CHAIRMAN: Distinguished delegates, I think we must start the afternoon session as a continuation of this morning's session on TCDC and ECDC and I give the floor to Bangladesh.
A. F. CHOUDHURY (Bangladesh): My delegation congratulates the Secretariat's department on its economic and social policy documents and for their very wide and effective introduction of the two papers that are before us. I think that the concept of TCDC has been gaining increase in importance in developing countries and in the United Nations system itself.
Though this concept has already broken grounds, we have to go a long way yet in order to see the full play of TCDC. Here FAO has a very important role. FAO's role is that of a catalyst to identify ideas and fields in which dialogue could be studied among two or more developing countries, and also among developed countries and developing countries. Once such a contact has been established through the medium of FAO it would be easier to identify programmes and projects for TCDC again, but TCDC cannot perhaps be viewed in isolation. It cannot be a full replacement for technical cooperation between the developed and developing countries. I view TCDC as a vehicle for integrating several lands by the developing countries, but it needs sustained efforts by the developing countries themselves, supported by appropriate assistance from the UN agencies and by the developed countries in the shape of matching technology and financial help.
I should think that the fields of integrated rural development, reimbrusing the development and sharing of water resources, improved use of soil and water resources, sharing in the control of water resources and agriculture are most appropriate fields for the implementation of TCDC for Bangladesh and neighbouring friendly countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, etc.
It is painful to find from the document C 79/26 that there still exists a reluctance on the part of some governments to accept candidates as experts or consultants from developing countries. I think the member nations of the FAO, and for that matter the UN as a whole, have to rise above this concept of thinking that a man from a developing country is less qualified than a similarly qualified man from a developed country. In fact past discrimination against developing countries has to be removed. More assistance has to be given in the giving of favour to countries in the fields of these appointments of experts and consultants to keep up the supplies and services and the utilization of institutions by FAO.
RAMADHAR (India): Mr. Chairman, we have had excellent introduction to this item from Mr. Yriart and Prof. Islam. I would like to thank them for their very comprehensive introductory remarks. I would also like to congratulate the Director-General for his sincere and unqualified support of TCDC and ECDC activities in food and agriculture. The measures which he has initiated and the new orientation which he has given to this Organization in this direction deserves our commendation.
Mr. Chairman, my delegation fully agrees with the priority indicated in the document C 79/26 in the 4 areas as a result of deliberations that we had in consultation earlier. The establishment of a focal point in the Field Development Division of TCDC and the various activities of the Programme of Work and Budget for 1980-81, improving the developing countries' capacities in FAO's programme and lastly the inclusion of TCDC at the regional and country level. I would like to offer some brief comments on those criteria regarding the focal point which had been established in the development programme. The terms of reference indicated at paragraph 7 of the documents appear to be quite alright. There is however one important area which has to be considered especially, and this relates to the dissemination of information about the capabilities of developing countries to assist each other. You know, Mr. Chairman, that the information on this has been lacking so far. FAO through this unit or some other medium, should assist in disseminating the information among the developing countries regarding their capabilities to assist each other. My delegation considers this as the basis and starting point for TCDC. In the area of improved utilization of developing countries' capacities in FAO programmes, we find that a good beginning has been made. The ultimate goal, however, is still far away. A concerted and continuous effort has to be made in this direction.
In this connection, I should like to highlight the importance of institution building in the developing countries. This could take the form of a network of research and development institutions operated and managed by the developing countries with inputs from FAO and other organizations. FAO could work out a programme of action in the following five fields: Exchange of information;assessment and transfer of technology;cooperation in research;cooperation in training;and cooperation in related economic activities.
There is an important point regarding the use of experts from developing countries which I should like to mention at this stage. This relates to the rates of remuneration offered to experts from developing countries. My delegation would like to be assured that the level of remuneration offered to developing countries' experts by this Organization is not determined by the salary he earns in his own country. Experts and consultants from developing countries should be offered remuneration which is on a par with experts from developed countries with similar experience and qualifications.
Regarding the measures submitted for promotion of TCDC at the regional and country level, the approach in the document is quite appropriate. Yesterday, we discussed the follow-up action on the recommendations of the UN Conference on Science and Technology on Development. Very good recommendations were made by that Conference and they have close implications for FAO to promote TCDC. The necessary mechanism should be built at regional and sub-regional level in the form of a research network of development institutions to which I have just referred. This could help to stimulate agricultural production, establish agro-industries, improve balance of trade, and even lead to better food security, nutrition, and especially rural development for bringing benefit to the poorest. My country attaches great importance to this and we held technical consulatations on food and agriculture industries in India last year.
The complex task of TCDC and ECDC calls for a new institutional arrangement both inside and outside the United Nations family. These institutions should be strictly controlled, operationally managed and financially regulated by developing countries. Two new institutions like the Centre for Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific and the Regional Agricultural Credit Association could be mentioned as examples under this category. If necessary, the basic texts of FAO may have to be examined to provide for formal language, manpower and financial assistance by this Organization to the newly set up TCDC institutions of this nature. As we all know, these kinds of institutions were not visualized at the time of the finalization of the basic text, and this question could be appropriately examined by CCLM.
Regarding item 15. 2, technical consultation on ECDC, we have excellent documentation in document C 79/27, which is the Report of the Consultation that we had in July. This was a very well organized and fruitful Technical Consultation, and the Consultation resulted in a feasible minimum programme. Important recommendations were also made. We find them in the summary at the beginning of the document, and they are further amplified in paras 149 to 162.
It was agreed by the Consultation that ECDC was primarily a matter for the developing countries, but technical and financial support has to come from international organizations and bilateral agencies. The statements of some of the developed countries at the Consultation were very encouraging, and they indicated their support through the ECDC programmes.
In paragraph 160 of the document certain institutional measures were recommended to follow up the recommendations of the Consultation. The 16-member coordinating committee of the Group of 77 is being set up shortly in Rome to deal with all aspects of ECDC in food and agriculture. The Director-General has already been requested to consider the establishment of a focal point in each regional office
and at Headquarters in order to liaise with intercountry ECDC programmes and budgets as well as to liaise with national offices. FAO and other United Nations agencies concerned should assist the developing countries to organize consultations, meetings and seminars at both the policy making and expert levels, to create awareness and devise cooperated inter-country plans and programmes and to review progress in this regard.
With those words, my delegation would urge the endorsement of this Report by the Conference.
CHAIRMAN:I thank the delegate of India for a very detailed, informative and supportive presentation of his country's views on the subject, and I am sure delegates here would agree with me that we have got very useful information from the intervention, particularly the assessment of the capabilities of developing countries to assist each other. I would go one stage further and add identification also of the areas for cooperation. In fact, these two points would form the rudiments of discussion on TCDC and ECDC, and I am sure we are all looking forward to further interventions with useful information from other delegates.
R. B. SINGH (Nepal):Mr. Chairman, this is the first intervention of my delegation today, and therefore we would like to welcome you as Chairman of this Commission. We should also like to congratulate Dr. Yriart and Dr. Islam for clearly and comprehensively introducing the important activities of TCDC and ECDC. Since they are complementary to each other and not entirely and distinctly separate issues, my delegation would like to intervene on these two issues as a common one.
The concept of TCDC and ECDC proposed after the Buenos Aires Conference is a very welcome approach. Nepal has been supporting ECDC and TCDC in various conferences and meetings, and we strongly believe that there is tremendous scope to promote ECDC and TCDC in our region because of its very nature of cooperation among the developing countries themselves. We feel that its great success depends on the sustained efforts of developing countries themselves along with the support and help of FAO and the UN system.
So far, Nepal has been mostly at the receiving end of TCDC, but there are areas where Nepal also has expertise and the technology to extend to other countries of this region. To mention one or two examples, the traditional hill irrigation system and terrace farming are unique to Nepal, and we can share this. Nepal is a mountainous country and hill irrigation development is a must for us. Our efforts are already directed toward that. But this requires documentation and further refining which the Nepalese delegation had requested earlier in FAO conferences for international assistance in establishing the Hill Agricultural Research Centre in Nepal. This, indeed, is the need of the time. We have also offered host facilities with whatever modest resources we have. My delegation has already voiced this need while reviewing the field programme the other day. We again appeal to FAO to consider this sympathetically and provide support to it, so that the fruits can be shared by the countries of the region having similar conditions.
A recent example where Nepalese experience could be of benefit to other countries of our region is the Small Farmers Development Programme. Dr. D. L. Umali, the Regional Representative of FAO for Asia and the Far East, who has been advocating the case of small farmers and landless labourers and small fishermen in Asia and the Pacific, has played a significant role in increasing the awareness of these problems in our minds. With some technical support from FAO a modest beginning in the Small Farmers Development Programme was launched in Nepal a few years ago. This has provided a unique experience and example of encouraging people's participation from grass-root level both in planning, decision-making and the implementation process of the rural development programme through various income-raising activities. The experience has encouraged us to undertake this programme on a larger scale. We are moving forward in that direction. However, we have not been able to expand this programme as much as we would have liked to due mainly to the lack of financing and trained manpower. We are happy and appreciative of the Small Farmers Development Programme team ably led by Mr. G. C. Clark in the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok, which is playing a significant role in assisting and encouraging us in implementing the Small Farmers Development Programme in Nepal, whose main philosophy and concept is to raise the standard of living and economic status of the small farmers and landless agricultural labourers, by forming the farmers into a group for working together around common economic activities for income generation. The importance and need for such a kind of development programme was strongly and amicably stressed by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan during his summing up address as Chairman of this Commission a few days ago.
