STATEMENT by the representative of Russian delegation at the Second Committee of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly on agenda items 17 “Macroeconomic policy questions” and 18 “Follow up to and implementation of the outcomes of the International Conference on Financing for Development”
Mr. Chairman,
We should like to thank the Secretary-General and the UNCTAD Secretariat for their preparation and presentation of reports.
Russia considers trade as an essential instrument of a progressive economic growth and sustainable development. We believe it is important to preserve the status of the World Trade Organization as a foundation for multilateral trade system. In the same time it is necessary to breath new life into negotiation process in order to achieve progress. Russia is prepared to discuss the modernization of its agenda with the emphasis on the elements where it is really possible to achieve consensus in the foreseeable future. They could include in particular the topics related to Russia’s proposed initiatives on simplifying the investment procedures and increasing transparency on antidumping and countervailing investigations. Other potential items for consideration would be the electronic trade, environmental aspects of trade and systematization of monitoring of regional trade agreements.
Russia attaches great importance to the promotion of fair competition. In this contest we have started consultations with the UNCTAD Secretariat on establishing a discussion group to examine the so called Toolkit on international cooperation of competition agencies of the UN member states to counter restrictive business practice of transnational corporations and trans-border violations of the rules of competition, submitted by Russia in July 2017 in Geneva. This Toolkit can be annexed to the 1980 UN Compendium on competition. We invite all countries to take part in the work of this group.
Mr. Chairman,
Russia supports the integration processes in the world economy and is consistently deepening the integration in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In 2017 we have launched a common market of medicines and medical products. The work is continued on establishing a common market for services. By 2019 we intend to create a common market of electric energy. The common oil and gas markets and financial market should start by the year 2025. One of the priorities in the international agenda of the EAEU is the joint achievement of SDGs in the region. The common policy of the Union member states regarding the issues of sustainable development have been recorded in the joint report on SDGs in the EAEU region, submitted by Kirgiz chairmanship at the Sustainable Development Political Forum in New York in July 2017.
We believe that the combination of the EAEU potential, the Chinese initiative “One Belt One Road” and other integration formats can constitute the basis for creating the economic space from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This had been said we assume that this partnership will be open to other interested countries and build upon the principles of transparency and mutual respect.
Mr. Chairman,
The continuing volatility of financial and commodity markets and increasing debt burden have limited the national budget capacity to finance SDGs. Under these circumstances we call to expand cooperation and improve the management of risks related to financial flows and fluctuations and promote the exchange of macroeconomic information.
Mr. Chaiman,
We note with satisfaction the positive results of cooperation in the framework of BRICS including the creation of the BRICS Currency Reserve Pool and the opening of the Africa Regional Center of the New Development Bank in South Africa, the establishment of Project development fund and approval of the Second NDB package of projects as well as development of BRICS economic partnership strategy. We intend together with our partners to expand our cooperation with the multilateral development institutions including the World Bank and the Asian Bank for Infrastructure investments and continue the exchange of advanced practice and experience in the area of development and promote closer connection between the markets, infrastructure and financial integration. We believe that this cooperation will be beneficial to the world community on the whole.
Mr. Chairman,
Russia continues to be committed to the implementation of decisions of the International Conferences of financing for development, including Addis program of action. We continue to actively work at the ECOSOC Forum on financing for development. We hope that the work arrangements of the Forum this year will allow us to use this platform in the most efficient way to examine the issues of financing for development and implementation of 2030 Agenda and thus provide a comprehensive contribution to the ECOSOC high level political Forum on sustainable development in accordance with the Addis-Ababa arrangements.
