P6_TA(2005)0362

Reform of the UN, the Millennium Development Goals

European Parliament resolution on the outcome of the United Nations World Summit of 14- 16 September 2005

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 12 April 2005 on the role of the European Union in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), [1] as well as those of 9 June 2005 on the reform of the United Nations [2] and of 29 January 2004 on the relations between the European Union and the United Nations [3],

- having regard to the Millennium Declaration of 8 September 2000, which sets out the Millennium Development Goals established jointly by the international community as a means by which to eliminate world poverty,

- having regard to the report of the UN Secretary-General of 21 March 2005 entitled "In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all",

- having regard to the report of the UN Millennium Project of 17 January 2005 entitled "Investing in Development: a Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals",

- having regard to the report of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change of 1 December 2004 entitled "A more secure world: Our shared responsibility",

- having regard to the statements made by the President of the Commission and the Commissioner for External Relations to the High-Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly,

- having regard to the Outcome Document of the 2005 UN World Summit adopted in New York on 16 September 2005,

- having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas world Heads of State and Government gathered at the UN World Summit held in New York from 14 to 16 September 2005 to decide on further measures to fight world poverty, ensure peace and human security, strengthen human rights and the rule of law and take further concrete steps to reform the UN,

B. whereas the Outcome Document of that World Summit was the result of a difficult negotiation process which was at several times in danger of collapse,

C. recalling the importance of an enhanced and closer partnership between the UN and the EU institutions, with a view to achieving better coordination between national and regional entities, international organisations and donors in the effective implementation of global policies,

D. whereas the UN constitutes the most appropriate and only global institution which is potentially able to develop solutions to global problems in a manner which is both legitimate and efficient; whereas the UN needs to adapt to new challenges; whereas however its reform should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather as the necessary and inevitable consequence of an in-depth analysis of the political and security, social and economic parameters and factors at stake,

1. Reaffirms its commitment to a strong UN, reiterating that genuine multilateralism is the most appropriate tool for solving the challenges, problems and threats faced by the international community; hopes that the outcome of the above-mentioned World Summit will be an important milestone towards achieving both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and the reform whose successful completion is necessary in order to ensure that the UN continues to play a leading role in today's international system; takes note of the commitments stated in the Outcome Document and considers this document to be the working basis for further improvements by the 60th General Assembly of the UN in the various areas at stake;

2. Commends the decision to create a Peace-Building Commission to help countries make the transition from war to peace, and recognises that peace-building requires an entirely different set of skills to peace-keeping; considers that there is a need for regional and global peace-building commissions to develop the necessary skills and capabilities, backed by a support office and a standing fund, thereby raising the UN's profile in crisis and post-conflict areas; calls on the 60th General Assembly swiftly to implement these provisions; greatly welcomes the inclusion of the concept of human security in the official UN framework;

3. Welcomes the recognition of the international community's responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as well as the clear responsibility of each individual state to protect their own citizens from these crimes, including by means of the prevention of such crimes; further underlines the importance of the International Criminal Court as an essential body in the task of prosecuting the perpetrators of any such crimes;

4. Commends the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, the President of the 59th General Assembly of the UN and his team and the secretariat of the United Nations for their considerable efforts and valuable contribution in reaching an agreement on the adoption of the above-mentioned Outcome Document; calls in particular on all member states of the UN to stick firmly to their commitments and swiftly to turn them into concrete action;

5. Welcomes the renewed commitment by the international community to achieving the MDGs and to promoting sustainable development; recalls that reducing extreme poverty and child mortality, providing education as well as access to clean water and enhancing gender equality must remain at the centre of the development agenda; regrets the lack of a precise timetable committing all developed countries to the pursuit of the intermediate and final MDG targets;

6. Deeply regrets that the above-mentioned World Summit did not issue a further appeal to those donor countries which have not yet formally committed themselves to the goal of allocating 0,7 % of their Gross National Income (GNI) to Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015; commends the EU for its leading role on this issue and invites it to maintain pressure on all donors to set timetables, which should be monitored;