It is a matter of satisfaction for us to mention here that a recent project identification mission of IFAD has correctly recognized the need for assistance in the Small Farmers Development Programme of Nepal and has agreed to support the programme on a much wider scale. We are of the strong belief that this kind of programme should be encouraged in the developing countries of our region through the assistance of FAO and other international financial agencies. We were happy to receive a big team of professional staff from the Philippines and from India with whom we could share the experience of the Small Farmers Development Programme.
To promote TCDC in the region, Nepal would be very happy to extend all possible cooperation in whatever way we can. However, the funds required to meet the international travel and other expenses in convertible currencies are still major constraints for us. We feel this is where the international community can be of substantial assistance in providing this kind of fund to promote TCDC in the region. We strongly believe that the regional office to FAO should play a major role in promoting TCDC and ECDC in the region. To carry out this kind of function the FAO Regional Office would need not only budgetary support but also strengthening its expert staff. We believe that is where the decentralization of FAO activities not only at country level but also at regional level will be crucial. We sincerely hope and humbly request the Director General to look seriously into this matter and provide additional resources to TCDC as well as decentralizing its activities at the Regional Office.
Before I conclude, my delegation would like to congratulate the Secretariat for the excellent guideline notes for discussing TCDC in Document C 79/26 and its supplement and C 79/27. We support it wholeheartedly and congratulate the Director General for his prompt concern in promoting TCDC and ECDC at the regional and country level. It is up to us, the developing countries, to come closer in cooperating and sharing the experiences in the field of agricultural development with the support of FAO and the UN Agencies.
I. MOSKOVITS (Malta): We were very pleased with the consultation of TCDC in Rome. We found it an extremely interesting meeting, very well prepared, the papers were very much to the point and very good. There was only one lack for which we were a little bit hurt, I must say, the developing countries of Europe were not mentioned at all. I think this is a great mistake, first of all because there are already existing technical cooperation and economic cooperation between the European developing countries, most of them situated in the Mediterranean, and the countries of North Africa and the Near East. Therefore I would be very grateful if à list or roster of existing and planned projects and the countries interested in them, could be prepared. Thus interested countries could indicate in which project they might cooperate in the future. These are the two main points which I would like to mention and I would be grateful if they could be recorded in the report of the Conference.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, a very useful suggestion which I think the Secretariat should follow in line with what India has said.
G. K. MBURATHI (Kenya): First I would like to give our commendation for the Secretariat for clarifying one of the most important things we would have raised as a question - whether you draw the line between economic cooperation and technical cooperation. However I can avoid that question and go to the substantive part of my intervention.
My delegation has noted that this fusing of technical cooperation and economic cooperation, making it one, has received from the time of the Conference in Buenos Aires very great attention in the world community. We have also noted the Director General has already indicated the full action of the General Assembly of the United Nations by endorsement of the decision agreed upon on technical cooperation among developing countries in that city. Particularly our delegation has been happy to note that the Director General has already established a focal point in the Field Programme Development Division to deal with ECO's specifically. We have also noted the terms of reference of this focal point as corroborated in Document C 79/26 Page 2. We are satisfied that the terms of reference will give the Organization a wide enough latitude to carry on. However, we would like to point out that this focal point should in particular give more attention to the terms of reference (b) that is paragraph 7 of the document referred to, to liaise with technical and other units as well as the regular and country offices to promote developing country inputs in execution of the Regular Programme and Field Activities.
We must also mention that the inclusion of TCDC in the activities of the Programme of Work and Budget is another manifestation that we have noted within the Organization that TCDC is being given the right place as far as attention is concerned. Having said that, and in response to an appeal that we should be brief, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few comments, to highlight some of the points we think the FAO should always bear in mind. These are listed and corroborated in this document but I would mention them. The reason is that since this item on this aspect has been talked about in the UN Organization, if you go to the bottom where the fruits should be realised, from our point of view the response has not been as much as expected, and although emphasizing brevity we should highlight what we think this Organisation should more or less concentrate on.
Among the most important things we think the Organization should concentrate mostly on the pressing problems in the developing countries. This will give a guarantee for quick and immediate results.
These problems are varied including food scarcity, plant production problems, quarantine, animal diseases, crop pest controls and similar programmes. We in Kenya have a lot to exchange with our sister countries and indeed the countries in our region. We believe the other countries have the same kind of resources that we can also benefit from as far as these quick pressing problems are concerned.
The other point we would like to pay attention to is the question of adequate experts in implementing the field programmes. The Organization must make a great effort to use more experts in developing countries. One developing country can offer better solutions to other developing countries rather than look at what is happening in developed countries. We are not however for one moment suggesting the Director General should do away with expert consultants in developed countries. There are specific fields that can be helped by developing countries in most areas where the national experts cannot be spared to go to other developing countries. By doing this one must keep in view the importance of maintaining a proper balance in the light of the developing plans in the respective countries. My delegation would like to point out the Organization must always maintain a sound geographical distribution in equipment and experts and consultants.
The other most important point is regional at country level operations. We feel very strongly FAO regional offices are in a much better position to foster cooperation among the countries very effectively. Their offices are overseeing the implementation of various programmes and would be in a position to act quickly. We have many institutions in developing countries which could be used to facilitate the exchange of ideas to other areas. Bi-lateral arrangements in this connection could be very easily initiated by regional officers. We do hope however that enough finance will be available to put this through in regional and country offices.
I would like to have touched on other points which we would like to mention during the debate, but I end with the conclusion that my country is ever prepared for firm and close cooperation not only within developing countries but with developed countries wherever possible.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. I can assure you other speakers will supplement the aspects you have not yet covered.
P. CELAN (Roumanie): Ainsi que nous l'avons relevé en d'autres occasions, la Roumanieconsidère que la coopération entre les pays en développement eux-mêmes peut et doit constituer l'un des moyens principaux devant contribuer à la solution du problème alimentaire et au développement de l’agrioulture dans ces pays.
L'importance de cette coopération a été d'ailleurs bien marquée dans le cadre de nombreuses réunions tenues ces dernières années. Je ne voudrais nommer que certaines d'entre eiles: la Réunion de Mexico-City de 1976, la Conférence des Nations Unies de Buenos Aires de 1978, la Réunion ministérielle du Groupe des 77 d'Arusha.
La FAO elle-même en donne une preuve, puisque, comme chacun le sait, il y a deux années, c'est la Conférence même qui a adopté une résolution spéciale au sujet de la coopération entre les pays en développement dans le domaine de l'agriculture. Nous sommes heureux de constater que le Secrétariat, et en général notre Organisation, s'est engagé à donner suite aux recommandations de ladite résolution ainsi qu'aux recommandations des réunions susmentionnées, en incluant dans ses programmes des actions concrètes visant au développement des CTPD et CCPD agricoles.
Nous sommes convaincus qu'il y a encore beaucoup de possibilités pour développer davantage cette coopération. La consultation organisée en juin/juillet cette année en constitue une preuve éloquente.
Faisant nôtres les conclusions et les suggestions adoptées par cette consultation, et qui figurent dans le document C 79/27· nous sommes d'accord pour dire que les programmes et les actions qui y sont suggérés ne doivent être oonsidérés que comme des objectifs minimum et qu'ils peuvent et doivent être élargis davantage pour mettre en valeur le mieux possible des disponibilités existantes.
C'est ainsi qu'on pourrait envisager plus d'actions visant à la réalisation en commun par les pays en développement de projets de développement agricole, de recherche scientifique, de formation de cadres, etc.
En m'en tenant toujours aux recommandations de la consultation de juin, je voudrais souligner ici l'importance que nous attachons à ce qui est suggéré à la page 10 du document C 79/27 paragraphe 15, à savoir que la CEPD dans le domaine de l'agriculture soit constamment soumise à l'attention des conférences régionales, du Conseil et de la Conférence générale de la FAO.
Nous considérons aussi très utile que la FAD organise périodiquement des réunions visant à identifier des possibilités et des moyens nouveaux pour renforcer la coopération agricole entre les pays en développement.
Comme chacun le sait, la Roumanie est prête à accueillir une telle réunion.
M. BUENO GOMEZ (España): Muchas gracias, señor Presidente, y muchas grasias también a los señores Yriart e Islam por las valiosas puntualizac iones que nos han hecho sobre los documentos que estamoscomentando, lo cual nos permite contemplar el tema de la cooperación entre países en desarrollo con una visión totalizadora, tanto económica como técnica.
La delegación española reconoce la dificultad de incrementar de una manera espectacular la utilización de las capacidades de los países en desarrollo a través de los Programas de CTPD. Evidentemente, los escasos recursos humanos y financieros en estos países y regiones, constituyen un reto para la FAD en general y en particular para el centro de acción establecido en la dirección de programación de actividades de campo. Nuestra delegación, sin embargo, está convencida de que este tipo de cooperación se inserta en la idea básica tan deseada de autosuficiencia de los países en desarrollo y, por lo tanto, ve con satisfacción los progresos alcanzados en estos últimos anos y, sobre todo, la experiencia adquirida por la FAD en la materia.
