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Statement on priorities for Geneva 2000:

World Summit on Social Development

The lack of progress in implementing the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action is both shameful and shocking. It shows the crucial need for renewing constructive dialogue so that the causes and consequences of these failures can be addressed.  It also emphasises the need for renewing the political commitment demonstrated in Copenhagen by the presence of the largest gathering ever of world leaders if social development for all is to be achieved.

The willingness and determination of the international community to achieve the goals set in 1995 will be judged on the outcome of the UN General Assembly Special Session in Geneva.  The responsibility for its success, or failure, rests with all nations present in Geneva. Eurostep, a coalition of European development NGOs believes that European governments, and the European Union in particular, has a particular responsibility to demonstrate its commitment to making Copenhagen’s goals a reality.  Eurostep therefore strongly urges the countries of the European Union to promote and support further initiatives for mobilising additional resources:

1.     To make a commitment to reversing the current decline in ODA and establish a timetable in which the UN target of 0.7% of GNP will be met by 2005. Meeting this long-standing commitment is crucial to re-building confidence between developing and industrialised countries and to provide necessary resources for reaching social development goals.

2.     The immediate and full debt relief for the poorest countries to release resources for investment in social development. Although there have been strengthened policy for reducing the debt burden of developing countries, the burden of debt has grown markedly, squeezing resources for development. Full debt relief for the poorest countries would demonstrate political commitment for social development and would be an appropriate response to the massive civil society campaign of Jubilee 2000.

3.     The introduction of a Currency Transfer Tax (CTT) to counter the instability of global capital transactions and to mobilise further resources for social development A CTT would be an effective means to counter the excessive volatility of short-term capital transactions.  It could potentially provide additional resources for social development. 

The goals of Copenhagen cannot be achieved if developing countries are marginalised in the decision-making process in the international institutions. They should not and will not accept this. While much responsibility for achieving social development and the eradication of poverty must be taken nationally, this cannot succeed without an international enabling environment which includes the provision of adequate resources. All parties to international agreements need to implement the commitments they made. Legitimate and reasonable demands such as respect for workers’ rights should not be used as a pretext for protectionist measures. Instead such demands must be elements in negotiations, which take into consideration the current state of affairs in different countries and provide reasonable compensation to countries willing to take steps in the right direction. While poverty focused policies have been adopted by international institutions in which developing countries have little or no influence, macro-economic conditions designed by the International Financial Institutions for loans and debt relief have not changed. The IMF/World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers initiative thus risks becoming yet another conditionality by donors on developing countries. This results in making the latter responsible for social development without being in control of the necessary means and resources.

To escape the current deadlock and reinstate the climate of trust, which is necessary to Geneva 2000’s success, Eurostep strongly encourages the industrialised countries, especially the European Union, to demonstrate its willingness to address the special needs and situations of the developing countries. By accepting their responsibility and meeting their financial commitments, the industrialised countries can significantly contribute to moving the social development agenda forward.

The Copenhagen Summit brought together the largest gathering of World leaders in history. The political importance given to the summit and its outcome by the international community needs to be matched by the priority given to their realisation.  It is therefore imperative that in 2005, the mid point between the historic Summit and the date set for achieving many of the critical targets should be marked by another gathering of meeting of world leaders. This is the best way to re-assert the centrality of the Copenhagen commitments at the beginning of the new Millennium, and to ensure that they receive the political attention that they deserve.

June 2000.

Updated on 22 June 2000
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