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China Says External Factors Critical to Sustainable Development
The external factors have become critical in determining the success or failure of developing countries in their national sustainable development efforts, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Shen Guofang said Thursday.
"The benefits of globalization have not been equally shared and its negative effects have broadened the gap between the rich and the poor," Shen told the Ninth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.
He said that finance is essential for sustainable development, and it is imperative that developed countries honor their commitment to reverse the decline of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
He urged the developed countries to provide new and additional financial resources to developing countries, and to achieve as soon as possible the agreed target of 0.7 percent of their Gross National Product (GNP) for ODA.
Stressing that foreign financial flows should serve to enhance sustainable development, he warned that the profit-driven private financial flows tend to neglect the environmental and social impacts.
"The private sector, represented by transnational corporations, which have became a major economic player, should undertake appropriate responsibilities for sustainable development," he added.
Other external factors, including market access for developing countries and environmentally sound technology, are all playing bigger and bigger roles in sustainable development, he said.
The Ninth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, scheduled for April 16-27, is focused on the issues of energy, atmosphere, transport, information for decision-making and participation, as well as international cooperation for an enabling environment.
Established in 1993 as a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission is charged with monitoring the implementation of Agenda 21, the action program adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.
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