En esta línea de pensamiento, la experiencia española en los últimos años es debida, posiblemente, a su propio grado de desarrollo de sus regiones, y esto nos ha hecho comprender la utilidad de la transferencia de tecnología en cascada, es decir, entre países con niveles tecnológicos y estructurales no excesivamente dispares. En cierto modo, a esto se han venido refiriendo con anterioridad nuestros colegas de Malta y Bangladesh. Para nosotros, ciertas áreas de Latinoamérica y la regioń mediterránea de Africa, por sus condiciones socioeconómicas y culturales próximas, constituyen una preocupación más.
Nuestro Gobierno, dentro de sus posibilidades y de sus diversas instituciones, está dispuesto a apoyar esta actividad de la CTPD. Hay numerosos campos relacionados con la agricultura y actividades afines donde esta cooperación podía ser, oreemos, valiosa.
No es éste Momento ni lugar para detallarlos;quizá podíamos darlos por escrito en acta, pero sólo a título de ejemplo citaríamos el del aprovechamiento de las aguas subterráneas y del suelo, salinas, o la producción y mejora de plantas como el olivo, la vid, los cítricos, o la dinámica de estudios de poblaciones pesqueras, etc.
No quiero alargarme más, siguiendo sus instrucciones, sino repetir nuestra felicitación a los autores del informe y nuestra buena disposición para una franca cooperación de mi país en este campo, como lo viene haciendo desde hace anos en materia de investigación y capacitación a través de instituciones como el INIA.
HYUNG-HO PARK (Korea): It is indeed encouraging that the important idea of TCDC and ECDC is increasingly receiving more attention both at international and national levels. This TCDC and ECDC would be one of the most effective instruments to stimulate the functional integration of various kinds of cooperation among the Member countries and international organizations concerned, including FAD, for agricultural development.
I believe that technical and economic cooperation are very effective measures to achieve a collective self-reliance which would certainly reduce economic and social instability in the process of economic development. Furthermore, the effective development of this system would contribute to shortening the period of our struggle to achieve a balanced growth with equitable distribution.
However, in spite of many efforts for years together by the FAO and Member countries in this regard, it remains still difficult to translate the principal ideas of TCDC and ECDC into the action programme for the purpose of policy implications at different levels.
Therefore, the strategy to promote TCDC and ECDC needs to be further elaborated in operational terms. In other words, it may be necessary and also useful to identify the major areas and concepts in a very detailed way so as to conceive concrete meanings for the purpose of promoting the rapid progress of this system. In this connexion my delegation wishes to thank the Secretariat for preparing the attached examples of document C 79/26 - Supp. 1.
Before concluding my remarks on this agenda, I would also like to mention my country's involvement in the TCDC.
I am very glad to inform you, Mr. Chairman, that my country, the Republic of Korea, is going to initiate an institutional training programme in cooperation with the FAO for the purpose of sharing our experiences in the fields of irrigation technology and agricultural extension.
My country is going to provide all the facilities and technical manpower for eight Southeast Asian countries to train about 200 irrigation technicians and 70 farm extension workers in the coming three years. And the details of the training programme will be forwarded to the concerned countries through the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the near future.
I hope that all our efforts in this programme would contribute much to the success of ECDC and TCDC programmes and broaden the scope of cooperation for agricultural development among Member countries. In this regard, my delegation fully supports the recommendations made by the consultation in the document C 79/27.
H. WETZEL (Germany, Fed. Rep. of) (interpretation from German): Before going into concrete details of this agenda item, and the well made document C 79/27 I feel it would be useful and purposeful to refer to some general problems related to this item. I feel that this is particularly necessary so that we can show the priority level of this particular item, and also highlight the specific character of the task we are faced with.
Technical and economic cooperation among developing countries, ECDC and TCDC, are relatively new areas of the north/south dialogue, but areas which are increasing in importance. ECDC was already included in the Manilla declaration at UNCTAD 4 as a new element in the action programme for a new international economic order. However, it has gained importance as independent programme and concept, only through the Conference of developing countries in Mexico (September 1976), which dealt particularly with this subject. The action programme which was adopted at this Conference included all the important problem areas of economic and technical cooperation between the developing countries, and, therefore, can be considered as being the basis for the strategy of self reliance and collective self reliance.
The ideas and requirements in connection with ECDC have already been contained in statements and resolutions adopted jointly by industrialized and developing countries, such as in the resolutions of UNCTAD 4 and 5;in the last UN General Assemblies as well as in the action programme of the Conference on technical cooperation among developing countries, held at Buenos Aires in September 1978. However, the terms "collective self reliance" and "ECDC" were as a whole not very concrete for some time and, therefore, it was not possible to really implement them. It was more a matter of principles than a matter of exact instructions as to how one should act.
Great progress was made through the programme for collective self reliance, in the negotiating programme of developing countries submitted to UNCTAD 5·This programme is detailed and it is given priority among all of the claims submitted to the industrialized countries, and I feel that this programme represents a particular clear statement with high political priority.
I feel that the resolution about ECDC which was adopted by a general consensus (Resolution No. 127/V) should not be considered only as a fair compromise and the most important result of UNCTAD 5, but also as the basis for the work of the other UN specialized agencies within the area of ECDC. What is involved in this is, first of all, the recognition of ECDC as representing the most important element of collective self reliance and, therefore, this also means within the new international economic order. ECDC is recognized as being a matter of priority, that responsibility should lie mainly with the developing countries themselves on a priority basis, both for the formulation of the programmes and projects as well as their implementation. Finally, it is considered to be necessary that one recognizes the fact that as far as the international community participates in the overall measures of ECDC, or is affected by these measures, and in as far as technical and financial assistance is needed on a bilateral basis, or through UN organizations, to this extent the industrialized countries and the international organizations in one form or another, have to participate in the Programme. This is only logical and, moreover, is of advantage to all parties.
Now I would like to refer to document C 79/27 which we have before us, and I feel that the FAO consultations on ECDC which we are having for the first time this year correspond not only to the spirit and the political requirements of the Declarations of Manila and Buenos Aires, they also correspond fully to the philosophy of the important UNCTAD Resolution.
Generally speaking, we feel that this first attempt at consultation, and also this type of implementation, from the point of view of results is successful. We welcome the fact that the result of the first round of consultations and the following rounds of consultation within the Council and the Conference were and are discussed and not simply taken note of. This is a new area where all participants have first of all to collect experience, and it is also an area which requires political leadership.
My government has participated in the consultations and it has contributed to the preparation of the programme and the recommendations. We feel that for our government the most important aspects are the following:
First of all, the indication that the ECDC projects and programmes can be realized only in so far as the necessary measures are adopted in the respective national development plans of the countries concerned. That means that ECDC projects, if they are to function, must be given the full support of the governments concerned.
Secondly, the recommendation that ECDC should first of all be tried out in the framework of small groups of countries or on a sub-regional basis. Thirdly, the recommendation of an action programme with concrete considerations regarding measures to be adopted in specific areas falling within the aegis of FAO for the overall self-reliance of developing countries in the area of food.
Fourthly, the agreement of the developing countries themselves with a view to adopting concrete steps for the realization of this action programme including their own organisational preparation still being necessary. Then fifthly, the indication with regard to appropriate additional technical and financial assistance of industrialized countries, UN organizations and international financing institutions.
We attach a far-reaching importance also to the recommendations concerning the institutional adjustments within the framework of FAO itself as well as to recommendations concerning the regional offices. This requires still further consideration as to the organizational, financial and staff implications.
In spite of the results of the consultations considered positive by my government, we find that still some items might be improved so that future rounds which we wish to take place and which we support should become more fruitful.
After all, the target should be to arrive at a new concrete initiative through having an exchange of ideas, and in this way to see to it that programmes and projects can be established in the area of agriculture and food. It was natural that this first attempt could only lead to marginal results. The preparation by the Secretariat will have to be adjusted accordingly. It is possible that a certain amount of curbing and selection of the fields of action may be necessary.
Many delegations have succumbed to the temptation to present their own national policies without distinguishing whether this included a proposal for economic cooperation or not. This sort of attitude should be avoided. We feel that it will be possible through the internal consultations, working groups and the contacts to the Secretariat considered by the developing countries themselves, to arrive quicker at discussing new concrete steps.
Finally, we feel that the important preparatory work to be carried out by the developing countries themselves and the preparatory work by the Secretariat should make it possible for these consultations to lead to sómewhat more interest than at the first attempt, because only in this way can decisions be taken, decisions which can be backed by an adequate majority.
Mr. Chairman, ECDC is a special area of the North-South dialogue. Requirements which are set to the industrialized countries play a certain role here as well, but only of a secondary nature. Effective ECDC requires, we feel, as a prerequisite, political will, understanding, motivation, participation and a spirit of solidarity from the developing countries themselves. My government is in any case willing to make its own contribution to this.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany for giving us an insight into his country's opinion about ECDC and for the very useful suggestions he has offered. I can also assure him that the developing countries themselves are fully aware of some of these suggestions and efforts which are being made right now to fulfill some of these objectives.
A. EL SARKI (Egypt) (Interpretation from Arabic): The Egyptian delegation attaches special importance to this question and has supported the project in all international fora where it was discussed, including the Buenos Aires Conference. There is no doubt that many developing countries now have very high calibre technical cadres and national institutions of an internal reputation. Therefore, the Egyptian delegation welcomes the attitude towards economic cooperation among the developing countries, whether in the framework of the Regular Programme or in the field projects. It also stresses that further efforts should be made in this respect through the exchange of experts among developing countries. The number of experts sent to study in the developing countries should also be increased.
