Be good on promises, Annan says
Be good on promises, Annan says
Adianto P. Simamora and Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Visiting United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan repeated
again the song which developing countries love to hear: An appeal
to the industrialized countries to be more generous to developing
countries and a call for the reform of the UN.
In a press conference here on Saturday, the secretary-general
said that most of the rich countries were still far from
complying with the Millenium Development Goals, which set a target
under which the rich countries are expected to provide at least
0.7 percent of their gross national income to help poor countries
through official development assistance (ODA) by 2005.
Annan said that only five countries -- Denmark, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway and Sweden -- had reached the 0.7 percent
target.
"Other governments have come up with timetables for achieving
the target, like France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Spain and the
United Kingdom," he told reporters on the sidelines of the second
day of the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta.
Referring to a pledge by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi to increase ODA, Annan pointed out that Japan had also
promised to prepare a road map to achieve the 0.7 percent goal,
although it had still failed to set a definite date for realizing
its promise.
In his speech on Friday, Koizumi, who wants to see Japan get a
seat on the United Nations Security Council, promised to provide
more money for developing countries, especially the African
nations.
Japan was the world's largest donor until 2003 when the United
States replaced it. However, to date Japan's ODA is still only
0.2 percent of its GDP.
"Each developed country that has not already done so should
establish a timetable to achieve the 0.7 percent target of gross
national income for official development assistance no later than
2015, starting with significant increases no later than 2006, and
reaching 0.5 percent by 2009," he said
The UN launched the Millennium Development Goals in 2000.
Annan was in Jakarta to attend the summit, where heads of
state/governments of the Asian and African countries are gathered
to establish a new strategic partnership.
During his visit, Annan also briefed the ministers of the two
continents on a report on the much-debated UN reform, including
the enlargement of the Security Council.
World leaders will gather in New York in September for a
special summit to decide on how reform should be carried out.
Annan said that the Security Council should become more
broadly representative of the world today.
"Member states should agree to take a decision on this
important issue before the summit in September," Annan said.
He was referring to the two options, "Model A" and "Model B",
proposed by a high-level panel to the UN secretary-general to
help with the planned enlargement of the Council's membership.
Both Model A and B contain formulae for the distribution of permanent
seats among four major regions; Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and
America.
Meanwhile, Model B provides for no new permanent seats but
creates 2 four-year renewable seats and three two-year non-
renewable seats for the Asia Pacific region.
Presently, the Council comprises five permanent members,
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Ten other nations are elected as non-permanent members for two-
year terms. Non-permanent members have no veto power.
A number of countries, such as India, Japan, Germany and
Brazil, have openly expressed their desire to become UNSC
permanent members.
Meanwhile, Annan indicated his personal preference for an
Asian candidate to replace him next year.