-dora de Panamá y el distinguido amigo y colega del Congo quienes al hacer estos apoyos de orden general, facilitan nuestra intervención que estará limitada a manifestar nuestro aprecio positivo por que la reunión del COFI que venimos comentando, haya cumplido adecuadamente su cometido de fase técnica de la Conferencia Mundial de Pesca que vamos a celebrar en el año entrante. Consideramos que los preparativos para ese gran acontecimiento avanzan en forma adecuada, que sin duda, nos permitirá obtener los mejores resultados.
Sobre este tema, la delegación de Colombia piensa que la FAO debe seguir apoyando, por todos los medios posibles, las posibilidades de que los países en desarrollo hagan el mejor, más racional y más productivo uso del nuevo derecho del mar surgido de la Convención recientemente suscrita. Reconocemos que la FAO ha demostrado interés especial por estas actividades. Desde cuando la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas y los Derechos del Mar celebraban sus prolongados períodos de sesiones, ya nuestra Organización se ha preocupado por elaborar programas especiales para las zonas económicas exclusivas. Todo ello, sin duda, habrá de conducir a que, en la FAÖ, en todas esas actividades prevalezcan esencialmente los derechos, las aspiraciones y las necesidades de los países en desarrollo.
En la reunión del Comité de Pesca, nuestro distinguido colega y amigo Sr. Moskovifs de Malta, uno de los más antiguos y competentes representantes de gobiernos ante la FAO, expresó algunas ideas que aparecen reflejadas en el párrafo 132 del Comité de Pesca, Se trata de establecer un proyecto regional para el desarrollo y ordenación de la pesca en el Mediterráneo. Desearíamos que el Consejo transmitiera el apoyo a esta iniciativa a la Conferencia a fin de que se haga realidad.
F. BREWSTER (Barbados): My delegation endorses the Report contained in CL 84/7 and congratulates the Committee on Fisheries on its most comprehensive work. I also wish to endorse the statement made by Mexico on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean group, supported by the delegate of Panama.
My delegation appreciates the emphasis which has been placed on the special problems of small developing island states in the management and development of fisheries. These problems are well articulated in paragraph 87. They relate to scarcity of trained manpower, difficulty in obtaining resource information, among other things. We feel that these problems are well known to island states, as mentioned by the delegate of New Zealand.
My delegation endorses the Action Programme set out in paragraph 189. We feel that apart from the area of regional cooperation there is a vast area of bilateral cooperation in the matter of development of fisheries in small island states and we trust that our conference when it comes to this will give some attention here as well.
We look forward to the forthcoming Conference in June 1984.
N. DIMITRIU (Roumanie): La délégation roumaine a examiné très attentivement le rapport de la quinzième session du Comité des pêches. Elle se déclare d'accord en particulier pour ce qui con-cerne les questions clefs en matière d'aménagement et de développement des pêches pour les activités de la FAO dans le domaine des pêches en 1984-1985. Elle approuve aussi la stratégie préliminaire d'aménagement et de développement des pêches et le Programme d'action spécifique proposé par le Directeur général.
Ma délégation approuve tout à fait le paragraphe 132 et félicite la FAO pour sa décision de mettre en place un projet régional de développement des peches en Méditerranée. Elle félicite également la CEE qui a exprimé son intérêt pour ce projet.
E.P. PALLEYNE (Observer for Trinidad and Tobago): My delegation, and it speaks as an observer, has read with much interest and appreciation the most valuable report on the discussion. It focusses neatly and precisely on the major problems in fisheries management and development and is particularly to the point in its observations on the special difficulties of small island developing countries, as the delegate from Barbados who spoke a few minutes ago also made reference to.
The general views of the Latin American and Caribbean Group have been ably expressed by our Group Chairman from Mexico. Our brief intervention at this time, however, relates to concern which is very relevant to all aspects of fisheries development and indeed to the other areas pertaining to the protection and exploitation of natural resources with particular reference to food production.
I do not think it is open to dispute that one cannot sensibly speak of fisheries management and development unless one is assured of water quality, be it in marine areas or inland areas. For purposes of aquaculture particularly water quality is of the, first importance and of the first magnitude in the developmental process.
As will have been readily understood, I am speaking of the essential requirements that the environ-ment, the condition of our land, our forests, our water, our air, be suitable for the production of our food of whatever kind and from whatever source.
My delegation therefore wishes to stress the need for the Organization to pay even closer attention in its fisheries programme as well as its programmes in general to the need to ensure the protection and the improvement of the environment in which its programmes will be implemented. Naturally, the closest consulation on this issue with country and regional organizations, and especially organizations concerned with the environment, is necessary. I would suggest that FAO might find it desirable to take even greater initiative with governments and regional bodies in this most critical area, for after all nothing truly significant can come of planning and programming, no matter how carefully and how perceptively done, if it is done against a background of an environment which for the most part is being steadily degraded. It is not necessary to say in simple language that references to Action Programmes will be meaningless if there are no or few fish, and may we also add that we can only speak of fish as being a renewable resource if we ensure that there is an environment in which it can be renewed.
Finally, the frightening implications of continuing degradation must properly inform our action.
CHAIRMAN: That brings my list to a close. I want to thank the 24 speakers, the 23 Council members and one Observer, who have made comments during the last 11 hours. I am glad that in 1½ hours so many could speak on this important topic.
I wish to associate myself with the well deserved tributes made first to the Chairman, Admiral Abdu Rachman of Indonesia and all the members of the Committee on Fisheries, and to Dr Carroz and his very able staff for the outstanding report as well as for the detailed preparations that they are making for the World Conference on Fisheries.
In relation to the five major Action Programmes which members have rightly supported I would like to make three points. They are well known but I think they are worth repetition. It is rightly stated in the document that training underlies all the five Programmes of Action. But I do hope that, particularly in new fields like aquaculture, that priority attention will be paid to the training of women particularly women in Third World countries belonging to landless labour families. If explicit attention is not given to them, they will be bypassed by the new technologies programme. I hope that when the Conference develops, women's training will receive particular attention.
Secondly, in relation to the aspect of aquaculture and nutrition, which the delegate of Norway rightly emphasized, here there is a very great opportunity to combine aquaculture with horticulture, because there is water along the banks of ponds and rivers. Depending on the nutritional require-ments of an area one can add specific fruit trees and also combine agriculture and aquaculture. Of course fish and chips are well known as a food combination. Rice and fish are also grown and eaten together widely. But interestingly enough these combinations are also nutritionally excellent. Not only do people like to eat them but there is a beautiful complementation in terms of nutritional quality.
