Home About gpgNet Contact Us
 
 
Research
 
Commentaries
 
Policy Statements
 
Media
 
Events and Initiatives
 
Policy-oriented statements on global public goods from governmental and inter-governmental bodies (listed by year).
 
 

DFID-funded research is publicly funded and essentially constitutes a global public good. DFID supports Open Access as a core component of its research commitment to ensure that research knowledge can be accessed, built upon and used in support of the objectives of the DFID Research Strategy. Research for Development (R4D) is an Open Access digital portal for DFID-funded research and DFID expects the research programmes it funds to make full use of the R4D repository. For more information, see the Research Programme Consortia: Guidance Note on Open Access.

Research for Development (R4D), DFID
"This is Open Access Week"
R4D Research News
October 19, 2009

Available at:
http://www.research4development.info/news.asp?articleID=50508

The IDB and the French Development Agency (AFD, for its acronym in French) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in global public goods protection, the struggle against climate change, sustainable development and the struggle against poverty.

Inter-American Development Bank
"IDB Promotes Stronger Cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean"
Press Release
October 6, 2008

Available at:
http://www.iadb.org/NEWS/detail.cfm?language=English&id=4786

The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a loan of US$50 million over five years to the Government of Botswana to assist the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, a key government priority in the hard-hit southern African country. The Botswana National HIV/AIDS Prevention Support (BNAPS) Project leverages a European Commission grant allocation of US$20 million to finance the "buy-down" of this IBRD project, which effectively enables a zero-interest project loan.

The IBRD loan buy-down mechanism was developed to increase the flexibility and concessionality of funding for projects where it is justified by global public good or cross-border externalities--in this case targeting a priority health intervention. To date, the buy-down mechanism has been piloted in one other IBRD project, in support of tuberculosis control in China.

The World Bank
"World Bank Supports Botswana's Efforts to Fight HIV/AIDS"
Press Release
July 10, 2008

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21834052~menuPK:51062075~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Climate Change [...]

19 Affordable access to adaptation and mitigation technologies, achieved through a suite of funding mechanisms, investment structures and policy tools, is a key enabling condition for developing countries to tackle climate change. We call upon the international community to work towards a strengthened scheme for technology innovation, development transfer and deployment, and a comprehensive review of the intellectual property rights regime for such technologies in order to strike an adequate balance between rewards for innovators and the global public good.

G-5
Political Declaration by the Leaders of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa
Sapporo, Japan
July 8, 2008

Available at:
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=40146

The Bank Group's new strategy is designed to support the Welfare Improvement Strategy (WIS) adopted by Uzbek Government last summer. Specifically, by 2011, it aims at achieving measurable progress in the following areas: Enabling an environment for shared growth; increasing income and economic opportunities in rural areas; improving service delivery for better health, education, and water supply to population; improving the business environment for the private sector; and more efficient environmental management, disaster risk management and global public goods provision, including regional cooperation. In addition to lending, the World Bank Group (WBG) support also includes policy advice in these key areas.

The World Bank
"World Bank Launches New Strategy of Assistance for Uzbekistan"
Press Release
June 12, 2008

Available at:
http://www.worldbank.org.uz/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/UZBEKISTANEXTN/0,,contentMDK:21801368~menuPK:294193~pagePK:2865066~piPK:2865079~theSitePK:294188,00.html

Three Faces of India will focus on:

Poorest India: the 370-400 million people living on less than $1 per day who can't access basic services or feed their children adequately;

Developing India: the 500 million people living on less than $2 per day, not rich by any standards and vulnerable to any shock;

Global India: The UK will work jointly with the Government of India on global public goods (e.g. adaptation to climate change), on areas where India can contribute to poverty reduction elsewhere (e.g. generic drugs) and collaborating on reform of the international development system.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)
"UK Backs India's Plans to Get all Primary-aged Children into School"
DFID News
June 11, 2008

Available at:
http://www.www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/pressreleases/India-primary-school.asp

Acknowledging the importance of transport for achieving public health outcomes within the Millennium Development Goals, the strategy stresses the need to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to address safety in all transport modes, especially road transport. It also addresses the safety issue in air transport which, although globally much safer, still shows a safety record significantly affecting growth and investment prospects in some regions, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa. Transport and supply-chain security ahs also become a major issue in ensuring fair access of developing country exports to developed markets, and needs to be addressed as a new global public good.

