Mr. President,

I am honoured to make this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

The Group of 77 and China welcomes your initiative to begin consultation on our preparation for the High-level Meeting of ECOSOC with the Bretton Woods Institutions, the WTO and UNCTAD on 14 April 2008.  This high-level meeting takes on additional significance this year as we prepare for the review of the Monterrey Consensus on 29th November - 2nd December 2008 in Doha.

The Monterrey Consensus, in paragraph 69(b) specifically encouraged the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (the Bretton Woods Institutions), with the World Trade Organization to address issues of coherence, coordination and cooperation as follow-up to the conference, at the Spring meeting between the ECOSOC and the Bretton Woods Institutions, to which the WTO and UNCTAD were later added.  The meeting therefore has a major role in preparation for the Doha meeting and the programme should be framed in that context.

Mr. President,

The G-77 and China would wish to indicate that given the timing of the circulation of the notification and information for this meeting and the salience of the issue, the Group did not have sufficient time to consult fully and to arrive at a position on the various aspects.  Our comments must therefore, be regarded as preliminary at this stage.

In that context, our main views are:

1. The one-day programme should provide for maximum focus on the review of Monterrey, in particular, those areas of peculiar relevance, and where these institutions as a group and individually can make greatest contribution to the Doha meeting.

2. The broad theme proposed in the note might provide a basis for the discussion, but might need to be refined.  For example, what would be involved in the last phrase, "including new challenges and emerging issues"?  This phrase might usefully be omitted so that the discussion could focus on Section III of the Monterrey Consensus: Staying Engaged (paragraphs 68-73), which deal significantly with the issues of coherence and the roles of these institutions; and Section I which established the goal of the Monterrey Consensus.  We do not currently have in the preparatory process any arrangement for dealing with these two sections which require over-arching treatment.

3. Given the importance of these areas, we would envisage more time for discussion than is currently allocated.  The morning session could be devoted to this discussion to allow a meaningful review.

4. The topics for the parallel round table discussion would seem to be too specific.

5. Climate change is an important issue.  However, it is not an issue covered in the Monterrey Consensus and therefore can not be the subject of review in the context of this meeting.  The allocation of one-half of the time available for the meeting to this issue, which is not central to the Monterrey process, cannot be justified.

Mr. President,

The G-77 and China is prepared to listen to the views of other partners on the proposals.  The Group does not think that we can finalize the programme at today's meeting.

I thank you.