The Egyptian delegation also favours the idea that the contracts should be increased with experts from developing countries which would help the Organization to sustain and maintain the quality of services rendered. Among the areas which the Egyptian delegation would like to stress is the land and soil development, land and water development, pest control, especially desert locusts, and rural development, agricultural training and the exchange of research.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that we do not consider cooperation among developing countries as an alternative to the adoption of the transfer of technology from developed countries and the benefit from the great efforts achieved by those countries. The developed countries will still have a great role to play in order to achieve food security in the world.
M. M. DIFUILA (Angola): C'est avec beaucoup d'intérêt que nous avons suivi l'exposé de M. Yriart et de M. Islam. Nous considérons que le document C 79/26 qui nous a été présenté par le Secrétariat constitue un excellent travail. La République populaire de l'Angola a toujours considéré la cooperation entre pays en général, et d'une façon particulière avec les pays en développement, comme un élément important pour sa condition nationale. Nous croyons que le CTPD doit s'élargir de plus en plus dans les divers domaines. Nous croyons que c'est une façon de réduire, pour le moins, la dépendance des pays sous-développés vis-à-vis des pays développés.
L'importance du CTPD ayant été soulignée par certaines délégations, la République d'Angola n'aura pas à se répéter. Tout ce que nous voulons souligner c'est que la FAO a un rôle important à jouer, ainsi que les autres organisations internationales, dans cette lutte pour aboutir à des possibilités permettant une coopération aux niveaux régional et sous-régional. C'est seulement de cette façon que nous pourrons arriver à la réduction de cette dépendance.
D'autre part, nous sommes très heureux de constater que le document C 79/26, qui nous a été présenté, contient tous les aspects de la coopération technique entre pays en développement et nous nous associons à ses auteurs que nous félicitons.
LI CHENG-HUAN (China) (Interpretation from Chinese): Technical cooperation among the developing countries is a topic of common interest. In this regard, the Chinese delegation is pleased to note that FAO has made its own contributions. It is to be hoped that the four specific measures proposed by FAO for promoting TCDC will be fully implemented.
It is well known that China has for years developed excellent relations in technical cooperation with other developing countries. This has been conducive not only to the promotion of agricultural production on both sides but also to greater understanding and friendship between China and the people of various other countries.
For the last few years, China has carried out further activities in TCDC through FAO. Hundreds of our friends from dozens of countries have been to China to compare notes and exchange experiences in study tours, workshops and training courses on a wide spectrum of subjects in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, such as our cultivation techniques, the recycling of organic waste, biogas, animal husbandry and rural development.
We, in our turn, send dozens of experts to other developing countries and international institutions of scientific research to study subjects such as maize, wheat, rice and genetic resources.
With the development of science and technology in the developing countries, we believe spheres for exchange and cooperation between them will certainly increase. Document C 79/26 refers to a few such skills. We hope that this Organization will continue to propose more items and ways suited to technical cooperation between developing countries and create in every way possible the necessary conditions for the still greater development of TCDC.
The Chinese delegation would also like to express our appreciation of the positive measures mentioned in document C 79/26 which FAO has adopted to facilitate the utilization of the personnel, institution and equipment of the developing countries in the field programme. We hope that all positive measures will be adopted to overcome the existing obstacles and obtain more progress in the implementation of TCDC.
Mrs SAODAH SYAHRUDDIN (Indonesia): On behalf of the Indonesian delegation I would like to associate myself with the speakers earlier in expressing the satisfaction and appreciation for the TCDC documents prepared by the Secretariat. Those documents are very informative for us, and we are pleased to know that FAO is continuously promoting technical cooperation among the developing countries.
Since our last conference in 1977, when resolutions on TCDC were adopted, quite a considerable progress has been made, including the Buenos Aires Conference on TCDC in 1978, which has resulted in a concrete Programme of Action.
We are glad to note Mr. Yriart and Dr. Islam's remarks this morning that TCDC and ECDC are closely interlinked, integrated and complement each other. TCDC, we believe, would in many cases form the basis for economic cooperation among developing countries.
There is no doubt, Mr. Chairman, that TCDC is one of the interesting topics during this conference. Although the concept itself is not new and as a matter of fact it had been implemented by various developing countries, and it, however, has during the recent years gained international support.
Let me give you some examples, Mr. Chairman, of what Indonesia has been doing in implementing technical, economic cooperation with our neighbours within the framework of ASEA as well as with other developing countries in the Asian region.
It has been found feasible and useful to stimulate technical and economic cooperation among developing countries, particularly in the field of food and agriculture. As a matter of fact, ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture in their meeting in Manila on the 29th August 1979 had adopted an ASEAN Common Agricultural Policy in the field of Food Security Reserve, supply of fertilizers and pesticides, animal and plant quarantine, agricultural education, training and extension. This common policy will be implemented in various technical and economic cooperation programmes.
The technical and economic cooperation with our very own neighbouring country, Papua New Guinea, also now is being done as with some other developing countries.
My delegation will therefore appreciate it if these cooperations and programmes could be fully supported. My delegation wish to support all the views expressed in strengthening national institutions, its management, as well as its operations through fellowship, consultation and training. I wish in this stage only to stress that we would like to see more progressive efforts made by FAO concerning information on progress. This would be very much welcomed and I believe that it could be included in the report on FAO monitoring of the TCDC activities.
We are pleased to note the establishment of a focal point in the field of Programme Development Division which could help identify constraint on TCDC and to develop new ideas, concepts and approaches to disseminate useful information and successful experiences, to mobilize resources and to monitor progress toward TCDC in food and agriculture.
My delegation endorsed the recommendations stressed by the last 75th session of the FAO Council, that the FAO should maintain a link through Regional and country offices with the sub-regional and regional institutions which exercise a vital role in the promotion of TCDC.
My delegation wishes to urge the endorsement of the suggested priority areas in the attachment of the document C 79/26, Supplement 1, for TCDC, and to invite FAO to take the necessary action for its speedy implementation.
In supporting the various mechanisms or arrangements proposed in the document C 79/29, Supl. l, it does not mean to exclude other priority areas for cooperation. In fact we would like to see more new ideas for possible cooperation brought forward to our attention.
Hopefully at our next conference we could have the opportunity to learn from the achievement of the implementation of the above mentioned.
I would however like to draw the attention of interested member countries that the success of TCDC endeavours lies primarily with ourselves, in particular our common will and support to the practical actions to be undertaken and for its follow-up.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, as mentioned earlier, TCDC in many cases serves as the basis for economic cooperation among developing countries;this cooperation reflects the urgent needs especially of the rural poor.
Realizing that economic cooperation among the developing countries is vital for the achievement of the strategy of collective self-reliance and as an essential instrument in the development process towards the new international economic order, more effort should be taken not only by the governments of developing countries, but also by the United Nations bodies as well as by the donor countries in extending their assistance to find ways and means to secure the necessary financial assistance for the implementation of its objectives and programmes.
Before concluding my statement I would like to share with our other speakers earlier, to compliment Mr. Yriart and Dr. Islam for their brief, clear and comprehensive introductions on these matters.
P. VICINELLI (Holy See): Thank you for having given me the floor. I would ask to refer to the operational programmes of the FAO as a whole, particularly the forms of technical assistance carried out in collaboration with all the State Members in favour of developing countries, and also with the special forms of technical and economic cooperation among the developing countries themselves.
The Holy See delegation feels that these FAO operational programmes attest to the Organization's growing efficiency and to the desire to tend more toward action with greater intensity.
At the same time, this is an occasion to note the implementation of the basic principles inspiring the New International Economic Order with specific short and medium-terms goals through joint action which really concretizes criteria and methods of solidarity which are in favour of the developing nations. This is clearly seen in document C 79/33 concerning FAO activity and the NIEO.
This delegation is pleased to note that the whole of the operational activities to be carried out in individual countries and in the larger homogeneous zones, according to their needs, is being expanded and becoming more concrete.
Together with the efficiency of its central offices, the increasing impact of projects carried out locally by FAO is being added.
This is evident in the Report C 79/8 on the Ordinary Program carried out during 1978-79. In line with the excellent method adopted, the report emphasized the indispensable contribution made by the central offices of the FAO but in a more clearly operational perspective.
This is seen above all in the current tendency to strengthen "field programs" which include activities carried out by FAO as an executive Agency as well as the FAO's own operations referred to as "special programs".
The FAO appears oriented towards giving its contribution in its field to international cooperation for development at this decisive moment in world history.
This all shows that the FAO in managing to move away from the concept of assistance as benevolent "aid" by State Members towards cooperation for organic, ongoing world development as well as that of the individual countries.
Increased attention to each country's development aided by the increasingly multilateral rather than bilateral action by the whole of FAO's State Members embodies their political will to realize not a "separate" but a "collective" action as foreseen in the Preamble of the FAO Constitution.
As John Paul II stated, "this collective action by FAO is based on a willingness to take on truly ongoing commitments whereby each one takes his part in the action decided upon by common accord".
This Delegation would especially like to recall the importance of the FAO's own Program of Technical Cooperation which is carried out in a timely and concrete way despite the relatively small provision for it in the budget. This technical cooperation between highly developed countries and developing ones as well as among developing countries themselves represents an exemplary form of solidarity. Without overly burdening the poorest countries it makes available all the means necessary for each one's development according to the various models which they have freely chosen.