WORLD BANK
"World Bank Broadens Transport Agenda"
Press Release
May 21, 2008

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21772037~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

This is a fascinating time for cooperation on development across Europe. With its global presence and global influence, the European Union has a unique standing in the world. It is the world's largest development aid donor, the world's largest single market and the main trading partner of most developing countries.

The challenge of eliminating global poverty is one of the greatest facing our generation. Vital progress has been achieved so far, but we still face an enormous challenge. The EU has the power to make a significant contribution to development on a global scale. It encourages a multilateral approach to global public goods, like protecting the environment and preventing climate change, and acts as a focal point for collective action and a forum for achieving consensus and fostering best practice by its Member States.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)
"Celebrating Europe Day 2008"
News
May 9, 2008

Available at:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/europe-day-08.asp

Consistent financial commitments continues to be crucial to completing polio eradication. The global effort currently faces a shortage of US$525 million for 2008-2009, funding urgently needed to fight the disease in the remaining endemic areas and protect children in high-risk polio-free areas. Rotary International, the top private sector contributor and volunteer arm of the GPEI, has contributedUS$9.2 million for polio eradication in Somalia, and US$700 million worldwide since 1985. "Somalia clearly shows that the tailored tools and tactics of the intensified eradication effort are working," commented Mohamed Benmejdoub, Chair of Rotary's Eastern Mediterranean PolioPlus Committee. "A polio-free world is a feasible public health goal and a global public good. I urge governments across the world--and in particular the G8 countries - to rapidly make available the necessary resources. Together, we can ensure that no child need ever again suffer the terrible pain of lifelong polio-paralysis."

Global Polio Eradication Initiative
"10,000 Health Workers Stop Polio in One of Most Dangerous Places on Earth"
Press Release
March 25, 2008

Available at:
http://www.polioeradication.org/content/pressreleases/20080319press.asp

The World Bank Group is working with countries and partner agencies to control tuberculosis (TB) at global, regional, and national levels. Despite some recent progress in parts of the world, TB remains a massive global public health problem, with nearly 9.2 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths each year. This situation is compounded by the growing emergence of Multi-drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) and Extensively Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB).

New threats require urgent action. The release last month of the "Anti-TB Drug Resistance in the World" report by WHO is a wake-up call for the international community and national governments to do much more to strengthen TB control efforts. In this era of increasing globalization, drug-resistant TB is a global problem, and especially serious in parts of Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Stopping its spread will increase the health security of all countries. Controlling TB is a global public good, and we must all do more to turn back the tide of this deadly disease.

WORLD BANK
"World Bank Statement for World TB Day, March 24, 2008"
Press Release
March 17, 2008

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21688686~menuPK:51062077~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Securing a multilateral trade agreement is expected to generate sizeable welfare gains to both developed and developing countries. In this sense it is a Global Public Good. But implementing trade reforms may well impose economic and social costs on some countries and require them to take additional measures to help with the adjustment and reform process.

UK Department for International Development (DFID)
"Aid for Trade - HOw to Deliver More and Better Aid for Trade"
DFID News
December 4, 2007

Available at:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/aid-for-trade.asp

Mr. Malan said the Bank and Fund are the only two international financial institutions with near universal membership. They have an important role to play in providing global public goods and in helping countries obtain the benefits of globalization, as well as handle the pressures it creates. While the Bank and Fund have separate mandates, they are inherently linked and close collaboration is vital. Indeed, the costs to members of poor collaboration would be significant. Although there are many examples of good collaboration and there have been clear improvements over the years, there is scope for further improvements in the view of the Committee. "We in the Committee feel that the Fund and the Bank are remarkable institutions," Mr. Malan noted. "We have confidence in their ability to continue to rise to the challenges posed by an ever changing world environment, and we are deeply convinced of the importance of further improvements in Bank/Fund collaboration."

