DEV/2267
GA/9802

TWENTY-ONE COUNTRIES PLEDGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO UN DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AMID ASSERTIONS THAT PLEDGING CONFERENCE HAS OUTLIVED ITS PURPOSE

Twenty-one Member States pledged their contributions to support the development activities of the United Nations system, as the annual two-day United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities began this morning.

Opening the Conference, Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that while new pledging mechanisms were being introduced, the Conference still provided a viable method for Member States, particularly developing countries, to contribute to development activities. It was taking place at a critical time for United Nations development cooperation. Overall levels of assistance had remained far below target.

He then highlighted the funding situation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children�s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The representative of France, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, pointed out that, for the second time, none of the member States of the Union would pledge a contribution at the Conference. The Union reiterated that it was in favour of abolishing the Conference. The member States of the Union would inform the funds and programmes separately of the amount of their annual contributions in an appropriate manner.

The representative of the Republic of Korea said that the timing of the Conference was out of sync with the budgeting cycle of many countries. The Conference, in its current form, should be modified following consultations with all relevant parties.

The Czech Republic�s representative said that the Conference had outlived its purpose and supported the proposal to eliminate it, once another pledging mechanism was established.

Pledges were made this morning by the representatives of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Algeria, Thailand, India, Mongolia, Peru, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Yemen, Singapore, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Maldives, Egypt, China, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Colombia and Nigeria.

The representatives of Mexico and Nepal also made statements.

2000 Pledging Conference - 2 - Press Release DEV/2267 1st Meeting (AM) GA/9802 1 November 2000

At the outset of the meeting, Stuart Leslie (Belize) was elected President of the 2000 Pledging Conference for Development Activities, and Abdulmejid Hussein (Ethiopia) was elected President of the 2000 United Nations/FAO Pledging Conference for the World Food Programme (WFP).

The 2000 Pledging Conference for Development Activities will conclude tomorrow at 10 a.m., while the 2000 United Nations/FAO Pledging Conference for the WFP will meet at 3 p.m. today.

Pledges Made

Bangladesh

UNDP $400,000 UNDP Local 1,100,000 taka UNICEF $34,500 UN Capital Development Fund $3,500 UNFPA $25,000 UNEP $2,550 UN Volunteers $1,000 Habitat $1,500 Fund of the UNDCP $1,000 UNIFEM $1,000 UN Industrial Development Fund $600

Myanmar

UNDP 1,080,000 kyats UN Capital Development Fund $5,000 UNFPA 60,000 kyats

Algeria

UNDP $100,000 UNFPA 300,000 dinars and $10,000 UN Fund for the Victims of Torture $5,000 Emergency Humanitarian Assistance $10,000 UNICEF $20,000 Fund to Combat Desertification $3,500 UNITAR $5,000 UNEP $10,000 Habitat $10,000

Thailand

UNDCP $10,000 UN Volunteers 100,000 baht UNIFEM 375,385 baht INSTRAW 112,615 baht

India

UNDP $4,500,000 WFP $1,920,000 UNEP $100,000 Habitat $100,000 UNDCP $60,000 UN Volunteers $15,000 UN Criminal Justice Fund $3,000 UN Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa $2,000 UNICEF 38,700,000 rupees UNFPA 9,000,000 rupees UNIFEM 509,000 rupees UNRWA 225,000 rupees INSTRAW 50,000 rupees

Mongolia

UNDP $17,000 UNICEF $11,000 UNFPA $4,000 UNEP $1,000

Peru

UNICEF $10,000 UNFPA $10,000

United Arab Emirates

UNDP $324,000 UNICEF $100,000 UNHCR $54,000

Kuwait

UNICEF $200,000 UNITAR $20,000 UNDCP $5,000 UNEP $200,000

Yemen

UN Capital Development Fund $3,585 UNDP $40,000 WFP $3,847 UNICEF $16,730 UNHCR $2,160 UNIDO $2,000 UNITAR $2,000 Habitat $575 Yemen (con�t)

UNIFEM $2,676 UNFSTD $1,000

Singapore

UNDP $300,000 UNICEF $50,000 UNIFEM $40,000 UNEP $15,000 UNEP Trust Fund for Regional Activities $10,000 UNDCP $5,000

Morocco

UNFPA $10,000 UNICEF 27,500 dirhams UNDP 2,012,000 dirhams UNIFEM $10,000 UN Fund to Combat Desertification $2,016 UN Fund for the Prevention of Crime $2,000 UNDCP $3,000 INSTRAW $2,000 Fund for Handicap and Disabled Persons $4,000 Fund for the Development of Africa $5,000

Tunisia

UNDP 257,000 dinars UNDP local 150,000 dinars Equipment Fund 2,732 dinars UN Volunteers 5,000 dinars UNDCP 1,000 dinars Special Fund for Victims of Torture 2,000 dinars UNITAR 1,968 dinars UN Fund for Social Defence 1,500 dinars UNHCHR 2,300 dinars UNIFEM 976 dinars UNICEF 37,000 dinars UNFPA 25,000 dinars

Turkey

UNDP $500,000 UNICEF $120,000 UNDCP $250,000 UNIFEM $5,000 UNFPA $108,000 INSTRAW $5,000 UNDP Study Programme $50,000 UNEP $100,000 Turkey (con�t)

Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund $50,000 Fund for Victims of Torture $5,000

Maldives

UNDP $7,500 UNICEF $7,500 UN Capital Development Fund 2,000 UNFPA $3,000 UNIFEM $1,700 INSTRAW Trust Fund $500 UNRWA $1,000

Egypt

UNDP 401,295 Egyptian pounds UN Volunteers $3,000 UNIFEM 2,000 Egyptian pounds INSTRAW $2,000 UNICEF 130,000 Egyptian pounds UNFPA (over the next five years) 500,000 �

China

UNDP $3,000,000 UNDP Office in China 2,500,000 rmb yuan UNFPA $820,000 UNFPA Office in China 300,000 rmb yuan UNICEF $1,150,000 UNICEF Office in China 500,000 rmb yuan UN Volunteers $30,000 UN Capital Development Fund $30,000 UNIDO $400,000 and 500,000 rmb yuan UN Department for Humanitarian Assistance $20,000 UNHCR $250,000 UNITAR $10,000 UN Disability Fund $10,000 UNIFEM $30,000 INSTRAW $10,000 Habitat $60,000 and 250,000 rmb yuan UNDCP $40,000 UNEP $180,000

Russian Federation

Habitat $150

Pakistan

UNDP 42,158,000,000 rupees UNFPA 27,500,000 rupees UNDCP 55,000 rupees UNIFEM 125,000 rupees INSTRAW 62,000 rupees

Colombia

UNFPA $40,000 UNICEF $450,000 UNDP $650,000 Habitat $12,000 INSTRAW $2,000 UNEP $1,000 UNDCP $75,000 UNHCR $19,000

Nigeria

UNDP (over the next three years) $60,000 UNIFEM (over the next three years) $60,000 UNICEF (over the next three years) $60,000 UNFPA (over the next three years) $60,000

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United Nations