Integrated attention to agriculture and aquaculture could really trigger a movement for integrated pest management. I think here is an opportunity which we should not miss.
Finally, as emphasised by the last speaker there is need for a systems approach in fisheries starting with production and ending in consumption. Quite frequently I have seen aquaculture projects where there is emphasis only on production since the expert helping in the project is only a production expert. Post-harvest problems are not attended to properly, as a result of which Salmonella and other infection causes serious health hazards. Hence, emphasis should be placed on the total system of production, processing, marketing and consumption.
I thank you all very much once again and I wish to thank Mr. Carroz once again; I wish him and all his colleagues well in organizing the World Conference which, as the delegate of India said, is likely to be similar in its significance as the Rome World Food Conference. I am sure the Conference on Fisheries is going to be a very important landmark.
A. REGNIER (Directeur, Bureau des affaires interinstitutions): C'est pour moi un plaisir d'introduire, au nom du Directeur général, le point de votre ordre du jour relatif aux faits nouveaux survenus dans le système des Nations Unies intéressant la FAO. Deux documents sont à votre disposition. Le premier vous a déjà été présenté lors de votre quatre-vingt-troisième session, le C 83/19. Je me limiterai donc aujourd'hui à introduire le second, C 83/19-Sup.l qui fait état des développements survenus depuis votre dernier Conseil jusqu'au début du mois de septembre. Depuis lors, comme vous le savez, le développement principal a été l'ouverture de l'Assemblée générale dont il est trop tôt pour parler présentement.
Je me permets d'autre part de rappeler que la Conférence considérera ces mêmes documents dans quelques jours, ce qui pourrait peut-être dispenser le Conseil d'un examen approfondi à ce stade. Pour ma part, je me bornerai à attirer l'attention sur quelques-uns seulement des points principaux contenus dans ce dernier document.
En premier lieu, je citerai l'examen intersectoriel que le Conseil économique et social a effectué au cours de sa session de juillet dernier, des activités et des programmes figurant dans les plans à moyen terme des organisations du système des Nations Unies et de l'agriculture d'une part, et la population d'autre part. Ce fut pour la FAO l'occasion de rappeler le rôle prééminent qui lui est imparti dans le secteur agricole et alimentaire et de décrire brièvement son action et ses programmes à cet effet.
Vous noterez que la résolution adoptée par l'ECOSOC au terme de ses débats, qui se trouve en annexe au document C 83/19-Sup.l, souligne le besoin d'une assistance extérieure accrue à l'agriculture en particulier à travers les canaux multilatéraux, et demande au système des Nations Unies de prendre les mesures nécessaires pour donner effet au concept élargi de sécurité alimentaire mondiale, tel que votre Conseil lui-même l'a approuvé.
J'ajouterai d'ailleurs que ce concept élargi de sécurité alimentaire mondiale a reçu le plein appui tant du Conseil mondial de l'alimentation en juin que de l'ECOSOC en juillet, qui ont tous deux demandé à la communauté internationale de le mettre en oeuvre le plus largement possible.
En ce qui concerne le renforcement de la capacité du système des Nations Unies de répondre aux situations d'urgence, comme vous vous en souviendrez, le Secrétaire général avait été requis de soumettre un rapport à l'ECOSOC. Ce rapport a été considéré et a reçu de ce dernier un accueil favorable. L'ECOSOC a, en particulier, reconnu qu'un système fiable était maintenant en place, permettant de promouvoir et de coordonner les actions de secours au sein du système des Nations Unies, en collaboration avec les gouvernements et les organisations volontaires. Confor-mément aux voeux del'ECOSOC, le Secrétaire général soumettra à la prochaine session de l'Assemblée générale, en 1984, des propositions précises pour donner suite aux conclusions et aux problèmes identifiés dans ce même rapport.
En ce qui concerne la CNUCED VI, le paragraphe 45 du document vous indique les éventuelles implications pour la FAO des décisions prises à Belgrade . Vous en avez déjà débattu ce matin; je n'y reviendrai donc pas.
La coopération économique et technique entre pays en voie de développement, paragraphes 46 à 53 du document, a été débattue lors de la réunion conjointe du Comité du programme et de la coordination des Nations Unies et du Comité administratif de coordination. Ce fut l'occasion pour le Directeur général de réaffirmer l'importance que la FAO accorde à cette question et qu'elle lui accordera également dans le cadre du budget et du biennium 84/85. Cette question a également fait l'objet d'un premier échange de vues au sein du Comité administratif de coordination, la semaine dernière, en vue de la préparation d'un rapport substantiel qui sera présenté au CPC l'année prochaine.
Les paragraphes 65 à 70 du document concernent la coopération internationale dans le domaine des établissements humains et traitent, d'une part, de l'année internationale pour les sans-abri qui sera proclamée en 1987 et, d'autre part, du programme intersectoriel sur les établissements humains qui sera soumis au CPC en mai 1984.
Enfin, les paragraphes 107 à 113 traitent des relations entre la FAO et la Commission économique et sociale pour l'Asie et le Pacifique, notamment en ce qui concerne la coopération et la coordination des programmes des deux organisations dans le domaine de l'alimentation et de l'agriculture. Je souhaite, à cet égard, appeler votre attention sur la déclaration conjointe du Directeur général et du Secrétaire exécutif de la Commission de mai 1983 ainsi que sur l'extrait du rapport du CPC en juin dernier sur ce sujet, en annexes D et E. Ces informations vous sont soumises pour tout commentaire que le Conseil et la Conférence ultérieurement souhaiteraient faire.
Pour terminer, je voudrais signaler que le document C 83/19-Sup.l fait également rapport sur le rôle de la FAO dans les préparatifs ou les suites à donner concernant diverses conférences mondiales organisées dans le cadre des Nations Unies, en particulier la deuxième conférence interna-tionale sur l'assistance aux réfugiés en Afrique qui se tiendra au mois de mai 1984 à Genève; la conférence internationale sur la population prévue également en 1984; le suivi de la conférence des Nations Unies sur la science et les techniques; l'année internationale des communications, etc.
Je ne voudrais pas prendre davantage du temps de votre conseil pour détailler ces mesures; elles sont indiquées dans le document qui vous est soumis Bien entendu, je me tiens à votre disposition pour toute clarification ultérieure que vous souhaiteriez avoir sur ce point comme sur tout autre contenu dans les documents soumis à la considération du Conseil.