The World Bank
"IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz Welcome Report on Enhancing IMF-World Bank Cooperation"
Press Release
February 27, 2007

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21235530~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.html

However, the committee ignores one of the most important issues: the exorbitant costs of running an institution which is perceived by many as being illegitimate and as having exceeded its mandate. While the report did note that "spending restraint remains of central importance, and new revenue sources should not lead to the creation of new missions", it could not recommend specific cuts in expenditure. In November, Peruvian economist Jurgen Schuldt suggested that the IMF look more closely at its own expenses and apply some of the same advice it has given to countries facing financial crises over the years: "it will have to swallow its own medicine. Self-medication will call for a drastic reduction of excess staff and, following the Peruvian lead, could cut salaries and per diems by half."

The Crockett report's recommendations may in the end allow the Fund to avoid that prescription. The committee's technical fixes to the Fund's budget crisis mask a greater problem, how to align the incentives for the Fund's financing model with both the global public good of a stable global economic environment and a just system of paying for that public good.

Bretton Woods Project
"Putting the Cart before the Horse: Rightsizing the IMF's Budget"
News
February 20, 2007

Available at:
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=550974

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) applauds the governments of Canada, Italy, Norway, Russia and the United Kingdom, as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their leadership and generosity in establishing a pilot Advance Market Commitment (AMC) program, an innovative financing mechanism aimed at accelerating the research, development and production of new vaccines. The AMC pilot plan for pneumococcal vaccines could help save the lives of millions of young children and infants and has the potential to be expanded to include vaccines to prevent other neglected diseases.

The lack of incentives available to encourage greater investment from the private sector, where most of the much-needed expertise in product development and manufacturing lies, in one of the biggest challenges facing the development of new drugs and vaccines to combal global infectious disease. Uncertain market demand also raises a serious obstacle to industry involvement in research and development for global public goods. An AMC, which sets a guaranteed price for new drugs and vaccines in advance, is an important new initiative that could help to mitigate this risk and ultimately stimulate greater investment in urgently-needed health research.

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)
"IAVI Encourages Nations Worldwide To Support Advance Market Commitments to Combat Neglected Diseases"
Press Release
February 9, 2007

Available at:
http://www.iavi.org/viewfile.cfm?fid=44261

6.7 The right to the internet as an integrated whole This central interoperability is part of the internet's value as a global public good and should not be fragmented by threats to create national intranets, the use of content filtering, unwarranted surveillance, invasion of privacy and curbs on freedom of expression [...].

This revised version of the Charter aims mainly to take on board issues of internet governance raised during the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and captured in the Working Group on Internet Governance report and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society. It also takes into account the discussion of the internet as a global public good that took place in the deliberations of the WSIS as well as the UN ICT Task Force. The revision also draws on APC's recommendations to WSIS on internet governance.

The Association for Progressive Communications
"APC Internet Rights Charter: Internet for Social Justice and Sustainable Development"
November 2006

Available at:
http://rights.apc.org/charter.shtml

Middle income and emerging market countries (MICs), partner countries of the IBRD, are home to 70% of the world's poor. They constitute an extremely diverse group of countries.

