STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY MR. TANKO A. SULEIMAN, DELEGATION OF NIGERIA, AT THE 22^ND SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION, ON AGENDA ITEM 7: GENERAL DEBATE AND CONSIDERATION OF SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS

New York, 2 May 2000

Mr. Chairman,

            Let me on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, congratulate you and other members on your election to the Bureau of the Committee on Information. Our Group is indeed delighted to see you directing the affairs of this session, at a crucial point in the life of our organization. Under your able leadership we feel reassured that our deliberations will come to a successful and satisfactory conclusions.

Mr. Chairman,

            Through you let me also thank the Secretary General and the staff of the Secretariat, for the various reports placed before us. The Group of 77 finds these documents incisive and illuminating. I hope they would help us to focus debate and arrive at appropriate decision, particularly now that the United Nations is embarking on the task of re-positioning itself to meet the challenges of a new millennium and to serve the peoples of the world more effectively.

            My statement will be a general one. Since we have decided that the Committee would consider all the individual reports after the conclusion of the general debate, specific positions of the Group will be additionally presented at that stage. We expect that the G-77’s views and positions on the reports will be considered as part of the Group’s positions and be reflected in the general debate section of the Committee’s report.

Mr. Chairman,

            The G-77 comes to this session of the Committee on Information, against the background of the spirit of Havana and of two historic documents: The Havana Declaration and Havana Programme of Action. The two documents, as you are well aware were the outcome of the first ever South Summit held in Havana, Cuba. They are the expression of the resolve of the members of the G-77 and China, to ensure that international cooperation in a new century, truly serves the purpose of development, and establishment of a just, equitable global order, in accordance with the vision of the founding fathers of the U.N. Therefore, we would like, through you, to request the Secretary General to ensure that the two documents are circulated as part of the document for session of UNGA and the Millennium Assembly. Mr. Chairman, these documents reflect the views and aspirations of three quarters of humanity and we shall also therefore be glad if it can be given the widest circulation within the international community. I am sure that DPI can offer some suggestion in this respect. But beyond this we are of the strong opinion that the various proposals and programmes enunciated in the Havana Programme of Action deserve support of this Committee, the United Nations and its various Agencies. Our view in this respect is that in pursuit of its mandate, the Department of Public Information and Communications indeed is in a position not just to ensure the wide dissemination of both the Havana Declaration and Programme of Action, it is in a position to assist the G-77 particularly in ensuring implementation of certain areas of the programme of action. We therefore wish to request the Secretary General to look into this area.

Mr. Chairman,

            We note the move for the re-orientation of the United Nations activities in the area of public information and communications as contained in document A/AC.198/2000/2. We agree with the various steps being taken to ensure that UN public information activities help to build a broad based global support for the organization. We, however, must also emphasize that in doing so the interest of developing countries must be taken into consideration. In this regard, we have taken due note of the preparatory work on the pilot project on the development of an international radio broadcasting capacity for the UN. We have always mentioned the need for a balance in the field of information dissemination. We see the project referred to in the Secretary General’s report in the section on Radio and Television as an important project and will appreciate additional report on the issue.

Mr. Chairman,

            For the G-77, the UN Information Centre has always been one of the important mechanisms for the UN promotional work. We have always supported the move for the integration of the information centre to make them more effective. We observe that one of the reports before the meeting focuses on the guidelines for the functions of the centre integrated with field offices of the UNDP. We welcome these proposed guidelines. We shall however appreciate additional information on the status of the respective centres on the regional basis. This should include the level of staffing and equipment. This is to enable a proper and full assessment of the centres particularly those in the developing countries.

            In conclusion, I wish on behalf of G-77 to assure this Committee of the readiness of the Group to work towards the success of the UN work in the field of public information and communication. I also wish to reassure members of the DPI of the cooperation of the G-77 in the exercise of its mandate particularly at a period the UN is poised to re-energise and refocus itself to serve humanity.

            I thank you.