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Permanent Mission of tlie Russian Federation to the United Nations 136E 67th Street New York, NY l0021

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STATEMENT by H. E. Mr. Sergey LAVROV Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the 65"' session of the UN General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals

(New York, 21 Septenzber, 2010)
Distinguished Mr. President, Ladies and gentlemen, Russia is committed to the international development cooperation and is ready to intensify constructive interaction with a wide range of partners including private sector and civil society to ensure the timely achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We believe that sustainable social and econo~nicdevelopment of all countries in the world is a crucial element of a modem collective security system. The United Nations is a unique lnechanisrn for harmonization of interests of v allous .' countries and the main international forum for adopting coordinated decisions on developnlent issues. Regional organizations and informal international groupings are called upon to pursue their efforts in this area following the standards of economic and humanitarian cooperation set forth in the frameworlc of the UN General Assembly and the Econo~nicand Social Council (ECOSOC). Over the last five years, the international conllnunity has achieved certain positive rest~ltsin the field of development. Nevertheless, the recently published reports on the MDGs have shown uneven progress in the implementation of individual goals as well as regional discrepancies. Unfortunately, significant lagging behind the schedule has been observed on goals ancl targets related to universal primary education, reduction in child and maternal mortality, and in green-house gas emissions. The challenges are most severe in Africa.

By all means, primary responsibility for the achievement of the MDGs rests with national governments. Yet, it is obvious that radical irnprovetnent in social and econotnic situation in the most vulnerable developing countries is possible only with powerful coordinated support by the entire international community. Russia has been continuously increasing its contribution to the international develop~nentcooperation. Russia's aid to developing countries totaled US $220 nlillion in 2008 and about US $800 million in 2009. Quite naturally, we attach particular iinportance to assisting the CIS region. During the global crisis Russia issued preferential loans and grants to the CIS countries in need for the amount exceeding US $4.6 billion. Our country initiated the creation of the EURASEC Anti-crisis Fund in the amount of USD 10 billion, 7.5 billion of which is the contribution of the Russian Federation. We call 011 all Member States to support the draft resolution on cooperation between the UN and EURASEC to be presented for consideration by the 65" sessioll of the General Assembly. We intend to continue to pursue these efforts in support of the countries of the Colnlnonwealth of Independent Sates, as well as developing countries in other regions, first of all in Africa. In the globalized and interdependent world, failure to address the needs of lowincome co~nltries increases the rislts for the entire global economy, undermines stability and security in most of the regions of the world and increases the danger of the spread of terrorism, infectious diseases, and uncontrolled migration. To counter these tlureats Inore effectively, Russia together with other countries is ready to lnore efficiently engage the scientific capacities and advanced technologies, in particular illforlnatio~l conlmunication technologies, as a powerfill tool to bridge the gap and between the developed and developing countries and - as a result - to promote global development. Recently, we have witnessed once again what a trelnendotis damage to developnlent can be inflicted by natural and man-made disasters. Earthquakes: floods, wildfires, industrial and infrastruct~~ral breakdowns not only talce thousands of human lives, but consutne enormous financing to repair tile damage. thus diverting resources fro111 develop~nent goals. It is obvious that increased preparedness for such catastrophes is costly, but it is inany time less expensive than the cost of recovery and rehabilitation. In the light of the above-stated. we believe it is important to ensure a wider use of nlodern technologies to respond to natural and man-made disasters and to develop mechanisms for the application of such technologies in the interest of the entire international community. In fact, this may beco~ne new proinising forin of development cooperation. In a

this connection, I ~vould lilie to recall the initiative launched by President Dinitry Medvedev to establish an environmental rislis insurance fund. We loolc forward to working with all partners with a view to elaborate this initiative. 111 our interdependent world develop~nent agenda is closely interlinked with the security issues. At times, in order to pursue the objectives of the UN Charter the is international co~nmunity forced to resort to such tool as the economic sanctions. However there has long been a consensus established on the need to respect the so-called "humanitarian limits" of the sanctions, and to avoid their negative impact on civil population. We note that in the recent years the UN Security Council has been striving to be strictly guided by precisely this understanding. At the same time we cannot help but express our serious concern with the persisting practice of unilateral coercive measures, which are imposed in a voluntaristic manner by certain states against any given developing country beyond what is stipulated in the UN Charter or authorized bp the UN Security Council. We are convinced that such practice contradicts the efforts to achieve the MDGs and must be brought to an end. It is in the interest of all countries - without exception - to eradicate poverty and overcome underdevelopment. Poor person cannot be free. The ability to ensure decent social and economic living standards is one of the liey attributes of a democratic state. These issues were thoroughly discussed at the Global Policy Forum on democracy standards held recently in Yaroslavl. 111 his address to the Forum, President Dmitry Medvedev spolce in favor of developing universal understanding of such standards to help establish a positive unifying agenda of modem illternatiotlal relations. We hope that this Summit will promote more active and coherent efforts of financial and trade institutions; business coinm~inityand NGOs governments, i~lternatio~lal to ensure that the MDGs are met on time.