While many of them have made dramatic improvements in economic management and governance over the past two decades, as a group they still face major challenges of poverty reduction and development and in their contribution to provision of important regional and global public goods. We strongly endorsed the statement of the Bank's corporate role and mission to eradicate poverty in its partnership with MICs. We reviewed the Bank's proposals to strengthen the IBRD's value-added and engagement in response to the evolving and diverse needs of middle-income countries. We recognized that as MICs develop they will eventually graduate from IBRD lending. We also noted that in parallel, in implementing its medium-term strategy, the IMF is making efforts to adapt, better focus, and enhance its engagement with emerging market countries. We welcomed the Bank's proposals to deliver better and more flexible country partnership strategies reflecting diverse country circumstances; to reduce the cost of doing business with the Bank by streamlining internal Bank procedures; to simplify loan pricing and make its products more competitive; to develop new ways to help countries facing external shocks; to increase provision of fee based expert services, unbundled from lending; to continue to work towards scaling up Bank Group lending to sub-national entities within frameworks agreed with national governments; and to better exploit synergies between the different arms of the Bank Group within their respective mandates. Increasing the use of country systems where mutually agreed and verifiable standards are in place to ensure effective execution is an important part of this agenda for scaling up development impact. We encouraged the Bank to give greater emphasis to issues of regional and global concern in areas where it has a comparative advantage. We also called for deeper cooperation between the Bank, regional development banks and other development partners in their engagement with MICs, and encouraged the Bank to develop a menu of options to respond to country demand-driven initiatives for targeted blending of concessional donor support with multilateral development bank loans in cases of market failure or where there are affordability issues.

Development Committee Communiqué
The Annual Meetings of Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WB)
September 18, 2006

Available at:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DEVCOMMINT/NewsAndEvents/21056293/Sept_2006_DC_Communique_E.pdf

The UK welcomes the Bank's paper on its engagement with Middle Income Countries (MICs). Despite their recent record of growth and poverty reduction, many MICs still face deep poverty, inequality and development challenges. Therefore, we welcome the paper's focus on these challenges for the Bank's work in MICs and that it highlights the need to respond to the important role MICs have in addressing Global Public Goods.

We will seek agreement on a Corporate Statement to anchor the Bank's future work in MICs around the poverty and development challenges MICs still face including: direct poverty reduction; pro-poor growth, enhanced stability (to prevent a slide back into poverty) and regional and global public goods.

We will call for the Bank to investigate new ways of being responsive to the diversity of MIC needs in order to achieve the MDGs, including greater partnership within the Bank Group and between the Bank and the private sector, other Multilateral Development Banks, donors and the MICs themselves. We will also encourage the Bank to consider how it can take a greater lead on global public goods, providing a convening forum for the International Financial Institutions and adopting an innovative approach to funding instruments.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)
"2006 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank: UK Objectives for the Development Committee"
September 8, 2006

Available at:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/dfidwork/wbandimf.asp

We must be able to translate global norms and standards, including those grounded in fundamental human rights, into country practice. Moreover, in today's increasingly interconnected world many issues transcend national borders. There are a multitude of "global public goods and bads" ranging from vaccine development, health surveillance, and environmental preservation, to financial stability and multilateral trade arrangements, as well as security related matters, where nation states can only succeed through close collaboration with other states. Therefore, in today's world there cannot be an absolute dividing line in the UN system between the so-called normative agencies that produce knowledge and work with all member governments on global norms, standards, and public goods, and the operational agencies that do the in-country work. There can of course be a difference in emphasis, but not an absolute dividing line.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Statement by Kemal Dervis to Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA
June 19, 2006

In the transport area DFID has already supported the creation of the Global transport Knowledge Partnership (gTKP) aimed at collating demand and disseminating the outputs of global public good including past EngKaR products, as well as updating and filling gaps in policy dissemination. GTKP is organised around four themes, Transport and health, transport and exclusion, transport and governance and transport and economic growth.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)
"DFID's response to the "Evaluation of DFID's Engineering Knowledge and
Research (EngKaR) Programme" report"
July 2005

Available at:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/research/response-engkar-report.asp

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) confirms its permanent position about the importance of eliminating the virus at the animal source, emphasizing the priorities of animal health issues in the prevention and management of the crisis.

The OIE again claims that more efforts and resources be directed to containment of the virus in animals in rural areas. A minor part of the resources legitimately allocated by countries for the prevention of the human pandemic (for example for antivirus and vaccine stocking) could be sufficient for financing sustainable, concrete actions at local level to eliminate the virus at the animal source. This is likely to include support for compensation for losses suffered by farmers and should also encompass education on safe poultry keeping and marketing of live animals.