Consequently we repeat the need to diversify regional and sub-regional technical models of assistance and development. They should also be remodelled according to the particular conditions of each country - not only physical but socio-cultural as well - and take into consideration the truly human and thus spiritual values of the peoples involved.
The explicit invitation made by the Director-General to "aim field projects toward specific development objectives" is understood by this Delegation in the sense stated by the Holy Father in his speech here: The orientation of operations must be carefully and explicity aimed at real needs to be satisfied with development models which correspond to the truly basic needs of individuals and peoples". In speaking to FAO officials the Holy Father added that "technical development as important as it may be, is not everything for man and it must find its place in a wider more fully human synthesis". In this area a means of measuring the improvements in the quality of life of people working in agriculture and living in the rural environment should be strengthened.
Specific collective action by FAO State Members in the various operations will also have to be placed in the overall view of the entire world economic system. For this purpose a real convergence is needed among different systems and methods within the framework of the particular programmed action to be carried out with the help of private and public energies.
It is important that the interested countries themselves cooperate with one another. If external aid is given to them, it must be respectful of their own self-development.
It is even more decisive that, within each country, free and responsible participation be guaranteed for all its valid forces, especially those from the villages, small local communities and voluntary groups. Thus collective self-reliance has to be extended to each local community. For this purpose, it is obvious that raising the basic standard of life represents a prerequisite for each poor agricultural community concerning essential items such as nutrition, health, education and culture.
We especially support projects which aim at bringing aid, through programs of rural development, to small farmers as has been stated in various FAO Regional Conferences. This can be achieved by improving their information, supporting their production activity and, in particular, by improving their means of selling the goods.
Since man is at the centreof all progress, action for his cultural and professional preparation is of primary importance. This preparation enables him to adopt the new means and methods suggested by technical assistance.
The Holy See Delegation does not wish to enter into the evaluation of individual operations already enacted or those being proposed at this Session of the Conference. It leaves that to the responsible examination and evaluation of the State Members and reiterates its encouragement for their greater and better realization.
We would, however, like to recall some basic points: - the need to set action for agriculture in the framework of a prudent environment policy; the need to give maximum stimulus to scientific and applied research in a modern interdisciplinary form and to the ongoing and open communication of its results to all countries.
Finally, we would like to emphasize the importance of the recently launched Program of assistance of the new Exclusive Economic Zones. First of all for fisheries which directly concern the FAO, but also for other aspects which are giving rise to a substantial transformation of the world economy. It would be advisable that here and elsewhere programs be adopted in order to guarantee the advantages from use of the new resources, with their more just redistribution, not only to coastal countries but to all the developing countries.
J. GODIN DIAZ (Colombia): Agradecemos al Sr. Yriart y al Sr. Islam la clara presentación que han hecho de los temas que nos han sometido a consideración. La delegación de Colombia desea hacer al respecto unos cortos comentarios de carácter general.
En el Documento C 79/27 que se refiere a la primera consulta técnica que ha realizado FAO con objeto de analizar y estudiar la aplicación de la cooperación economica entre los países en desarrollo, juega un papel muy importante la agricultura y la alimentación, y el resultado de esta consulta tiene todo el apoyo de la delegación de Colombia. Pensamos que en el futuro los programas deben tender a la intensificación de los productos y el comercio, como uno de los medios para que las naciones del tercer mundo logren su autosuficiencia.
El Gobierno de Colombia, dentro del marco andino, ha establecido contactos para la aplicación de la investigación y la capacitación agrícola, a través del establecimiento de granjas experimentales. Igualmente empezamos a estudiar la posibilidad de tener una mayor y más estrecha cooperación en el sector pesquero.
Deseamos hacer énfasis en la importancia que tiene la contratación de técnicos y la prestación de servicios entre países ligados por vínculos similares, ya que esto ayudaría a reducir los gastos y a lograr los objectivos.
Colombia quiere llamar la atención sobre la necesidad de incrementar los proyectos de ordenación en el área geográfica. Hemos dado un paso adelante con la creación del Pacto Amazónico y mantenemos el criterio de la necesidad de conservación del medio ambiente, generando la capacitación del personal necesario para el logro de este objetivo.
Pedimos a la FAO que intensifique las medidas necesarias para seguir de cerca los programas que en materia de coperación entre los países en desarrollo existen para la Region Latinoamericana.
A. F. M. de FREITAS (Brazil): We appreciate the work done by the Secretariat in the presentation of documents C 79/26 and C 79/27, and particularly the introduction by Mr. Islam and Dr. Yriart. I have a few brief comments to make.
First, I should like to stress that the Brazilian delegation regards as a promising area of cooperation the area of agricultural technology in particular that has been developed in tropical countries like Brazil and whichcan be utilized with good results in other countries with similar geographical conditions.
In this respect, I should like to mention a few items where my country could be of special help to other countries in similar conditions. For instance, Brazil could offer cooperation in the area of forestry and silviculture, management of natural forests, forest insects and disease, wildlife management, tropical forest education at graduate and vocational levels. We could also offer some cooperation in the area of research, genetic improvement of corn, soyabeans, and animal nutrition, genetic improvement of cattle, and the cultivation of tropical fruits, just to mention of a few examples.
We believe that the Programme of Work and Budget for 1980-81 offers new opportunities for a more effective utilization of TCDC by FAO. We also believe that this utilization could be stimulated by developed countries through triangular operations by which developed countries could finance the developing of technological cooperation on the basis of TCDC.
We also appreciate the establishment of a focal point in the Organization to be developed by the Field Programme Development Division (DDF). We would appreciate receiving progress reports on the work of this Division.
We also believe that financial measures at programme level to stimulate activities by TCDC should be supported. Nevertheless, we believe that TCDC is not an isolated operational activity;it is rather a philosophy of action which should be developed at different levels and different sections of the Organization.
As regards the question of inputs from developing countries, we appreciate the progress that has been made so far and which has been described in document C 79/26 in the annex. Here we believe that the Contracts Committee and the Purchase Committee should be encouraged in the directon of looking for contracts and equipment for agriculture in developing countries. In this respect, we would like to suggest that FAO maintain close cooperation with the Interagency Procurement Service of the United Nations so that the international community might receive at the appropriate time information on commercial opportunities associated with projects carried out or financed by FAO.
As regards Document C 79/27, on Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries, the Brazilian delegation believes, as it stated in the Group of 77, that it is the responsibility of developing countries to formulate and implement programmes related to the sub-regional and inter-regional level. In this sense, the operative paragraph 13 of Resolution 127. V adopted at Manila refers expressly to meetings of governmental experts of developing countries in the preparation of a Special Committee of TCDC
We believe that the responsibility for the formulation of guidelines should fall to the developing countries and in this respect we have certain reservations regarding para 1. 54 and 1. 56 of document C 79/27, where apparently the formulation of guidelines is supposed to be a joint task of developed and developing countries. We believe it must be the exclusive responsibility of developing countries.
Finally, a last comment on operative paragraph 13 of Resolution 1. 27 of Manila:the Brazilian delegation supports the establishment of a general system of preferences among developing countries. We believe that this system is a powerful instrument in the development of trade between developing countries.
CHAIRMAN: I can assure the delegate of Brazil that many delegates here share his view that ECDC and TCDC, as he rightly points out, is a philosophy of action.
Y ABT (Israel): My delegation welcomes the emphasis that FAO is placing on TCDC activities as expounded in documents C 79/27 and C 79/26 which were so clearly and eloquently introduced by Dr Yriart and Mr. Islam.
My country, Israel, entered into TCDC activities from our early statehood parallel with receiving assistance from FAO and many other entities. Specific training operations and courses were held in those early years to share our experiences with other developing countries. In fact, over the last fifteen years some 20 thousand technicians and experts from other developing countries were given an insight into the specific tehnologies and methods that we were able to develop and offer. Over the same period some 3, 000 experts, consultants and field me served in some 76 different countries. Every country has its field of excellence. We believe that every country has, and it is only a matter of having to identify those fields. In our case, it has been mainly in the agricultural sector, particularly in aspects of cooperative patterns of agriculture, water resource and irrigation practices, plant protections, aquaculture, methods of extension, agricultural planning, specific field crops, fruit and livestock branches. Our activities in the sphere of arid and semi-arid zone research and development represent another broad field of competence which we have developed through hard work, and we are now trying to share under both bilateral and multilateral cooperation with some 9 countries at present.
We feel that there is room for making some operational arrangements under the aegis of FAO whereby countries really interested in practising TCDC would offer some expertise in the form of a quantity of man-months in a pool from which each country could then have drawing rights to receive expertise. In this way, FAO could act as a very important clearing house to stimulate such TCDC activities in agriculture.
We have taken note of some of the potential activities of TCDC as expressed in the document, and we would particularly subscribe to the ideas of TCDC and integrated post control for cotton production, integrated rul development and aquaculture. We would also suggest that serious consideration be given to TCDC activities in arid and semi-arid zone research and development, since many of our countries are having to develop such areas as areas for the future economies of our country.
We take note of point 5(ii) in document C 79/26, that there is a tendency or desire to support national measures with small coordinating mechanisms on a regional and sub-regional basis. Our experience indicates that that really is the finest way to cooperate between countries.
CHAIRMAN: I agree with the delegate of Israel when he says that FAO could be, and is in fact, a clearing house in ECDC and TCDC.
Mme F. LARBI (Tunisie): Les débats sur ce point sont fort intéressants. Ma délégation voudrait faire quelques commentaires à cet égard.