CHAIRMAN: I would, if members agree, suggest we have item 6.2 also introduced by Mr. Shah so that on these two items, if any members would like to make comments, they can make them together. If this is agreeable to you, may I ask Mr. Shah to introduce item 6.2, UN International Development Strategy for the Third Development Decade.
V.J. SHAH (Director, Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation): It is a privilege to have been instructed to introduce this document, C 83/26 on the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade. The International Development Strategy, as the Council will recall, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its Thirty-Fifth Session in 1980, and it was drawn to the attention of the FAO Council at its Seventy-Ninth Session and to the attention of the Conference at its last Twenty-First Session in November 1981.
Both the Council and the Conference recognized the importance of the goals and objectives of the International Development Strategy being achieved and the key role of food and agriculture in improving the quality of life and raising the economic growth of developing countries.
At its last session, the Conference also recognized that it would have the opportunity to consider how FAO might best contribute to the United Nations' review and appraisal of the Strategy which is scheduled for next year, 1984. The Conference noted that since the International Development Strategy was a guide for action, it would be appropriate for the Organization to give its views to the United Nations on the reason for successes and failures in reaching the objective of the Strategy. The arrangements for the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Strategy were decided upon by the General Assembly through its Resolution 37/202 which was adopted in December 1982 and which forms Appendix A of the document just introduced by my colleague Mr. Regnier. By this Resolution, the General Assembly established a Committee of Universal Membership, that is to say a committee of the General Assembly itself to carry out the review and appraisal of the imple-mentation of the Strategy in 1984. The Committee is expected to meet from May 1984 onwards, and it will report to the General Assembly at its session next year through the Economic and Social Council.
While this Resolution gives a complete picture of the arrangements made, I draw your attention to one paragraph in particular, and that is operative Paragraph 6 of the Resolution, which I would quote: "Calls upon the relevant organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to report on the results achieved in their respective sectors in applying the International Development Strategy as the policy framework in the formulation and implementation of their programme of work and medium-term plans."
Accordingly the Director-General submits for the consideration of the Council and then to the forthcoming Conference the document before you which aims to illustrate how the international development strategy, and more particularly the policy measures contained therein, have served as a framework for FAO programmes in the early 1980s and in its medium-term plans. The major constraints encountered in programme implementation so far are also indicated inasmuch as they affect the realization of the goals of the strategy.
I would point out that the structure of this document follows closely the text of the international development strategy itself, and it reflects the main headings of Section 3 of the strategy which deals with policy measures. For reasons of clarity and space, consideration is given mainly to those sectoral areas or cross sectoral areas where FAO has a fundamental interest and where signi-ficant action and sizeable activities have been undertaken. I explained this in order to indicate, Sir, that it is not only the section of the strategy dealing with food and agriculture which is relevant to our Organization but also the policy measures such as international trade, financial resources for development, science and technology for development, and others where FAO has a direct link through its activities with the objective of the strategy.
The Director-General considers it important not only to convey his views to the United Nations Committee on Review and Appraisal but to convey the views of the Conference. In so doing he proposes to submit to the Committee on Review and Appraisal of the General Assembly the document you have before you, such views as the Conference may express upon it, and also the views of the Conference on the key policy subjects it will consider, among which I would mention the state of food and agriculture, the progress report on the follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and the World Food Security, all of which relate to the objectives of the international development strategy.
The thrust of the policy measures recommended in the international development strategy, particularly as regards food and agriculture, is considered by the Director-General to be as valid as ever, as is the need for FAO's programmes. These needs have been carefully reflected in the Director-General's proposed Programme of Work and Budget for 1984/85. The Director-General hopes that the Conference will recognize and reaffirm the essential role to be played by FAO's programme in order to achieve the objectives of the international development strategy, and in this connexion the Director-General also hopes that the Council will draw to the attention of the Conference its own views on the measures which it considers of particular importance.
CHAIRMAN: We will now have a joint consideration of these two documents, C 83/19 Supplement 1 and C 83/26. You may recall C 83/19 was considered at the June meeting of the Council.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia ha apreciado muy positivamente las presentaciones hechas por los colegas y amigos Regnier y Shah, presentación muy adecuada e ilustrativa.
Sobre el primer tema, el 6.1, como lo dijo el Sr. Regnier, consta de dos documentos uno de los cuales el C 83/19 ya lo consideramos en la pasada reunión del Consejo en junio de este año. El
Suplemento 1 actualiza la situación. Cada vez que la delegación de Colombia ha intervenido sobre este tema en las ultimas reuniones del Consejo y de la Conferencia, hemos expresado nuestra preocupación por el retardo en que se inician las negociaciones globales relacionadas con la cooperación economica internacional para el desarrollo. En el primero de los documentos se dice que no ha habido ningún progreso sobre esas negociaciones globales, y esto tiene fecha de abril de 1983; ahora en el Suplemento 1 ni siquiera se habla de esas negociaciones. Quisiéramos preguntar al Sr. Regnier qué ha pasado, cuales son los obstáculos que siguen impidiendo la iniciación de esas negociaciones y si habría alguna posibilidad de que empiecen siquiera en el año 2000.
Quisiéramos saber también si la actual Asamblea General en curso se va a ocupar del comienzo de las negociaciones, en las cuales habíamos cifrado tantas esperanzas.
Antes de entrar en unos pocos detalles sobre los documentos a nuestra consideración, la delegación de Colombia cree que este Consejo en la parte respectiva de este tema debe destacar dos aspectos de importancia general. El primero de ellos, a nuestro juicio, debe ser la señalación positiva del Consejo de la preocupación que ha venido demostrando el Director de la FAO por los problemas alimene tarios y agrícolas del Africa. Una rápida lectura de todo lo que está pasando en el sistema de las Naciones Unidas indica que cada vez se hace más perentorio el deseo y más decidida la voluntad de que se consagren los recursos y las actividades de la comunidad internacional en favor de Africa; y el Director General de la FAO, como todos lo sabemos, ha realizado recientemente una reunión con 22 países de los más afectados en Africa y se propone intensificar esas actividades.
La delegación de Colombia piensa que este Consejo debe señalar ese hecho positivo, no sólo a nuestra propia Conferencia próxima a iniciarse sino a los demás organismos de las Naciones Unidas para que se compruebe cómo en el seno de nuestra Organización se trata de hacer realidad la preocupación por el continente africano, que desgraciadamente muchas veces no es tenida en cuenta con la atención necesaria.