National Veterinary Services in the entire region should be perfectly organized and be given infrastructures and appropriate public resources for the early detection and rapid response to animal disease outbreaks. Also, they should be given means to carry out and control the vaccination of birds when it occurs.

Donors should consider these requirements as a global public good for the interest of both countries and the international community as a whole.

The World Organisation for Animal Health
"Avian Influenza Crisis in Asia: Animal Health Issues Need more Attention"
July 4, 2005

Available at:
http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_050704.htm

In the post-war period, the international community has asserted greater collective responsibility for the well-being of the world's peoples. In areas ranging from human rights to civil conflict to the environment, the United Nations and other international organizations are addressing matters that historically were thought to lie solely within the authority of the sovereign nation-state... Canada intends to push forward the international agenda for action [in five areas]:

first, the "Responsibility to Protect," to hold governments accountable for how they treat their people, and to intervene if necessary to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe;
second, the "Responsibility to Deny," to prevent terrorists and irresponsible governments from acquiring weapons of mass destruction that could destroy millions of innocent people;
third, the "Responsibility to Respect," to build lives of freedom for all people, based on the fundamental human rights of every man, woman and child on earth;
fourth, the "Responsibility to Build," to make sure our economic assistance programs provide the tools that ordinary people really need to get on with their own development; and
fifth, the "Responsibility to the Future," to ensure sustainable development for future generations through better management of global public goods.

The Canadian Government
International Policy Statement - A Role of Pride and Influence in the World
April 19, 2005

Available at:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cip-pic/ips/ips-overview2-en.asp

The framework for the European Community's approach to the three major ommunicable diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (TB)) in third countries is the EC Programme for Action on Communicable Diseases, which is based on the September 2000 Communication "Accelerated Action targeted at major communicable diseases within the context of poverty reduction"[1].

The Programme establishes for 2001-2006 and as part of an expanded international effort, a broad and coherent Community response to the global emergency caused by HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. The three diseases kill more than 6 million people per year, affect the poorest populations most and undermine global health and sustainable development.

The Community response entails a comprehensive set of actions to increase: (i) the impact of existing interventions; (ii) the affordability of key pharmaceuticals; (iii) research and development of specific global public goods to confront HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB at the regional, national and global levels (such as an AIDS vaccine); and (iv) the effectiveness of global partnerships and regional co-operation.

European Commission action against HIV/AIDS
MEMO/03/247
Brussels
28 November 2003

Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guestfr.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=memo/03/247%7c0%7crapid&lg=en&display=

The 109th IPU Assembly adopted a resolution entitled "Global public goods: a new challenge for parliaments", which calls on both developed and developing countries "to recognise that global public goods have transnational effects and therefore require joint assumption of responsibility" and "to promote an active debate among public policy-makers, civil society, business and academia, while stimulating further research on the subject of global public goods". Governments, parliaments, international organisations and donor agencies are urged "to channel financial resources to poor countries" and "to pay special attention to the debt burden of developing countries, which hinders them from providing global public goods at the domestic level".

Inter-Parliamentary Union
109th Assembly
Geneva, 3 October 2003

Available at:
http://www.ipu.org/conf-e/109-2.htm

WHO's work on globalization and health focuses on assisting countries to assess and act on cross-border risks to public health security. Recognizing that domestic action alone will not be sufficient to ensure health locally, our work program also supports necessary collective action to address cross-border health risks and improve health outcomes.

This includes using the Global Public Goods concept. It provides a framework for assessing and resolving problems of collective action at the global level. It ‘hardens' often ‘soft' policy objectives through measurable ‘production functions' quantifying costs and outcomes. It presents a coherent demonstration of the value to the rich of assisting the poor in the finance of GPGs. It provides a rationale for national health budgets to be tapped, complementing ‘traditional' aid (an argument already used to effect in the Polio Eradication Initiative. Overall, the GPG concept offers a powerful ‘lens' through which to analyze and promote the health of the poor, and will be an increasingly important tool for public health in an era of globalization lens of global public goods for health.