Nous pensons que la coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement devrait dépasser le stade des idées et entrer en phase d'application, car nous estimons que les rares initiatives qui ont été entreprises pour la mise en oeuvre de cette coopération restent très timides et très limitées. C'est pourquoi nous considérons que nous sommes toujours au stade idéologique.
La FAO, avec l'aide des représentants au niveau des pays, doit venir en aide aux pays en développement non seulement pour identifier les actions à entreprendre dans le cadre de la coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement, mais surtout à mieux utiliser les capacités et compétences techniques de ces pays. De môme, la création du Centre de coordination au sein de la Division de développement du programme de terrain s'avère très utile et nécessaire afin de promouvoir cette coopération, et ceci dans l'immédiat. Bien entendu, l'action entreprise et les efforts déployée par la FAO dans ces domaines devraient être complétée et renforcés par les pays en développement. On peut citer à cet égard quelques exemples. Les pays en développement devraient encourager les institutions nationales, à savoir les universités, les instituts de recherche, à intensifier les échanges d'expériences déjà réussies et qui seraient valables pour d'autres pays, à organiser des séminaires, stages et cours de formation, surtout dans les domaines tels que la planification, l'étude et l'évaluation des projets, l'utilisation des données statistiques de base nécessaires à l'analyse économique des diverses activités agricoles. Une fois que la coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement a été mise en oeuvre, la FAO pourrait intervenir pour aider les gouvernements intéressés à trouver les fonds nécessaires pour promouvoir les différentes activités déjà entreprises dans le cadre de cette coopération.
Enfin, je voudrais énumérer quelques domaines pour lesquels la coopération technique entre pays en voie de développement, à l'échelle régionale et sous-régionale, pourrait être d'une grande utilité pour mon pays, à savoirla lutte contre la désertification, la lutte contre les ravageurs de culture (criquet pèlerin, moineaux et rongeurs), l'établissement des réseaux de recherche entre instituts pour les cultures de base telles que les céréales, l'olivier, le palmier-dattier, pour lesquelles les pays en développement disposent d'une expérience considérable qui devrait être communiquée aux autres pays par des échanges systématiques et continus.
Μ· ZYALIĆ (Yugoslavia): Yugoslavia participated in a wide range of international conferences and meetings dealing with technical and economic cooperation among developing countries including technical consultation on ECDC and TCDC in Food and Agriculture held at FAO headquarters a few months ago. We would not repeat our position as regards substance since it has been expressed in this as well as other international fora. As one of the coordinators of Food and Agriculture in a non-aligned movement and the coordinating Group of 77 my Government and my delegation has been considering TCDC and ECDC as issues of the highest priority and importance. Besides, I would like to mention we have always been aware that ECDC, economic and technological cooperation, are important measures, and the achievement of its quality and self-reliance an essential part of new international economic fora. My delegation is also of the opinion that both technical and economic cooperation are inter-related.
In conclusion we would like to congratulate the Director-General and FAO on their work in this field. We also would like to express our full support to the documents submitted by the Secretariat. We underline the importance of the recommendations and requests envisaged in the document under review and we are of the opinion that it is necessary for FAO to keep under constant review ECDC and TCDC in Food and Agriculture.
P. LAOWHAPHAN (Thailand): My delegation at the outset would like to thank both the ADG's for their introductory statements this morning. As it was pointed out, TCDC and ECDC are inter-related and complementary to each other, and my delegation will combine these two agenda items in our intervention.
Thailand, as one of the developing countries fully shares the view expressed by previous speakers in supporting this cooperation. Our regional group, the so-called ASEAN has taken the initiative in many activities at the ministerial level in TCDC as well as ECDC. However, we have to accept one fact, that progress in TCDC and ECDC is still slow, even though much recognition has been given in the past by FAO Council and Conference as well as in other international fora. It is only frank and honest to admit that this is partly due to some developing countries themselves showing their reluctance to accept inputs from other developing countries. My delegation would like to compliment FAO and other international fora for their major role in encouraging and taking expeditious action for the implementation of resolution 33/135 adopted by the General Assembly of the united Nations in December 1978·
My delegation at this point would like to make one minor remark on the Appendix in document C 79/26 on page 8. It appeared in this Appendix that the number of field project personnel from developing countries starting from December 1976 to December 1978 is only 50 percent in average, as compared to the ones from developed countries. We would like to urge that this figure be increased.
In conclusion, my delegation fully endorses documents C 79/26 para. 28 that the regional offices with their vast knowledge in the field of agricultural situations of the region will certainly play a key role in this regard to strengthen the capacities of TCDC and ECDC in their respective regions.
D. CHUMP (New Zealand): The New Zealand delegation supports the efforts FAO has made to give force to the Buenos Aires declaration as presented in documents C 79/26 and 27· We must say however, that New Zealand does not see south to south cooperation as a substitute for continuedefforts to bring about north to south dialogue in a pragmatic realistic way on the problems of World Agricultural Development. New Zealand would resist any suggestion that LDC trade barriers in agriculture should be given a tacit blessing by acceptance of ECDC or TCDC philosophy. The most efficient use of international agricultural resources requires that the principle of comparative advantage should apply in each case. In support of our point of view New Zealand will continue to work on two avenues of approach;on the one hand New Zealand will continue to share its agricultural expertise through bi-lateral and multi-lateral aid programmes. On the other hand and at the same time New Zealand will be pressing for the removal of trade barriers in agriculture in all regevant form
We believe that all countries can benefit from efficient food production as the result of agricultural development and free trade in agricultural products.
We join with other delegations in welcoming the report Doc. C 79/26 which provides a useful statement on the role of the FAO in TCDC. This report also provides an advanced statement of the role of TCDC in promoting rural agricultural development. We particularly support the concluding paragraphs 36/37 of the document which notes that TCDC forms part of a wider task of promoting a concept of global economic interdependence. This interdependence must also involve more substantial resource transfers from developed to developing countries.
P. MASUD (Pakistan): I will not go into specific details because a lot has been said by my colleagues,
but simply make a general statement. The world today is beset by a host of economic problems and any realistic assessment of the efforts being made by the developing countries in the field or food and agriculture must be viewd in the overall context of increase in prices and recession in the industrial world that has restricted markets for products like cotton, copra, cocoa, tin and other raw materials, sold by LDC's. In many developing countries economic growth has dropped to roughly 2 percent a year, not enough to keep up with the population growth which is 2. 6 percent for LDC's. In addition developing countries have borrowed a staggering $ 200 billion, half of it since 1973, to pay for imports of fuel and food. Paying these debts is a gigantic task;with LDC's drawing into a shell the need for cooperation with developing countries with common hopes, aspirations and problems, has become a vital necessity. We feel the very sense of cooperation whether TCDC or ECDC, is a realization of the benefit that can flow from a united and mutually complementary effort. With this in view we have certain concrete proposals for action. These are: groups of countries using research and academic institutions should launch studies to identify common problem areas in which cooperation will be required. The experiences of institutions in developed countries and international agencies could be drawn upon to supplement local efforts.
Secondly, Governments with a common problem area in the sub-region or region should organize consultations to consider how best to establish TCDC or ECDC in tackling the problems and we recommend FAO assist in arranging these consultations.
Thirdly the initiatives of the Governments should be given the widest possible publicity to attract the interest of the international community and financial institutions.
Fourthly local experts could be constituted into an action group to formulate Marshall plans to new projects in the national plans of the concerned countries. Again FAO should assist such efforts. Developed and multi-lateral financing agencies should be approached to provide financial assistance. Concurrently there should be a training programme to ensure the supply of technical manpower for projects.
Lastly and most importantly we would urge all these efforts should be on the basis of mutuality and complementarity. It must remain a two-way exercise. Large developing countries must not dominate smaller ones or we will find ourselves in a situation similar to that between developed and developing countries. I hope my proposals will get sympathetic consideration by all those here gathered. I must add ay thanks to Thailand who brought to the notice of the meeting the figures in the Appendix of document C 79/26. Field Project personnel from developing countries in December 1976 totaled 466 or 31 percent. In December 1978 they totalled 506 or 33 percent. So, in fact, there has been an increase of 2 percent only. But who is to blame for this, Sir? I think the blame rests with the attitudinal barriers which cause or which prevent certain developing countries accepting experts from other developing countries. So, I think the responsibilty rests with the developing countries themselves, and they should endeavour to overcome these attitudinal barriers.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished delegate of Pakistan and I do assure him that his suggestions are being received by competent hands for necessary and appropriate processing. I am sure he is aware of the staff that will handle the suggestions that he has made.
S. SID AHMED (Sudan): First I would like to congratulate Dr. Islam and Dr. Yriart for their remarkable introduction. Mr. chairman, Sudan is pleased to see that both technical cooperation and economic cooperation among developing countries are gaining momentum. For many years now our country has been cooperating successfully with a number of developing countries. In the field of technical cooperation I would like to single out the useful aid we got from Kenya in developing our livestock, tea and coffee. From Nigeria in the production of kassiva and yam. From Egypt in the development of wheat, legumes and in training. On the other hand, we had also the pleasure of sharing our modest experience in the cultivation of cotton, gum arabic, and in the design and development of irrigated agriculture with some of our African brothers.
Before coming to Rome we have been finalizing a protocol with Pakistan for technical cooperation in the various fields of agriculture.
In the field of economic cooperation we are glad to refer to to the joint development projects we are establishing with most of the Arab countries, especially with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Emirates.