7. Fully endorses the specific calls made by the UN Secretary-General to establish a clear timetable for developed countries to achieve the target of allocating 0,7 % of GNI to ODA and to recognise the special needs of Africa;

8. Welcomes the agreement to provide immediate support for quick impact initiatives (quick wins) to support anti-malaria efforts, education and health care;

9. Welcomes the Outcome Document's chapter on "Meeting the special needs of Africa" and invites the Commission to make the achievement of MDGs the central issue in its forthcoming Strategy for Africa and in its review of the Development Policy Statement;

10. Notes that where the Member States found common positions they were able to achieve better results in negotiation; stresses, nevertheless, that the outcome of the Summit falls short of the Parliament's published ambitions for UN reform;

11. Insists that reform efforts have to continue and calls on the Council and Member States to bring their weight to bear to reach concrete results within the 60th General Assembly by the end of next year;

12. Fully endorses the clear condemnation of terrorism by the above-mentioned World Summit; regards as a serious failure, however, the lack of agreement on a comprehensive definition of terrorism and urges the UN member states to rectify this without delay;

13. Welcomes the Summit's commitment to reinforcing the role and doubling the resources of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, thus allowing for better monitoring and implementation of adopted resolutions;

14. Deplores, however, the vague wording in the terms of reference of the Human Rights Council and the absence of a precise time scale, mandate, working methods and composition thereof; calls on the 60th General Assembly to regard this issue as a priority;

15. Urges the General Assembly to establish clear criteria for the use of force by the Security Council, along the lines proposed by the above-mentioned High-Level Panel report;

16. Believes that members of the new Human Rights Council should abide by the highest human rights standards and that membership of the Council is a privilege not a right; believes that the Human Rights Council should be in permanent session, thus avoiding long delays and political manoeuvring by states against which complaints are made;

17. Deeply regrets the Summit's failure to reach agreement on measures for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and insists that work and efforts to make progress on these issues must intensify considerably, first of all through ensuring full respect for the existing Treaties, especially the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;

18. Reaffirms its belief that the capacity of the UN to respond quickly and effectively to humanitarian disasters which require global leadership needs to be reconsidered and improved; nevertheless welcomes the commitment to establishing a world-wide early warning system for all natural hazards;

19. Regrets that no firm commitment was made with a view to giving more authority to the UN Secretary-General as Chief Administrative Officer of his secretariat; calls on the 60th General Assembly to reconsider this issue;

20. Regrets that no agreement was reached on the reform of the UN Security Council, but welcomes the fact that the General Assembly will have to report on the Security Council by the end of 2005 on the basis of new proposals, which should take into account the aims of ensuring better representation in and transparency and effectiveness of the Security Council; reiterates its commitment to the prospect of a common European seat on the Security Council as soon as the political, constitutional and legal conditions for such a seat are met;

21. Supports and welcomes the new commitment by the UN on the Democracy Fund as an important tool for the world-wide promotion of democracy, and calls on the Commission and the Member States fully to support it both politically and financially; reaffirms its belief that the UN itself needs to enhance considerably democracy within its structures, and therefore underlines its call for a core group of democracies within the UN General Assembly;

22. Restates its opinion that the diplomatic representation of the EU to the UN is of the utmost importance for improving relations between the two organisations and for the influence of the EU on the international stage; therefore encourages the Council and the Commission actively to pursue the merging of their liaison offices and delegations into a common external EU delegation in each of the UN headquarters in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi;

23. Welcomes the call for strengthened cooperation between the United Nations and national and regional parliaments, which constitutes a recognition of the specific role of parliaments in the development and democratisation process;

24. Welcomes the renewed commitment on granting 100 % debt relief to 18 of the poorest and most heavily indebted countries made at the meeting of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development Bank which followed the above-mentioned World Summit;

25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General, the President and member states of the UN Security Council, the President of the 60th General Assembly and the President of the UN Economic and Social Council.

[1] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0115.

[2] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0237.

[3] OJ C 96 E, 21.4.2004, p. 79.

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