WHO's work on globalization, trade and health

Available at:
http://www.who.int/trade/about/en/print.html

We are committed to tackling HIV/AIDS, to supporting the United Nations in its initiatives and to supporting global partnerships such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), to complement other forms of development assistance and nationally led efforts. We will actively participate in the Paris Conference to rally innovative commitments to the GFATM, and will encourage increased commitments based on the performance of the Fund. We commit ourselves to a final global effort to ensure the eradication of polio and encourage research on other diseases mostly affecting developing countries. The experience of SARS, and the threat of new epidemics, demonstrate the new challenges to global governance and the need for common responses through stronger institutions. We see common action to invest in global public goods as an important priority for the new century.

Progressive Governance Summit
13-14 July 2003
Communiqué

Available at:
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page4146.asp

The Government of Chile, along with the World Bank and the group of six governments and the 17 companies that make up the Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF), today announced a landmark event in the fight against climate change. The Chacabuquito run-of-river hydropower project, high in the Chilean Andes is delivering more than electricity. The project is putting Chile into the history books today with the first ever, verified greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions in the developing world, intended for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 international agreement to limit climate altering greenhouse gases.

The Government of Chile
The World Bank
Santiago, Chile
June 17, 2003

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS...

An innovative financing program to help eradicate polio (poliomyelitis) worldwide by 2005 was launched today when the World Bank approved a US$28 million no-interest loan for the purchase of oral polio vaccine (OPV) in Nigeria, Africa's most polio endemic country. The World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and the United Nations Foundation, which together comprise the Investment Partnership for Polio, said they would move swiftly over the coming months to fund the immunization of children in other polio endemic countries…Since eradication of polio from the remaining endemic countries is so important for the world as a whole, it makes sense to ensure that this "global public good" is recognized in the financing provided to countries undertaking this final eradication effort. The buy-down mechanism therefore allows governments to borrow on concessional terms from the World Bank to address specific development problems and see these loans turn into grants upon successful achievement of results.

The World Bank
Washington, DC
29 April 2003

Available at:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20107918
~menuPK:34463~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

...in order to achieve a successful outcome of the Conference, the Council stresses the value of the Monterrey Consensus, and affirms its willingness to make the following commitments. [...] To further work towards a participatory process at the global level, including the proposal of setting up a task force open to all actors on a temporary basis, designed to lead to the identification of relevant Global Public Goods.

European Union Council
"Conclusions on the International Conference on Financing for Development"
15-16 March 2003 Barcelona

Available at:
http://www.ue2002.es/DetalleNewsletters.asp?
20idioma=ingles&opcion=1&subopcion=1&id=1004

Recommendations are also provided on global public goods and innovative financial mechanisms in the pursuit of sustainable development, and on a review of the list of least developed countries.

Economic and Social Council's High Level Segment on
An Integrated Approach to Rural Development Strategies
30.06.03

Available at:
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/47E7281825009BB0C1256D560026A9B3?opendocument

The Bank's lending and advisory services continued to grow, focusing on work at the country level and reflecting the Bank's focus on its corporate and global public goods priorities… Selectivity at the global level reflects the Bank's global public goods priorities: communicable diseases, the environment, trade and integration, information and knowledge, and international financial architecture. The Bank's Global Public Goods Incentive Fund, launched in 2001, helped to achieve a stronger link between global and country programs

Overview of World Bank Activities in Fiscal 2002.
The World Bank Annual Report 2002

Available at:
http://www.worldbank.org/annualreport/2002/Overview.htm

Human genomic databases are global public goods.

a. Knowledge useful to human health belongs to humanity.
b. Human genomic databases are a public resource.
c. All humans should share in and have access to the benefits of databases.