In spite of all this we think there is much scope for Cooperation, and here we feel the role of FAO is crucial in supplying information, identifying suitable areas of cooperation, in coordination, etc. , on the inter-country and regional levels.
In fact, right now we are considering the idea with some of our neighbours in asking FAO to identify regional development projects in certain areas of our common boundaries.
Mr. Chairman, we are glad that FAO in the efforts of promoting cooperation among developing countries is not neglecting coordination with other UN agencies and especially with the unit of TCDC and the UNDP whose director Hussain Idris, incidentally an eminentSudanese national, is with us now monitoring our meetings and I greet him. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: I thank the distinguished delegate of Sudan and we are very pleased to share yourexperience, to have knowledge of your experience on protocol arrangements with Pakistan. We wish you good luck in this venture in the spirit of TCDC.
S. TAZI (Maroc) (interprétation de l'arabe): La délégation du Maroc est três heureuse et satisfaite de la façon dont nous examinons ces problèmes de la coopération. En effet, il est inévitable que nous allions de l'avant dans ce domaine, car c'est là que réside la solution de nos problèmes d'avenir. Et nous appuyons le document qui fait l'objet de nos débats. Cependant nous voulons faire remarquer que dans toute une série de domaines, où la coopération économique et technique est nécessaire avec les pays développés, il n'y a 14 malheureusement encore que des déclarations d'intention, sans mesures prises pour aller de l'avant dans les domaines de la CETD et CTPD.
Ce qui ressort de ce document vaut également pour des contrats avec les pays en développement et les ordres d'achat en plus, cela vaut également pour une réactivation de la collaboration sur le plan régional et entre les pays en développement de la région. D'autre part, aucune solution pratique n'a été proposée aux problèmes qui entravent cette coopération, comme par exemple le refus de certains pays d'accepter des experts en provenance des pays en développement et la domination des coopérations transnationales dans l'équipement de certains pays qui empêchent les pays en développement d'augmenter leurs achats en provenance d'autres pays en développement. La délégation du Maroc appuie cette idée tendant à dire qu'il faut relier la coopération technique et la coopération économique, car cela nous permettrait d'augmenter le flux des ressources des pays en développement. Nous estimons également qu'il est indispensable qu'au cours de cette phase il faille mettre l'accent sur la coopération technique entre pays en développement sur l'éducation, la formation, ce qui pourrait se faire sous forme suivante: établir des liens entre les instituts de recherche et de formation des différents pays;on pourrait y ajouter également des accords de promotion de la coopération. En plus, et je voudrais attirer l'attention sur ce que le Maroc est prêt à coopérer dans le cadre de ces programmes. Nous sommes également prêts à élargir notre assistance, tenant compte de notre assistance aux pays frères et amis pour améliorer les intérêts de parcours, d'irrigation, des travaux de vulgarisation et améliorer les techniques d'insémination artificielle, la recherche agricole assistée et également les entreprises de consultants du Maroc pour démarrer dans la pratique.
M. A. OROZCO DEZA (México): Le agradecemos el interés que ha demostrado en que nos expresemos en este segundo subtema, para lo cual trataré de ser muy breve en nuestros comentarios al informe de la consulta técnica sobre cooperación economica entre países en desarrollo en materia de agricultura y alimentación.
Es indiscutible que su importancia estriba en que, en el contexto general en que se encuentran los países subdesarrollados, es necesario reforzar y hacer más dinámicos y efectivos los instrumentos y medios para enfrentar los problemas estructurales e influencias externas negativas, que obstaculizan el desarrollo, permanentemente, de sus pueblos.
En este caso, la cooperación economica representa un factor de solidaridad verdadera, desinteresada y de real ayuda, así como de intercambio de experiencias y conocimientos entre países afectados cotidianamente por factores comunes de dependencia, y por la persistencia de secuelas propias del colonialismo y neocolonialismo.
Una nueva solidaridad economica responsable entre todos los estados, se ha demandado desde hace tiempo, tanto en el seno de las Naciones Unidas y las organizaciones afiliadas al sistema, así
como en otros muy importantes foros. Se ha reiterado insistentemente que es indispensable mejorar la situación de los países subdesarrollados que se ha visto afectada y empeorada por la estructura tradicional del comercio mundial, la viciada distribución internacional del trabajo, y el incontrolable aparato transnacional. Es indispensable, en consecuencia, transformar esta realidad mediante el establecimiento de un orden normativo universal que consagre e instrumente esa solidaridad activa y responsable entre todas las naciones.
El concepto de este Nuevo Orden Economico es el plasmado ya en la Carta de Derechos y Deberes Económicos de los Estados, misma que da sustancia, contenido y operatividad al nuevo Orden Económico Internacional.
México está convencido de que la cooperación económica entre países en desarrollo es fundamental. No hay duda de que ahora se materializa en la medida de nuestras posibilidades. Prueba de ello es el Informe que tenemos a la vista. Abrigamos la absoluta esperanza de que recibirá permanente apoyo y que no se convertirá en un expediente para distraerse de lo fundamental, y un pretexto para posponer compromisos ya establecidos que se encuentran en vías de cumplimiento.
Creemos que sería de singular importancia, renovar a intensificar la Cooperación Económica entre países subdesarrollados y desarrollados que en el marco de referencia, representaría un bastión indisputable del Nuevo Orden Económico Internacional.
Esperamos firmemente que cualquier coparticipación de los que más tienen y pueden, no signifique la fijación de condiciones, y que observen invariablemente la soberanía y prioridades autodeter-minadas por las partes.
Mexico reitera su compromiso de esforzarse por fortalecer la cooperación entre países en desarrollo, particularmente, en la creación de empresas multinacionales entre gobiernos y pueblos del Tercer Mundo. Estamos dispuestos a cooperar y a participar íntimamente con el Comité Coordinador cuya creación se ha propuesto en el seno del Grupo de los 77 en Roma.
Acompañamos plenamente al documento C 79/27, pues contienen el espíritu, los objetivos y programa adoptados en las conferencias de Manila, Colombo, Mexico y Arusha, así como en la V UNCTAD y la Conferencia de Buenos Aires.
Finalmente, coincidimos plenamente con las Recomendaciones, Peticiones y Sugerencias que aparecen en la parte inicial, y sólo quisiéramos reiterar nuestra felicitación al Director General por haberla convocado y aceptar la recomendación de que este tipo de Consultas se realice con carácter periódico.
CHAIRMAN:I thank the distinguished delegate from Mexico. I presume we all agree we have come to the end of our discussion after 125 minutes of listening time. It is apparent that the 24 delegates who spoke centered around certain points which I think we must highlight. As somebody who has already been in previous meetings where these topics have been discussed it is surprising that very little mention has been made of the follow-up action on the consultations that were held here some time in June or July. I am sure that the Secretariat, Professor Islam and Mr. Yriart are aware of this and something might be done about it because there were attempts to set up a working group within FAO to monitor the progress of follow-up.
However, it is also interesting to us that several speakers mentioned, amongst other things, four key aspects on Τ and ECDC, that is the identification of areas of commodities for cooperation and the assessment of the extent of the cooperation that is envisaged. Moreover, some other delegations stressed the approach and others highlighted the evaluation and monitoring aspects of Τ and ECDC As we have competent staff who can handle the paraphrasing of what transpired this afternoon, I wish to hand over to Mr. Yriart and Professor Islam who will comment on the views expressed by delegates.
J. F. YRIART (Subdirector General, Departamento de Desarrollo): Seré breve. Permítame en primer lugar, constatar que en el caso de la CTPD, nos satisface que ha habido un acuerdo con los puntos principales que hemos enfatizado en el documento presentado a vuestra consideración;y que, en el fondo, son aquellos puntos que también se consideraron en la discusión en el Consejo.
Por esta razón, no voy a referirme, por ejemplo, al problema de los insumos de los países en desarrollo, porque compartimos plenamente los deseos de los países en desarrollo de aumentar tanto el número de expertos, como de consultores que usamos en los programas de campo, como el de poder hacer mayores adquisiciones en los países en desarrollo.
En los documentos que presentamos frecuentemente mostramos los esfuerzos que hacemos en ese sentido. En algunos casos, hemos adoptado medidas de control y supervision muy especiales, y también mostramos los resultados que vamos obteniendo. En algunos casos, obtenemos resultados positivos en forma más acelerada que en otros. No es por falta de esfuerzos nuestros.
Algunos de los señores delegados han hablado del problema de que en algunos países en desarrollo existe todavía cierta prevención para el uso de expertos de otros países en desarrollo. Es una barrera que va desapareciendo, pero que en algo existe. Solo puedo afirmar que en estos casos hacemos constantes y sinceros esfuerzos.
A lo que sí quisiera referirme es a un punto que hemos tratado cada vez que consideramos el problema del CTPD, y que hoy otra vez volví a mencionarlo cuando introduje el tema;y es que ha llegado el momento en que la información tiene que venir, más y más, de los representantes de los países en desarrollo. Fue con placer que en la discusión de hoy oí de algunos distinguidos delegados, información concreta sobre acciones tomadas por sus gobiernos;diferentes tipos de acciones, ya sea que se han puesto a identificar áreas posibles de cooperación de CTPD con otros países, ya sea sobre instrumentos que están adoptando para favorecer la CTPD, o cómo identifican proyectos concretos de CTPD.
