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Image of the U.S. Eagle Ambassador Sichan Siv
United States Representative on the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Statement at the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Program and of the United Nations Population Fund
January 28, 2002

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USUN PRESS RELEASE # 7 (02)
January 28, 2002

Statement by Ambassador Sichan Siv, United States Representative on the United Nations Economic and Social Council, at the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Program and of the United Nations Population Fund, January 28, 2002

Mr. President, please accept my sincere congratulations on your election. I wish you every success in the coming year. Let me also thank the Administrator for his usual frank presentation.

To say that 2001 has been an eventful year would be an understatement. The September 11 terrorist attacks forced realignments in perceptions, relationships, and approaches. The subsequent events worldwide, but
especially in South Asia, have given ample evidence of that.

The international community has freed Afghanistan and enabled it to determine its own direction. It has also given its strong commitment to long-term support by pledging in Tokyo some $4.5 billion towards Afghan reconstruction. As Secretary Powell noted in his remarks at the Tokyo Conference, President Bush has made it clear that the United States will not abandon Afghanistan and its people.

Against this background, reading the update on the UNDP Business Plan is reassuring. The continuing reform efforts, whether in the area of policy, partnerships, people, or performance, are producing a United Nations
Development Program
increasingly valuable as a partner in difficult development situations.

My government realized that the UNDP's long experience in Afghanistan and the region would be of great benefit in restoring peace and stability in South Asia. You have done well. The creation of the UNDP-managed Afghan Interim Authority Fund made it possible for the Afghan Interim Authority to start business the day it assumed power. The preliminary needs assessment produced by you, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in record time was instrumental in giving donors a coherent picture of the enormity of the task before us. But now comes the hard part. We will expect much more from you, especially in terms of coordination.

The initiative to upgrade the former Emergency Response Division and its leadership was controversial. In retrospect, it was also timely and appropriate. Complex emergencies, crises, and post-conflict situations demand a comprehensive response. In difficult environments, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, East Timor, and now Afghanistan, operational flexibility and strong coordination are crucial to
success.

The Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery provides an in-house transition capability between humanitarian relief and reconstruction activities. A lot will be demanded of the Bureau, its Director and staff. Much will be
demanded as well from the UNDP, the United Nations as a whole and all peace-loving governments. We are confident that together we can meet the many challenges.

Mr. President, in response to the Administrator's persistent calls for more resources, we have often said that donors contribute in ways that make sense to them. They invest their resources according to their bi- and multilateral development objectives, and in a manner they believe ensures effective application of their contributions.

We have been strong supporters of the reform efforts and feel increasingly confident that contributions to UNDP are indeed effectively used. We have shown this through our increasing annual contributions to the regular budget. We are pleased to announce that the trend continues. For 2002, we intend to pledge $97.1 million, an increase of 11.5 percent over our 2001 pledge.

Thank you, Mr. President


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