Otro punto de orden general, señor Presidente, distinguidos colegas, que creemos debe ser igualmente señalado es la satisfacción que nos causa el hecho de que en todos los organismos del sistema de las Naciones Unidas haya sido acogido favorablemente el concepto nuevo y ampliado de la seguridad alimentaria mundial que en buena hora ha presentado el Director General de la FAO. Creo que estos son hechos positivos que destacan, una vez más, la acción positiva de nuestra Organización y todo el contexto de las Naciones Unidas.
Estamos muy complacidos de que en la parte referente a los exámanes intersectoriales que llevó a cabo el ECOSOC se haya considerado el aspecto de la alimentación y de la agricultura, y es muy satisfactorio registrar el hecho, como se dice en el párrafo 8, que el Director General de la FAO hizo una declaración mediante la cual se presentaron las actividades de nuestra Organización, e igualmente se distribuyeron adecuados e importantes documentos al respecto. La delegación de Colombia piensa que corresponde a este Consejo apoyar el concepto fundamental de la Resolución que aparece en el apéndice A instando a la comunidad internacional a que otorgue la máxima prioridad a la agricultura y a la alimentación, especialmente por conductos multilaterales. Creemos que es oportuno que este Consejo haga hincapié en el concepto multilateral por razones bien conocidas, y particularmente en este momento cuando una serie de acontecimientos en todo el sistema de las Naciones Unidas parece indicar que está encurso una conspiración notoria y dirigida contra la asistencia multilateral.
El párrafo 12 hace referencia a la evaluación analítica que se va a realizar en el contexto de las Naciones Unidas sobre algunas de las agencias especializadas del sistema. Nosotros queremos compartir la expresión que aparece en el párrafo 12 atribuida a una de esas agencias, creemos que fue la Unesco, en el sentido de que esa evaluación analítica sobre cada una de las organizaciones sólo puede llevarse a cabo en la propia y respectiva organización. Es cada una de las agencias de las Naciones Unidas la que está capacitada, a través de sus órganos rectores, para llevar a cabo esos análisis. Creemos que es conveniente que en cuanto a la FAO destaquemos esto en nuestro informe para que el ECOSOC lo tenga en cuenta.
Sobre la situación de emergencia nos complace también lo que dice el párrafo 28. Creo que convendría señalar el hecho de que todo está funcionando adecuadamente, de que hay una clara delimitación de las funciones de cada organismo y de que conviene continuar esa cooperación y mejorarla en cuanto sea posible.
Los párrafos 34 y 35, siempre en Suplemento 1, se refieren al Fondo Común. Ya nuestro distinguido colega y amigo el señor Gosselin del Canadá, se refirió esta mañana a ese Fondo Común. Quisiéramos preguntar si después de la publicación del Suplemento 1 en septiembre pasado ha disminuido la cifra del 29 por ciento adicional que faltaba para que el Fondo Común empiece a operar el 1 de enero de 1984, y en caso de que no se logre ese porcentaje qué va a pasar sobre el Fondo Común, qué piensan en la UNCTAD; ¿se va a prolongar una vez más el plazo que ya fue prolongado en ocasión anterior? Ojalá que se nos pudiera responder a este respecto, señor Presidente.
Volviendo a la función misma de la FAO en el sistema de Naciones Unidas, la delegación de Colombia le atribuye gran importancia a la atención prioritaria que en la FAO se está ofreciendo a la cooperación económica y a la cooperación técnica entre los países en desarrollo.
Apoyamos los párrafos 46 al 54.
Nos complace mucho que la FAO se preocupe cada vez más por apoyar el programa de acción de Caracas sobre la cooperación economica entre los países en desarrollo que ha estado activando el Grupo de los 77.
Estamos igualmente satisfechos con lo que dice el párrafo 49, en el sentido de que la FAO va a realizar en 1985 otra consulta tecnica sobre esa cooperación económica entre países en desarrollo; esto lo consideramos adecuado para revisar lo que se ha hecho hasta ahora y continuar esa acción benéfica.
Estamos igualmente complacidos de que la FAO haya participado en septiembre pasado en la reunión que se llevó a cabo en Túnez del Comité Intergubernamental de Seguimiento y Coordinación del Grupo de los 77.
Esperamos que la FAO participe también en febrero del año próximo en la reunión global del Grupo de los 77 sobre cooperación entre países en vías de desarrollo que va a celebrarse en Bucarest, Rumania, en febrero de 1984, repetimos, y que igualmente, desde luego, la FAO se prepare desde ahora a participar en otra reunión del Comité de Seguimiento y Coordinación que tendrá lugar en Cartagena, Colombia, nuestro país en el otoño de 1984.
Creemos que la presencia de la FAO en estas actividades es conveniente y bien recibida por todos los gobiernos.
Hemos entendido muy bien las razones reiteradas que nos ha expuesto el señor Regnier en cada ocasión que discutimos este tema, porque el FIDA, el Fondo de Desarrollo Agrícola, no hace parte de estos informes; sin embargo notamos que se incluye aquí el informe del noveno período de sesiones del Consejo Mundial de la Alimentación celebrado en Nueva York, y en el cual participamos. En ese informe el CMA hace un llamado a todos los países para que cumplan sus compromisos sobre la primera reposición del FIDA y se preparen a participar con positiva voluntad política en la segunda reposición. Creemos que este Consejo debe acoger ese llamado y transmitirlo una vez más a la Conferencia.
No queremos entrar en detalles, pero la situación del FIDA es grave, está en peligro la subsistencia de ese importante organismo. El programa de trabajo para 1983 debió reducirse en un 30 por ciento; en 1984 sufrirá una reducción aún superior y no podemos asistir impasibles a la muerte por inanición de este importante instrumento del desarrollo, que fue creado particularmente para beneficiar a los pequeños países, a los estados pobres con bajos ingresos y déficit; de alimentos. Esperamos que el Consejo todo comparta esta llamada que creemos necesaria, sin entrar en polémicas para no molestar a otros colegas que conocen nuestra posición al respecto y que saben cuán enérgica ha sido la posición de Colombia frente a esos hechos lamentables .
Si me permite, señor Presidente, tres minutos más para el 6.2 del C 83/26 que fue presentado por el señor Shah, creemos que la FAO está cumpliendo de manera muy adecuada lo que se estipuló en la Resolución 37/202 de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas. Este informe dará ocasión a este Consejo, pero desde luego ampliamente a la Conferencia, a que se exprese nuestra opinión sobre cómo avanza en el seno de la FAO el cumplimiento de la estrategia internacional del desarrollo, naturalmente en cuanto hace relación a los componentes de la agricultura y la alimentación, y desgraciadamente en el campo específico y que esencialmente nos interesa, en el de la producción alimentaria, deberemos registrar el hecho de que no se ha cumplido la meta del 4 por ciento que se había previsto en la EID y que, como dice el párrafo 37, apenas se ha llegado escasamente al 3 por ciento.