Eso es verdaderamente la próxima etapa. Nosotros estamos haciendo continuamente una labor de análisis de nuestra colaboración con los paises en desarrollo del mundo, pero esa labor va hasta cierto punto. Ya hemos mirado los libros varias veces;ahora tenemos que tener acceso a esa fuente, mucho, mucho más amplia de experiencia y de información, como son las experiencias mismas de los países.
Por eso. en efecto, el señor delegado que sugirió tres razones o tres modalidades de acción en los países por medio de grupos de trabajo, al nivel de países, que identifiquen áreas de cooperación o, por medio de consultas entre países subregionales o regionales con el mismo propósito y la formación de grupos de acción para formular proyectos en los países mismos, nos parece que eso es uno de esos campos en que, de esa manera, se daría un paso adelante.
Así que, quisiera decir, repetir, que para seguir adelante en forma segura y efectiva con la cooperación técnica entre los países en desarrollo, es indudable, es necesario que los países, en público de todas las maneras que puedan, y ciertamente cuando nos reunimos en los organismos internacionales, ellos expresen cuáles son sus experiencias, cuales son sus posibilidades, cuáles son sus necesidades. Habiendo dicho eso, quiero decir que también comparto el énfasis que en la discusión de hoy se ha hecho sobre la necesidad de divulgar información sobre el potencial o la necesidad que hay en los países en desarrollo para llevar adelante el CTPD.
Y en eso, como lo hemos informado en nuestros documentos ahora, en reuniones anteriores, hay dos campos que tenemos, por nuestra parte, por las Naciones Unidas, que mejorar. Es por el lado del PNUD, el Servicio de Referencias, el INRES, en que estamos todos vinculados, y que su calidad tiene que ser cada vez mejor para que pueda servir verdaderamente las necesidades informativas de los gobiernos.
Por nuestra parte también es evidente que no sólo tenemos que mejorar sino que tenemos que buscar maneras eficaces de divulgar el conocimiento que tenemos sobre oportunidades y necesidades con los países. Comparto, en ese sentido, y lo hemos expresado muchas veces, que en esta acción no sólo de divulgación sino también de promoción, nuestras oficinas regionales tienen una función de especial importancia;y para eso, las oficinas regionales cuentan a su servicio, se dirigirán a ellas, estarán a su servicio, los representantes de los países. Creo que en este caso, como observaciones generales sobre el debate, éstas son las únicas que tengo que hacer. Excepto que se me ha hecho una pregunta directa por el distinguido colega de la India que se refirió al problema de la remuneración de expertos nacionales.
Quiero decir al señor delegado de la India que en estas materias de proceso, metodológicas, de administración, etc. , en general los acuerdos a que llegamos con el programa de desarrollo de las Naciones Unidas suelen tener una importancia fundamental, porque los utilizamos para uniformizar nuestra acción. En los últimos tiempos, hemos discutido con el PNUD el problema de la utilización y prioridad para las Agencias del Sistema, la utilización cada vez mayor número de ciudadanos de los países en desarrollo en sus propios países;y acaba de salir un documento del PNUD que nos sirve de guía para todas las actividades financiadas por el PNUD, y que promueve, como es el principio que hemos aceptado todos y que promovemos, la utilización de nacionales del país en nuestros proyectos;y en cuanto a su remuneración dice que ésa será en forma que sea compatible con las remuneraciones y los usos locales, y allá éstos.
Solo puedo hacerles una pequeña anotación y es que la palabra compatibles no quiere decir idénticas, sino que quiere decir que sin causar disloques, trastornos en los usos o en la economía locales, debe ser también supuestamente compatible con lo local, compatible con los salarios, las dietas que fijan los organismos internacionales, así es que entre los dos se debe de buscar un justo medio.
En un momento de la discusión con el señor Islam, otra vez hablábamos de lo difícil que es separar la cooperación técnica de la cooperación económica en los países en desarrollo, y mirando la tabla que está en el suplemento al documento C 79/26 Sup. 1, cuando varios señores delegados se refirieron al CIRDAP, el instituto creado en el Asia cuyo Director yo estaba mirando en este momento, yo le dije al señor Islam que me parecía que sería conveniente hacer una referencia también a nuestra ciudad. Y ya que a ese efecto yo no veo verdaderamente qué es más importante del CIRDAP, si la cooperación técnica o la económica, así que le dejaba el CIRDAP al profesor Islam.
Así que creo conveniente, señor Presidente, que si usted me permite, continúe ahora el señor Islam en el uso de la palabra.
N. ISLAM (Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Policy Department):I have very little to add to the debates and discussions which have gone on this afternoon on the subject of ECDC. We shall certainly pay close attention to the various comments and suggestions made in the course of the debate.
We are grateful for the appreciation expressed by the delegates for the initiative taken by the Director-General in convening the Technical Consultation on Economic Cooperation in the Developing Countries. In fact, many delegates have not only referred to the recommendations of this consultation but they have made additional suggestions to the recommendations.
We are happy to note that the delegates provide general support to the recommendations of this consultation and we have also taken particular note of the consensus that it is the ultimate responsibility of the developing countries themselves to take the initiative in formulating projects of economic cooperation among developing countries, and implementing them also while the international agencies have a supporting role in helping them to implement their initiative.
FAO will continue to support initiatives taken with the developing countries in the field of economic cooperation among themselves, and I might illustrate by saying that this year, for example, we have three specifc areas in which FAO has assisted and taken a great part in helping the developing countries in their efforts to promote economic cooperation amongst themselves. One institution to which Mr. Yriart has just made reference is the Centre for Integrated Rural Development in Asia and the Pacific, and another one which is under active negotiation now among the participating countries is to be located in Arusha in Tanzania. We had an inter-governmental consultation on this centre a few months ago.
We are looking for similar initiatives for such centres to be established in Latin America and the Near East regions. These centres are illustrative of the types of efforts which would promote research and training, cooperation in research and training in fields of rural development among the participating countries, not only in the exchange of experience and helping each other, bus also promoting joint activities in the field of rural development.
Similarly, earlier this year we did a study for the Sahelian region for their reserve stocks, exploring various possibilities of regional coordination for reserve stocks. Again, in Africa we have undertaken an initial experimental effort in promoting a food commodity intelligence service with a view to promoting trade among the participating countries by providing information on specific commodities in terms of their export availabilities and import requirements, etcetera.
We hope to continue our efforts in assisting the developing countries in the field of economic cooperation and amongst themselves. At this late stage, I have nothing further to add.
CHAIRMAN:I would like to thank Professor Islam and Mr. Yriart for their supporting statements and comments on the views expressed by delegates on the topic of the agenda item for today which now comes to a close.
Before we bring down the gavel I would like to inform the delegates that Saudi Arabia, because of time and other unavoidable circumstances, could not make an intervention straight from the floor, so they have indicated their views of the topic and informed the Secretariat, of which I am sure appropriate care will be taken.
Also Tanzania has informed us that they were not able, because of unavoidable circumstances this morning, to have contributed from the floor to the debate on Africa Trypanosomiasis. Consequently they have sent in their views, informing us of them, which we will send on to the Secretariat for necessary action.
I think at this time all we have to do is to pick up our documents and have a long weekend so that we come prepared on Monday for the discussion on the follow-up action on WCAARD. I presume there is nothing else coming from the floor except for private discussion, which we can do after the curtain goes dowm for the meeting, and we will adjourn right now.
Z. El-JWIERAH (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia): After reviewing document C 79/26 -technical cooperation among developing countries - it appears that this document shows the following developments:(a) defining new concepts in order to promote technical cooperation among the developing countries in agriculture, forestry and fisheries;(b) integrating technical cooperation among developing countries into the programme and budget for 1980/81;(c) improving the use of the capacities of the developing countries in FAO programmes through the use of experts, advisers, cultural or educational institutions in these countries, and also procurement of goods needed by FAO and which are produced in these countries;(d) emphasizing the increase of technical cooperation activities among the countries, as well as urgent food security problems such as drought, desert locust, plant protection, agricultural quarantine and animal diseases.
The document focuses on ECDC through policies and strategies enabling these countries to move the resources on the area level or between adjacent countries. This is done either through establishing common programs prepared by technical and international organizations including FAO and other international financing institutions and developed countries with a view to providing the necessary technology and training in the preparation and implementation of projects aiming at realizing the following policies: (a) increasing food production and processing;(b) increasing agricultural production in general, includingfisheriesand forestry products;(c) realizing food security on the country and regional levels;(d) use of modern technology in the field of food and agriculture technology.
Our delegation can support the proposals and recommendations contained in the document. We urge United Nations specialized agencies, including FAO, to intensify their efforts towards preparing specific and useful programs on the country and regional level.
As far as point 15. 2 is concerned, it is felt that this documents stresses the economic and technical cooperation among developing countries through establishing policies and strategies enabling the movement of resources of such a country on a regional or bilateral basis. This might be achieved through joint programmes prepared and formulated by international technical organizations -led by FAO - and financed by international financing organizations along with developed countries. Technology and training must be supplied in order to help the people of those countries to decide, prepare and execute the projects in order to obtain:(a) increase of food production and food industries;(b) increase of agricultural production as a whole, including fisheries and forestry products;(c) food security on a country and regional level;(d) absorption of modern technology in food and agricultural production. 1/
The meeting rose at 17. 15 hours
La seance est levée à 17h 15
Se levanta la sesión a las 17. 15 horas
1/ Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