HUGO Ethics Committee
Statement on Human Genomic Databases
December 2002

Available at:
http://www.gene.ucl.ac.uk/hugo/HEC_Dec02.html

The ANC resolve to support the government in it's efforts to work for modifications in Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) so as to address the issue of global public goods, affordable medicines and the sharing of the benefits of bio-diversity development.

ANC National Policy Conference Draft Resolution
Umrabulo No 17, October 2002

Available at:
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pubs/umrabulo/umrabulo17/economic.html

(Inter) Governmental Policy Reports and Resolutions

Au moment où l'aide publique au développement connaît une crise profonde, en raison notamment du déclin de ses motivations géopolitiques depuis la chute du mur de Berlin, le concept de biens publics mondiaux offre à la coopération au développement de nouvelles pistes de réflexion et d'action.

Ce concept économique répond aux dysfonctionnements qu'a révélés au niveau planétaire l'analyse de la mondialisation de la production et des échanges, et que la théorie économique avait déjà identifiés au niveau national. A aucun de ces deux niveaux, en effet, le marché n'est capable de fournir en quantité suffisante tous les biens et sources indispensables à l'activité et au bien-être de l'ensemble des acteurs sociaux.

Les biens publics mondiaux
Direction générale de la Coopération internationale et du Développement,
Ministère des Affaires étrangères
Direction du Trésor,
Ministère de l'Économie, des Finances et de l'Industrie

Available at:
http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/cooperation/dgcid/
publications/partenariats/biens/pdf/biens_publ.pdf

The European Union (EU) recognises the growing importance of global public goods (GPGs) in the context of international efforts to achieve sustainable development. Often individual countries are unable to subordinate their local interests to the general good. GPGs, however, provide an opportunity for getting to grips with issues of common interest. They highlight the way in which problems overlap and require integrated rather than fragmented solutions. The EU is convinced therefore that an international, open and transparent process is needed to advance consideration and consensus on this matter.

EU Focus on global public goods at WSSD 2002

Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/wssd/publicgoods.pdf

The EU is ready to engage with all partners in exploring ways, on top of opening markets and increasing the level and effectiveness of ODA, of generating new public and innovative sources of finance for development purposes. A further discussion and exploration of the issue of global public goods will be crucial in that context.

The EU agenda for the World Summit on Sustainable Development
1 July 2002 Brussels

Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/csc/pr_020702.htm

Las ONG europeas reunidas en el Foro Global de Monterrey, Mexico, damos la bienvenida al compromiso de incrementar y mejorar la ayuda al desarrollo anunciado en la Cumbre de la Union Europea en Barcelona, España. El paquete que la Presidencia Española de la UE llevara a la proxima Cumbre Internacional sobre Financiacion para el Desarrollo en Monterrey incluye, entre otros, el incremento de la ayuda al desarrollo hasta el 0,39% del PNB para el año 2006, un renovado compromiso para alcanzar el nivel del 0,7%, la adopción de nuevas medidas para desvincular la ayuda bilateral y su implicación en un proceso global participativo para la identificación de los Bienes Publicos Globales y su financiacion.

Common EU NGO statement in Monterrey

Available at:
http://www.sodepaz.org/monterrey/monterrey24.htm

Africa's place in the global community is defined by the fact that the continent is an indispensable resource base that has served all humanity for so many centuries. These resources can be broken down into the following components: The rich complex of mineral, oil and gas deposits, its flora and fauna, and its wide unspoiled natural habitat, which provide the basis for mining, agriculture, tourism and industrial development (Component I); The ecological lung provided by the continent's rain forests, and the minimal presence of emissions and effluents that are harmful to the environment - a global public good that benefits all humankind (Component II).

The Independent (Banjul)
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
6 May 2002

Available at:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200205060061.html

The Commission is also suggesting making progress on cutting the heavily indebted poor countries' debts and exploring new forms of debt conversion. It advocates making progress on untying Member States' public aid, and is also advocating a participatory process to address problems of access to "global public goods", which is taken to mean global environment protection, protection against contagious diseases, and ways of financing such measures.