La delegación de Colombia quiere compartir el concepto social y humano que aparece en el párrafo 35 sobre la necesidad de que la producción alimentaria en sí misma no debe ser considerada como elemento de recuperación para los países en desarrollo, si no va acompañada de una distribución justa y adecuada de los beneficios de esta producción que le permita hacer llegar todos los beneficios posibles a los grupos más vulnerables de la población de cada uno de nuestros países.
Estamos muy satisfechos de que la FAO siga llevando a cabo el liderazgo que le corresponde en el campo de la reforma agraria y desarrollo rural y nuestra Organización debe seguir participando en las misiones que visitan a los países para que analicen las políticas y los programas de reforma agraria y desarrollo rural; todo ello con un profundo respeto por la soberanía de cada uno de los gobiernos.
P. GOSSELIN (Canada): La délégation du Canada remercie le Secrétariat pour la production de ce rapport qui fournit une bonne illustration de la multiplicité des liens entre la FAO et le système du développement des Nations Unies. Compte tenu du grand nombre d'organisations, de programmes et d'agences en présence, ce rapport démontre bien la complexité inhérente à ce réseau. Il permet également de faire ressortir le dynamisme de la FAO et le rôle précieux qu'elle joue dans son champ d'activité.
Cette multiplicité d'interactions fait qu'il n'est pas chose facile pour chacune des parties intéres-sées d'avoir une bonne vue d'ensemble de ce système, mais qu'il est au contraire plutôt difficile d'en posséder le détail et de s'assurer qu'il se dirige dans la bonne voie. Il est donc essentiel de garder toujours en perspective la finalité des systèmes, c'est-à-dire le développement même des pays qui reçoivent l'assistance. En ce sens, une approche coordonnée, basée sur les besoins et problèmes exprimés par les pays en développement paraît être le meilleur usage.
La délégation canadienne considère que le système multilatéral actuellement en place a contribué à renforcer la coopération économique internationale et a permis de monter une meilleure attaque sur les problèmes persistants auxquels nos sociétés doivent faire face. Comme le déclarait le Secrétaire d'Etat aux Affaires extérieures devant l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies, à New York, le 27 septembre dernier, le système en place dispose d'un grand potentiel qui doit cependant être exploité encore plus. Dans cette perspective il s'agit de s'assurer qu'une action cohérente soit réalisée, et cela par la poursuite d'une direction et de buts communs en faveur d'une coopération pratique entre le Nord et le Sud.
Au paragraphe 33 du rapport C 83/19, on mentionne pertinemment que la FAO est pleinement consciente du fait que la coordination offre un meilleur moyen de réduire un gaspillage de ressources. Nous sommes très heureux de cette position, et nous encourageons la FAO à poursuivre et renforcer son effort entrepris en ce sens.
L'étude détaillée sur les activités opérationnelles des Nations Unies donne une description intéressante de la façon dont fonctionne ce système. A la session d'été d'ECOSOC, en compagnie de plusieurs autres délégations, nous avons déploré que le rapport présenté n'ait pas proposé ou tenté d'orienter l'évolution du système vers une plus grande cohérence. Peut-être un premier pas sera l'étude mentionnée à l'alinéa 10 de la résolution de l'ECOSOC.
Finalement, nous sommes d'avis qu'il reste encore beaucoup de chemin à parcourir et nous encourageons la FAO ainsi que les autres parties impliquées à continuer d'oeuvrer à la mise en place complète et efficace des chapitres consacrés à cette question de la résolution 32/197 de l'Assemblée générale.
H.CARANDANG (Philippines): The Philippine delegation would like to address itself to item 6.2, United Nations International Development Strategy for the Third Development Decade, as contained in document C 83/26. In this document in C, Food and Agriculture, we see that in paragraph 34 it. is stated that:
"The eradication of hunger and malnutrition cannot take place, as emphasized in the IDS, without accelerated and sustained growth in food and agricultural production in developing countries, for which the IDS sets a target of average annual growth rate at least 4 percent through the Eighties."
In paragraph 35, however, this document points out that "The solution of the world food problem cannot however be reduced to dramatic increases in agricultural and food production." It rightly states that "Concomitant action is necessary to ensure that food is available in adequate quantity and quality to those who need it most." In addition, therefore, to programmes for increased food production, measures must be taken to improve access to food by the poorest segment of the population.
In paragraph 38 it is stated that FAO's assistance is centered on its efforts to increase food production, and I read:
"Multidisciplinary assistance to food production efforts has been the central focus of FAO's activities for many years and remains the mainstay of its programmes."
Indeed, FAO's efforts to increase food production are very well described beginning at paragraph 40 under the heading Planning Assistance, up to paragraph 46 of the report. Turning to direct support to food production, beginning at paragraph 55, as well as its efforts to help forestry and fisheries development, we do not see from the document how FAO mobilizes its expertise to achieve the objective indicated in paragraph 35 which is indeed the wider concept of food security.
The Philippine delegation wonders how a more integrated approach towards the achievement of the international development strategy objective and the food security objective in relation to FAO's activities and programmes is going to be achieved, and this applies to FAO's Programme in general at the Headquarters and regional level and also at the country level. I merely point this out. Of course, it is indicated here in the follow-up to the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development which addresses itself to the problem of equity qnd greater people's participation in rural development with special emphasis on rural poverty and alleviation and equal access to inputs, etc. But this seems to me to be a sort of compartmentalized approach to the problem. We want to see how the FAO mobilizes its expertise to realize the integrated approach which has been fully endorsed not only in this paper but in the food security paper which, as indicated, accepted the wider concept of food security.
D.R. TOUSSAINT (United States of America): I too would like to address item 6.2 only briefly. The document before the Council C 83/26 has been prepared for submission to the Conference. The United States believes the report is a good one and is one we can largely support as it relates to FAO activities designed to fulfill the international development strategy. Moreoever, the United States fully agrees this document should be referred to the Conference so that, and here I quote from para. 2 of the introduction "The views of the Conference can be submitted to the General Assembly."
