Mr. Chairman,
Let me begin by adding my delegation's and my personal congratulations to you and your distinguished colleagues on the bureau, on your respective elections. I am convinced that given your proven skips and able leadership, this Conference will be brought to a successful conclusion. Allow me also to associate my delegation with the statement made by the Presidency of the European Union.
Mr. Chairman,
Ten years after the second Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC's), which was convened in Paris, we have come together again, this time in Brussels, to reconfirm our political will to strengthen our economic and development cooperation with the Least Developed Countries. During these ten years, there have been many changes in the world. Although a certain amount of progress was achieved in recent years in many developing as well as in a number of LDC's, the general impression is that a lot of economic and social changes are needed in these countries, if poverty and the increasing marginalization of people and countries are to be reduced.
Thus, the aim of the present Conference, which is not only an event but part of a process, for development, is to agree on and adopt practical and effective measures and actions which will promote and accelerate their sustainable development and help their gradual integration into the world economy and the international trading system, allowing them to achieve improved standards of living for their citizens and reach the UN social development goals, avoiding further economic marginalization.
The implementation of the Programme of Action which will be adopted by the Conference requires a broad, holistic approach and defines synergies and coherent, consistent strategies and policies which will enable the Least Developed Countries to address the multiple challenges of our time and especially those of the globalized economy. Social stability and peacebuilding are the conditions, which will permit them to deal effectively with their needs.
On our part, the commitments that we are undertaking here, show clearly our intention to work hard to improve the position of the LDC's in the world economy, in the framework of partnerships by creating a dynamic and enabling international economic environment, supportive of international cooperation, particularly in the fields of finance, ODA, trade policies, debt relief, transfer of technology and productive investment.
But external action is not enough. There is an urgency to take concrete action in LDC's. The primary responsibility rests on the shoulders of the LDC governments themselves: They must determine their priorities in the context of their national policies by putting people at the center of these policies. Thus, they should, strive to create an appropriate domestic enabling environment by improving good governance, involving all stakeholders and in the process taking charge of their own destiny. In this way their domestic resources and the external financing, would be used in order to secure their sustainable development goals.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would also like to mention that the Greek Government despite a restrictive economic policy, which it follows in recent years, has been steadily and substantially increasing its development assistance and will continue to do so according to its actual five year plan.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.