Bangkok--16 Jul--UNISBKK
With the world economy projected to grow a meagre one percent, the most difficult phase of the global financial crisis has just begun for the majority of people, particularly in developing countries. Impacts will take the form of less job opportunities, greater income insecurity and a higher risk of falling into poverty. In this context, t he United Nation’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is holding its substantive session this month from July 6 to 31 st in Geneva .
Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), joined with other senior UN officials, national cabinet ministers and chiefs of international agencies to discuss the impact of the current economic crisis on a range of development issues including global health.
Of concern was the possibility of cutbacks in health system funding, as countries struggle to finance their fiscal stimulus programmes. Dr. Heyzer noted the link between increased investment in health care and economic development. She went on to state that, “the crisis offers an opportunity to reform health systems so they can operate more effectively and equitably. Regional cooperation can promote the adoption of more effective financing strategies for health care including the poor, who have benefited least from development to date and who now face the greatest threats.”
Dr. Heyzer’s remarks, and the Council’s adoption last week of a Ministerial Declaration on global public health, recognize the central role that achieving health related goals has in realizing sustainable development.
In subsequent meetings ESCAP’s chief noted that the economic crisis was rolling back the significant progress made to date in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Asia and the Pacific. These goals include halving extreme poverty and hunger as well as tackling a range of other social, economic and environmental ills by 2015. Dr. Heyzer explained that ESCAP has responded to the crisis by encouraging policies that include social programmes such as health coverage, pensions, education and agricultural extension services, as well as investment in small and medium scale enterprises. These measures will help middle and lower income persons, including women.
“The huge scale of government spending in the pipeline in many countries offers an unprecedented opportunity to design development policies that will bring about more inclusive and sustainable development,” Dr. Heyzer said. “Pro-poor policies aimed at strengthening social protection systems not only create the social foundations for more inclusive societies, they free up spending of consumers. In other words social protection systems also make good economic sense.”
ESCAP’s chief also stated that financial stimulus packages and reforms could help create a more integrated and coordinated Asia and the Pacific that builds upon collective regional strengths and resources. Appropriate investments in infrastructure are needed to create economic corridors that link Less Developed Countries to economic centres in the region; thereby increasing intra-regional trade. As a result, the recovery of larger economies like China , India and South Korea will have greater reciprocal positive spin offs for their smaller neighbours.
During the meeting panellists were asked how the UN system can best support programme countries in their response to the crisis. Dr. Heyzer stated that ESCAP serves as a platform for regional dialogue and consensus building and sharing of solutions and experiences. By way of an example she recalled last December’s regional high level policy dialogue on the food-fuel crisis and climate change jointly organized by ESCAP and the Government of Indonesia.
“It was the first time,” she said, “that all three crises were addressed in a comprehensive and integrated manner regionally. Resulting recommendations are now serving as a framework for action for member States in the region…By taking ownership of reviving their economies, developing regions can ensure that the recovery is built on a development paradigm that is both inclusive and sustainable and therefore far more supportive of achievement of the MDGs.”
Dr. Heyzer stated that ESCAP has sought to provide Member States with the necessary strategic analysis, policy options and technical assistance. “Our flagship publication, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2009 provides a compelling analytical basis for the policy reforms that the region will need to collectively implement in response to the economic crisis,” she said.
ESCAP’s chief also referred to examples of UN collaboration in the region as models for the way forward. Of particular importance is the United Nations Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM), which ESCAP chairs. This mechanism improves the coordination among the work programmes of UN organizations towards regional-level system-wide coherence and “delivering as one”.
ECOSOC’s meetings will continue until July 31 st with upcoming meetings focused on Humanitarian Affairs and general segments.
For further queries, please contact:
Mr. Mitchell Hsieh
UN/ESCAP Information Services
Tel: (66) 2 288 1862-69
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]