The United States joined in endorsing the ideas in 1980 not without question, nor without reservation, which were expressed at length at that time. It should come as no surprise therefore that while we fully support reference of this document to the Conference, we do not do so without some questions, nor without some reservations related to its contents. Since the report is meant for full discussion in the Conference it would not seem fitting to enter into the details of the kinds of reservations in our minds but I hope you would permit me at this point to indicate the subjects to which our questions and reservations relate: the need for liberalization of all agricultural trade and the most appropriate and effective forum for the negotiation of such liberalization; the role which can be played by the private sector including transnational corporations in the development process; and we have, thirdly, some thoughts and concerns both substantive and institutional related to the Director-General's report on world food security and to the new concept on world food security; the need for continued improvement in the coordination of all developmental agencies involved in food and agriculture; the problems which we see, some inherent, in food reserve proposals and the implications of these problems for future FAO activities; and finally the future of food aid and how it should be related to national policies leading to self reliance.
In conclusion let me just say it again, our general approval of this report and our desire to have it referred to the Conference for futher discussion. Our interest and our approval are accompanied by questions which we expect to have elaborated more fully in the discussion at the Conference.
A.M. QURESHI (Pakistan): Allow me first of all to commend the Secretariat for a very clear and detailed exposition which is contained in the document C 83/26, bearing on the application of the International Development Strategies for the Third United Nations Development Decade and the formulation and implementation of the Programme of Work and medium term plans of the FAO. The document comprehensively highlights the constraints faced by the developing countries and their struggle against poverty, hunger and malnutrition. We fully share the concern expressed in the document that hunger and malnutrition cannot be eliminated without accelerated and sustained growth in agricultural and food production in the developing countries. It is indeed a matter of grave concern that nearly 500 million people are afflicted with hunger and malnutrition, which is both a moral and human problem and needs to be tackled with all the urgency which it deserves. We agree with the contents of para. 35 of the document under review that besides stepping up food production measures must be adopted to improve the accessibility of food for millions of malnourished people which no doubt is their basic human right.
Rising agricultural production in the developing countries has been severely constrained by the lack of financial resources. Their available resources are diverted towards importing food grains rather than exploiting their own potentials. The Asian Pacific region succeeded in attaining a growth rate of 3.1 percent in cereal production during the decade of 1971-81. I am happy to report that Pakistan achieved a higher growth rate of 3.9 percent during this decade and is playing a positive role to improve the overall world food situation by annually exporting on the average one million tons of rice. Recently we have also started exporting modest quantities of wheat and sugar, besides building sizable reserves for national food security. Despite this, a lot needs to be done to sustain the increasing tempo of food production. The emphasis is now being laid on increasing productivity rather than the area under the crops.
Although food and agriculture and rural development have made substantial progress in the developing countries as a group during the last 20 years, yet the increase has been extremely uneven. The situation in Africa is indeed precarious and deserves world attention. The global economic recession continuing through the third development decade has adversely affected the efforts of the developing countries, especially the low income countries, to enhance their food production and develop their agriculture to play a more vital role in their overall economic growth. My delegation would like therefore to emphasize that there is a crying need for increased flow of concessionary development assistance to food deficit countries to assist them in their efforts to augment food production, besides the removal of unnecessary blockages and embargoes and trade barriers erected by the developed countries to help such developing countries which have the potential to make headway. It is an interdependent world which we live in today. The developed and developing countries must join hands together in order to banish the scourge of poverty, hunger and malnutrition from the face of this earth as early as possible and certainly by the year 2000. We fully and wholeheartedly support the policy measures enunciated in the International Development Strategy, particularly the food and agricultural component.
R.C. GUPTA (India): My delegation would like to confine its comments to item 6.2, namely the international development strategies in the third development decade. We have carefully gone through document C 83/26. In our estimation the various aspects of the International Development Strategy cover such a wide field, particularly in the realms of food and agriculture, that to encompass all these activities for an organization is a tremendous task. We have to view the role of FAO in the nature of a forum which persuades, prods the various member countries to follow or modify policies which lead to the desired results. It should be able to assist the member countries in critical areas, whether they be of technology, whether they be in research and training, whether they be in the field of rural development, extension or whatever, all gamut of things, because with the very limited resources that the organization has it certainly could not be expected to intervene in a major way in carrying out this international development strategy.
Now, coming to the various aspects of the strategy, while the most important aspect is international trade in food and agricultural items. While basically the subject of trade, international trade, is covered by UNCTAD and GATT, this organization has been contributing towards increasing and liberalizing the trade of these commodities in a meaningful manner. Its activities through the intergovernment groups on various commodities are useful fora for exchanging information, for removing various bottlenecks and for preparing the ground for meaningful commodity agreements and to that extent FAO has played an admirable role. Certainly FAO has been providing technical assistance to UNCTAD in its various negotiations to reach commodity agreements.
In the field of industrialization the organization has been repeatedly and consistently emphasizing that this aspect is important for increasing rural employment and by adding values to the raw materials we have seen in experience that it is easy to push these items in international trade and fetch better prices. The terms of trade in manufacturing items have been consistently better than for agricultural raw materials and to the extent FAO has played a meaningful role. In a recent consultation on ECDC trade in agricultural products, we found that lack of production is the biggest bottleneck and that developing countries do not have the right kind of surpluses of the right qualities to increase their agricultural trade and to that extent FAO can contribute to increasing food production of these countries, it is contributing in a meaningful manner to this field. Of particular interest to us is the FAO activity in the field of technical cooperation amone developing countries and economic cooperation among developing countries. I would not like to take much time but conclude by referring to the follow-up of the WCARRD Programme of Action, the document presented for the Conference, if I am not anticipating that discussion, is an extremely useful document. It makes a serious attempt at conceptualizing and quantifying certain aspects of real poverty, of malnutrition, of under-employment, and of women's problems which are of particular interest to us.
In general we would like to support the activities of FAO in the field of promotion and fulfillment of international development strategy in the third development decade.
S.A.E. SULIMAN (Observer for the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development) (Original language Arabic): I would like to make one comment on C 83/19, paragraph 41. Here we talk about Resolution 37/17 of the United Nations about the Arab countries and the organizations of Arab countries and their cooperation with the FAO. There was a meeting on the 28th June of this year. More than 65 agencies and organizations took part at this meeting. A great many recommendations were passed, twenty of which concerned food and agriculture. I would have liked to have seen a reference to this meeting in this document, particularly because the recommendations in questions will be the subject of a report. At the 22nd Session of the Conference, 21 Ministers of Agriculture and one Head of State will be present and then will naturally want to know something about the new developments in FAO cooperation with the Region. Indeed the following paragraph 42 speaks about the cooperation between FAO and the Arab League, but reference is made to the 1959 Agreement, while new developments have occurred as recently as last June and they are not mentioned. We believe that there should be an updating to include the recent developments in this cooperation.
