Vol. 504 No. 2
115 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs Ireland's position on the recent development that the United Nations Development Programme has approached at least 30 major global corporations and at least 11 are paying $50,000 each to the programme for privileges which flow from this patronage. [11320/99]
The private sector has undoubtedly become an important factor in international development co-operation and has a major role to play in providing resources for development.
The Global Sustainable Development Facility – GSDF – is a new concept developed by the United Nations Development Programme to try to bridge the gap between the interests of corporations and financial institutions in profit and the interests of the United Nations in development. It is intended to support innovative and practical actions that will meet the UNDPs goal of sustainable human development and poverty reduction while at the same time providing necessary economic incentives for the private sector.
I understand that a number of NGOs have levelled criticism at the UNDP for proposing this initiative, implying that the organisation has compromised its principles in so doing.
The UNDP Administrator, Mr. James Gustave Speth, in response to such criticism, has stressed that the UNDP's dialogue with companies has focused on areas specifically related to poverty alleviation – for example combining electrification and telecommunications projects with enterprise and community development, or exploring with banks ways in which they might make resources available for microfinancing – initiatives which contribute to poverty eradication while being financially viable.
The UNDP has undertaken to ensure that all projects coming under the GSDF Initiative meet rigorous criteria and are in compliance with all standards that the United Nations stand by. There is no question of the UNDP harming its own credibility and independence for the sake of co-operation with the corporate sector.
Administrator Speth has pointed out that the GSDF is not intended to be a fund-raising instrument. As a condition for participating in the dialogue with the UNDP, corporations have had to commit the time of a senior executive as well as $50,000 under a very strict co-financing agreement that spells out very clearly the rights and obligations of the parties. In no circumstances does this include the right to use the United Nations or UNDP name or logo.
As a current member of the executive board of the UNDP, Ireland is in a position to monitor UNDP policy, including the concerns raised by the Deputy.
I am sending the Deputy a copy of the administrator's reply to a number of individuals and NGO representatives who had raised concerns on the GSDF.