EU Institutions Press Release
"The Commission proposes concrete action for sustainable development and a fairer world"
13 February 2002 Brussels

Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_
action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/02/250|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=

As it was felt that there was more to be gained from an in-depth analysis of global public goods, Commissioner Nielson also proposed, from the European side, the establishment of a task force to study its implications for financing for development.

Memo
"Commission calls for increased aid to developing countries"
13 February 2002 Brussels

Available at:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_
action.gettxt=gt&doc=MEMO/02/25|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=

The Committee welcomed the Bank's progress in supporting global public goods in the areas endorsed by the Committee at its last meeting-i.e., communicable disease, trade integration, financial stability, knowledge and environmental commons. The Committee welcomed the Bank's commitment to anchor its global public goods activities in its core business and country work, to remain selective and focused in each of these areas, to consolidate its cooperation and division of labor with other international partners, and to carry out further analytical work with its development partners on the financing arrangements and governance required for support of global public goods, including cautiously exploring a possible role for IDA grants.

Communique
"63rd meeting of the Development Committee"
Washington, D.C
30 April 2001

Available at:
http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/DCS/devcom.nsf/(communiquesm)
/6FF3986EFC7595BD85256A3E006A6411?OpenDocument

We reaffirmed the critical role of the World Bank and regional development banks in carrying out their core mission of promoting development in developing and emerging market economies. Moving forward, we believe it is important to pursue reform of these institutions further to focus their activities on the following core objectives: supporting sound and comprehensive poverty reduction efforts and improving the effectiveness of development assistance; actively participating in the HIPC initiative with the aim of reducing poverty and promoting growth in the poorest countries; enhancing their role in provision of global public goods, particularly by the World Bank; focusing their efforts more tightly in emerging market economies on the key systemic and structural constraints to poverty reduction, including investing in human capital, leveraging private capital, helping to cushion the effects of exceptional shocks on the poorest and most vulnerable groups, and institution building, including in the financial sector.

Statement of G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
Washington DC
15 April 2001

Available at:
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/ls556.htm

In considering the role the Bank might play in global public goods in areas within its mandate, Ministers noted four key criteria for Bank involvement: clear value-added to the Bank's development objectives; Bank action is needed to catalyze other resources and partnerships; a significant comparative advantage for the Bank; and an emerging international consensus that global action is required. They endorsed four areas for Bank involvement, in cooperation with relevant international organizations: facilitating international movement of goods, services and factors of production; fostering broad inclusion in the benefits of globalization and mitigating major economic and social problems, such as the transmission of disease and the consequences of conflict; preserving and protecting the environment; and creating and sharing knowledge relevant to development.

Communique
"Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries"
Prague
25 September 2000

Available at:
http://www.imf.org/external/np/cm/2000/092500.HTM

We look to the MDBs to play a leadership role in increasing the provision of global public goods, particularly for urgently needed measures against infectious and parasitic diseases including HIV/AIDS, as well as environmental degradation.

G-7 Statement on Reform of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)
Okinawa
21 July 2000

Available at:
http://www.uiowa.edu/ifdebook/features/hotdocs/doc12.shtml

MDBs, and especially the World Bank (WB), should take the lead in facilitating the provision of global public goods, by deepening their engagement in global issues such as infectious diseases and environmental problems closely related to development. In this regard, the comparative advantage of various international institutions, including UN agencies (e.g. such as World Health Organization (WHO) and Joint UN Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS)) and private institutions should be carefully reviewed given the scarcity of concessional resources.

G-7 Finance Ministers Report
"Strengthening the International Financial Architecture"
Fukuoka, Japan
8 July 2000

Available at:
http://www.g8kyushu-okinawa.go.jp/e/documents/arc.pdf

 

 

 

> html> > "16"> All Rights Reserved, 2005 > body> >
"780" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> All Rights Reserved, 2005