A. REGNIER (Directeur, Bureau des affaires interinstitutions): Je voudrais remercier les distingués délégués qui ont pris la parole sur le point 6 de notre ordre du jour. Je suis persuadé que M. Shah répondra concernant le point 6/2. Je voudrais les remercier pour les remarques positives qu'ils ont bien voulu faire concernant les documents 19 et 19-Sup.l.
Je voudrais répondre aux questions qui m'ont été posées par le distingué représentant de la Colombie et faire quelques commentaires additionnels.
Le distingué délégué de la Colombie a demandé pourquoi, dans le document C 83/19-Sup.l, aucune mention n'avait été faite des négociations globales. Il s'agit d'un document mettant à jour les informations contenues dans le document soumis à votre session de juin; comme aucun développement n'est intervenu depuis lors, il n'y avait donc pas de base pour une nouvelle mention de ce sujet. J'ajouterai que, selon nos plus récentes informations, il n'est pas encore clair si l'Assemblée générale maintenant en cours discutera ou non du lancement éventuel des négociations globales. Bien entendu, si nous étions mis au courant de quelque développement, avant le débat de ce même point de l'ordre du jour à la Conférence, je ne manquerais pas de tenir celle-ci informée.
Le distingué représentant de la Colombie a également demandé quels avaient été les développements concernant le Fonds commun des produits de base depuis la préparation de ce document et si, à la fin du mois de septembre, qui était la date limite prévue par la résolution de la CNUCED VI, le nombre de ratifications avait été atteint, et sinon quelles étapes ultérieures étaient prévues. Je confirme qu'à la fin du mois de septembre, le nombre de ratifications n'était pas atteint pour l'ouverture du Fonds commun. L'étape ultérieure, c'est la CNUCED et les Etats Membres qui en décideront, y compris éventuellement la tenue d'une conférence entre les pays qui ont ratifié le Fonds pour arrêter la marche à suivre.
Le distingué représentant de la Colombie a également souligné que le Conseil devrait prendre à son compte la préoccupation exprimée par le Directeur général concernant la situation en Afrique et en faire état dans les autres instances des Nations Unies. A titre d'information, je voudrais signaler qu'allant dans ce sens, le Directeur général de la FAO, est intervenu jeudi dernier devant la seconde Commission de l'Assemblée générale, pour lancer un nouvel appel à la communauté internationale en faveur des Etats africains menacés par la famine. Le Directeur général déploie ainsi tous ses efforts pour sensibiliser l'opinion publique à cette situation dramatique qui se développe en Afrique.
Je voudrais enfin faire un court commentaire concernant l'intervention du représentant du Canada. J'ai eu plaisir à écouter ses commentaires positifs sur le rôle de la FAO et ses relations positives avec l'ensemble du système des Nations Unies. J'ai pris note de la citation qu'il a faite d'une phrase au paragraphe 33 du document C 83/19 sur la coordination et l'utilisation des ressources. Je voudrais, pour l'information générale, signaler que ce paragraphe se réfère à une section du document concernant les opérations d'urgence et que la phrase en question est suivie de la suivante: que la FAO "est convaincue que leur utilisation optimale et l'efficacité maximum des secours en cas de catas-trophe supposent aussi que soient pleinement reconnus le mandat et la compétence des institutions spécialisées…" C'est certainement ainsi que la coordination acquiert tout son sens, s'agissant d'appuyer, de promouvoir et de compléter les actions entreprises, selon leurs mandats, par les organisations spécialisées. Le système des Nations Unies peut ainsi appuyer leur action, les aider à mobiliser les ressources nécessaires et ainsi maximiser l'impact de leurs interventions surtout lorsqu'il s'agit d'opérations de secours qui supposent des actions rapides dès que survient une catastrophe. Je pense qu'il était bon de replacer cette phrase dans son contexte tel qu'il avait été discuté lors de la session du Conseil en juin dernier.
En ce qui concerne le point 6.1 je dois avoir couvert les points soulevés par les divers représentants.
V.J. SHAH (Director, Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation): May I echo the appreciation which has just been voiced by Mr. Regnier, in my case as regards document C 83/26 under item 6.2. The document can in no way be a substitute for the Programme of Work and Budget of FAO. I need hardly emphasise that. If the General Assembly's Committee on Review and Appraisal of the International Development Strategy wishes to be informed of the entire gamut of FAO programmes we can do no better than submit to them a Programme of Work and Budget for a biennium as may be approved by the Conference. However, it is to assist them in their task to see how FAO programmes are responsive to the policy of the strategy that this document was submitted to you and will go before the Conference.
I am very gratified to note all the views expressed on this debate, which show that this document seems to have been helpful to the Council and we hope that the views of the Council will also assist the Conference in elaborating further.
The delegate of the Philippines raised a particular question about how FAO programmes geared to increasing food production are related to programmes having to do with social improvement, social conditions, the follow-up to WCARRD generally and issues of world food security. This ties in with my first explanation that these interrelationships in FAO programmes are of course pertinent to the FAO Programme of Work and Budget. No additional attempt has been made in this brief document to explain these interrelationships further as we have felt it preferable to dwell upon and to draw attention only to the policy issues of the Strategy itself.
The delegate of the United States of America also refers to some issues on which he feels it necessary to have further discussion in the Conference, and here I would point out that while this document will be considered in Commission II of the Conference, in Commission I there will be ample opportunity to comment on the different policy issues he mentioned with the views of the Conference then aimed for transmission to the Committee on Review and Appraisal.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I have just one brief comment. Reference was made in document C 83/19-Sup.l to paragraph 12 and the organization concerned was correctly identified as UNESCO. I just wanted to say that the Director-General has sympathy with the position of UNESCO and furthermore thinks that quite apart from jurisdictional responsibility there is a real practical problem in another Secretariat trying to make an analytical assessment of the work of a large specialized agency with a regular programme and a field programme. So if any problem should arise he will certainly refer the matter to FAO's governing bodies.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you for that clarification.
(a) Work Programme of the Joint Inspection Unit for 1983
a) Programme de travail du Corps commun d'inspection pour 1983
a) Programa de Trabajo de la Dependencia Común de Inspección para 1983
(b) Contribution of the UN System to the Conservation and Management of Latin American Cultural and Natural Heritage
b) Contribution des organismes des Nations Unies à la préservation et à la gestion du patrimoine culturel et naturel de l'Amérique latine
b) Contribución del sistema de las Naciones Unidas a la Conservación y Ordenación del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de América Latina
(c) Progress Report on the Implementation of Recommendations on Regional Programmes in the Conservation and Management of African Wildlife
c) Rapport intérimaire sur la mise en oeuvre des recommandations relatives aux programmes régionaux de conservation et d'aménagement de la faune africaine et de son habitat
c) Informe sobre los progresos realizados en la aplicación de las recomendaciones relativas a los Programas Regionales de Conservación y Ordenación de la Fauna y la Flora Silvestre en Africa
CHAIRMAN: These Reports were considered in great detail both by the Programme Committee and the Finance Committee. We have the Chairman of the Programme Committee as well as the Chairman of the Finance Committee with us.
M. TRKULJA (Chairman, Programme Committee): You are quite right, Mr. Chairman, the two Committees separately studied the JIU Reports that you mentioned, but given the fact that our views fully converged I have been asked by my friend and colleague to introduce the JIU Reports on behalf of both Committees.
In view of the late hour I should and I could be very brief. May I start with a small personal note of satisfaction, that the Inspectors of the Joint Inspection Unit fully agreed with the request of the FAO Council in June to submit and attach to each future report a very brief summary highlighting the main findings and giving the gist of their recommendations. I think it is a sign of sincere cooperation on the part of the JIU and I feel personally that now the decision of the Council taken in June could be fully implemented in regard to the procedures for dealing with the JIU.
Coming to the three Reports, the first Report is the Work Programme of the Joint Inspection Unit. I do not need to say more than one sentence. The Committee only took note of that.
The second was a Report on the Contribution of the UN System to the Conservation and Management of Latin American Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Committees very much welcomed the JIU Report and found it very useful. They fully share the basic assessment of the JIU that the Latin American countries have already developed their whole framework of national and sub-regional institutions dealing with this area and in that context the problem of complementarity and cooperation was a very urgent one. In that regard the Committee noted with satisfaction that FAO had really maintained the high level of activities in the area of cultural and natural heritage in Latin America despite the downturn trend in extra budgetary resources in that context and particularly in the UNDP financial crisis.
On the issue of FAO's role in the preparation of the activities in the Latin American region, we also felt quite strongly that there was no need, in fact, to create new intergovernmental bodies. We took full note of the fact that within FAO, this Committee on National Parks and Wildlife is composed of high officials responsible in the Latin American countries for the management and conservation of the cultural and natural heritage, and we only wanted to highlight to the Council that the JIU seemed to overlook this very simple fact, and I may only add that especially members of the Committee for Latin America were very vocal in expressing their positions to the suggestion of the JIU.
Now coming to the third report, the Implementation of the Recommendations on Regional Programmes in Conservation and Management of African Wildlife, we first of all concentrated fully on the activities of FAO in that field. We fully realized quite simply that FAO action is largely dependent on extra budgetary resources and that FAO had indeed done whatever was possible within quite obvious limits. In that regard we in a way disagreed with the inspector's assessment of the FAO role in the implementation of the regional programme.
D.H.J. ABEYAGOONASEKERA (Chairman, Finance Committee): Actually, I have very little to add to what has already been said by the Chairman of the Programme Committee. Your attention is drawn to paragraphs 3.86 to 3.88 in our Report. You will find that those three paragraphs of the report are brief. What I wish to say is that the question of implementing the recommendations of these two very important reports depends entirely on the availability of financial resources. In the case of FAO, these priorities naturally will be different, in the sense that FAO gives priority to food and agriculture., So depending on the availability of funds, each country will decide what is important in regard to their country. I think if there are extrabudgetary funds available, many of the recommendations made by the JIU could be implemented.
Besides this I have very little to say because the financial implications of the two reports are quite negligible.
Sra. A. SALGADO DOS SANTOS (Brazil): My delegation would like to refer to document CL 84/INF/1l, which contains the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the contribution of the UN system to the Conservation and Management of Latin American Cultural and Natural Heritage. Though praising the usefulness and interest of the Report, my delegation would like to make comments on aspects of the report, taking into consideration the Brazilian position on matters dealing with the environment and its participation in the United Nations Environment Programme.
Concerning paragraph 136, my delegation believes that it is not accurate to say there is no mechanism or forum which commands enough authority to ensure consistent application of conservation-oriented development policies. The United Nations Environment Programme holds annually an Intergovernmental Regional Meeting on Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean in which governments adopt sub-regional and regional programmes on such matters based on guidelines approved by the meeting.
As to the final part of paragraph 136, my delegation believes that the coordination of all conserv-ation programmes of the region is within the competence and responsibility of UNEP's regional office in Mexico City. My delegation does not think advisable at the moment the creation of a regional coordination unit, and also believes that the role of coordinator belongs to UNEP instead of ECLA.
As to paragraph 137, my delegation favours the utilization of mechanisms already existing and the strengthening of UNEP's role rather than the establishment of new intergovernmental regional committees on environment. My delegation is not in a position to accept the proposition contained in paragraph 148 to transfer the substantive responsibilities from either the UNEP Regional Office, presently in Mexico City, or from UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi to ECLA.
Recommendation 1 considers the creation of a single regional intergovernmental forum, under ECLA auspices, to discuss and agree on common approaches to conservation-oriented development with a view to formulating a comprehensive regional strategy and a Plan of Action. My delegation believes that the creation of such a forum would duplicate the fora and mechanisms already in existence. In this sense, my delegation finds the Latin American and Caribbean Intergovernmental Meeting on Environment which congregates in UNEP's member countries of the region is the appropriate forum for such discussions. This meeting follows the guidelines approved by governments to formulate periodically regional and sub-regional environment programmes. Those guidelines are, in our view, flexible and dynamic enough and they do not seem to require the establishment of a formal Plan of Action.
My delegation sees with satisfaction that this point of view concerning Recommendation 1 was endorsed by the Forty-Fifth Session of the Programme Committee, which included in its report, Document CL 84/4, a reference to the need to avoid overlappings and duplications of efforts.
As to Recommendation 2, my delegation cannot agree with the establishment of a new joint UNEP/ECLA Coordination Unit, considering that it would mean another bureaucratic body overlapping the already existing interagency cooperation.
As to reference made in paragraph 147 to a UNEP/ECLA horizontal cooperation project, if it refers to a project on types of development and environment, the Brazilian delegation would like to point out that this project derives informal coordination and direct contact between the two organizations being not submitted to the governments concerned.
Finally, my delegation would like to express its full support for the recommendations of the Director-General expressed in his comments on the document.
CHAIRMAN: I think this brings us to the close of today's agenda. I am very grateful to you for your cooperation.
The meeting rose at 18.15 hours.
La séance est levée à 18 h 15.
Se levanta la sesión a las 18.15 horas.
