Speech by the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Carin Jämtin at the Dag Hammarskjöld 100 years UN and Global Security conference, Stockholm 8-9 February 2005.     It is an honour to be here. The topic of development and security is - perhaps - more pressing than ever.    We are constantly reminded of this worlds injustices. The vast gap between rich and poor people is a very sad illustration of that. At the same time globalization makes it impossible for the rich to avoid seeing these injustices. Countries and people all over the world are affected by conflicts ever far away from their territories.   We are but one people living in one world. We have to act in that understanding.   * * *   "We know that the question of peace and the question of human rights are closely related. Without recognition of human rights we shall never have peace, and it is only within the framework of peace that human rights can be fully developed."   The words by Dag Hammarskjöld from 1957 are - of course - as valid today.   The close connection between security and human rights is key for sustainable development. And I am talking about human rights in all aspects: civil, economic, political and social.   I believe that there can be no security without development and no development without security. * * *   So - friends - what should we do about it? How to make use of our insights?   I think there are two main issues to be addressed:   The first is to focus on the underlying causes of conflicts in a more effective way. This means we should all strive towards poverty alleviation, education, human rights, democracy and equality.   The second is the necessity to have an integrated approach to conflicts, security and development. I am convinced that it is impossible to reach one without the other.   I realise that I might be stating the obvious - we all know this. It is just difficult to achieve.   But - in the spirit of Dag Hammarskjöld: Let's not shy the difficult.   And let's use every opportunity to make progress.   We have an important tool: The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals. They give us an internationally agreed agenda for global development. It also represents the world's answer to what I just said: the need for an integrated and focused approach to development and security.    Together with the results of conferences, such as the Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey and the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development they form a common international agenda for a holistic approach.   They are useful tools for policymaking, for coherence and for communication. They create a platform for partnerships and a basis for debates on global issues all over the world.   The unique value in the Millennium Development Goals lies in the fact that they are time-bound, measurable and internationally agreed. The symbolic value of these goals cannot be overestimated.   But they are not only a symbol or a tool. They show that we know where to go, and that we have the means to get there - if the political will exists, if we dare to allocate resources and address the unequal relations of power that exist between and within nations.   The Millennium Development Goals is part of the UN Millennium Declaration. The declaration states the importance of human rights and democracy - issues that are not targeted in the Millennium Goals.   Friends,   Economic, social, civil and political rights are inseparable.   Just as oppression of opinion is an obstacle for development, and can spark conflicts so is vast inequalities within a society as well as between societies.   Just as political liberty contributes to stability so does recognition of ones social rights.   Democracies tend to be able to deal with internal tensions by peaceful means. Efforts to promote democracy are therefore also a form of conflict prevention. The same applies to measures in a number of other areas: building of police and judiciary systems, environmental measures etcetera.   Armed conflicts are the most serious obstacle to development in many poor countries. Preventing armed conflict is therefore an important component of the policy for global development.   Therefore it is crucial to work towards the MDGs with the Declaration as the basis of everything we do. Otherwise - leaving human rights and democracy behind - we risk seeing our achievements lost to war or armed conflicts.   * * *   This year - 2005 - is a crucial year. Several meetings will take place, not least the 2005 Summit on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs. This meeting of world leaders will discuss issues of peace, security, UN-reform and the MDGs - the global threats and challenges of our time.   Sweden works for a constructive meeting where stronger commitments should be made on several issues, not least development financing. It is also important that we increase momentum on the development agenda; it can never be acceptable to do anything but our best.   It is also important to remember that development is not solely a way to achieve security - it is also a goal in itself.   * * *   The work towards the meeting this fall has already begun. Recently the report of the Millennium Project was launched. One of the two essential reports feeding into the Summit in September. The other is the Report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change.   The Report of the High Level Panel and the Report on the Millennium Project constitute an integrated set of proposals and recommendations. Both reports pinpoint the fact that global challenges are closely interconnected and require interconnected solutions.   The Millennium Project was a unique endeavour. Hundreds of researchers, practitioners and development experts from all over the world jointly took on the challenge of defining the best strategies for achieving the MDGs by 2015.   Most of the key recommendations of the Millennium Project are well in line with Sweden's policy for global development. The Millennium Project presents us with a double challenge: To the donor community to provide more aid, better aid, aid that is predictable in the long-term and well coordinated.   It also challenges the developing countries to firmly take the lead in deciding how to best achieve the MDGs, by taking account of MDGs in there poverty reduction plans, in ensuring good governance, respect for human rights, mobilizing human and domestic resources, working closely with civil society and creating an enabling environment for private initiatives.   The report also stresses that aid alone cannot achieve success. All other instruments in the hands of governments can contribute to development favourable to MDG-achievement, both for donors and developing countries.   Given the recognition of environmental degradation as a significant developmental and security issue and the fact that progress in environmental protection underpins progress of all MDGs, I would also like to stress the need for a stronger attention to the environmental dimension.   Most importantly, maybe, the report clearly states that it is possible to reach the MDGs by 2015, with a concerted effort from the whole international community - developed and developing countries alike.   This puts focus on the hundreds of millions of people that would benefit, and lifted out of extreme poverty, would increase their opportunity to govern their own future. Therefore, we must take on the challenge.   We all share the responsibility for global development.   * * *   With the Millennium Declaration as one point of departure Sweden formulated a new policy for global development. It was accepted by Parliament just over a year ago.   We see the policy as our response to the international agenda for global development  - our effort to translate it into national policy.   The new policy for global development gives Sweden one single goal for the whole range of government activities: To contribute to an equitable and sustainable global development. The implementation of this new policy has started, but will take time.    What used to be, primarily, a task for development cooperation is now a task, and a responsibility, for the entire Government. All ministers and ministries share the responsibility to contribute to an equitable and sustainable global development. This is a policy of coherence.   Sweden's policy will be directed by two perspectives: a rights perspective and the perspective of poor people. These perspectives are to permeate all policy areas of the Swedish government.   This means that the measures taken towards equitable and sustainable development are compatible with respect for human rights. It also means that poor people should not be regarded as recipients of aid, but as individuals and actors with the power, capacity and the will to create development.   The rights perspective is about the right to take part in building up one's country. It applies to children and young people. It applies to people with disabilities. It applies to everyone.  The other perspective - the perspective of the poor - emphasises that poor people's needs, interests, capacity and conditions should be a point of departure in efforts to achieve equitable and sustainable development.   Countries can never be developed from the outside. Development always grows from within a society.   Furthermore gender equality is a key element of the rights perspective. Attention must be drawn to the different conditions, interests, capacities and needs of women and men, girls and boys. Respect for the rights of women is crucial to every society's development. Women's access to land and credit generates growth and employment. It puts food on the table. The right of women to control their own sexuality - their right to protect themselves from unwanted pr egnancies and to health care during pregnancy and childbirth - this saves lives.   It will be difficult to make sure that these two perspectives permeate all policy areas; Sweden is also the first country in the world to try to do it. But I believe it is necessary, and I am actually looking forward to make some of the first mistakes in order to get there.   It is crucial as both perspectives put the people first. Focus shifting from rich to poor. From nations to individuals. Thus forcing the power balances to shift - making true progress possible.   * * *   Friends,   Our work with the new policy for global development has jus begun. We have a long way to go. Still we cannot only focus on our national policies.   Sweden is a member of one of the major global players - the European Union. The EU and its member states have the capacity and the means to enhance our commitment and contribution to achieving the MDG's. Sweden will work towards putting the European Union's existing policies to more coherent use - this is necessary if we are to fulfil our ambitions.   The European Union could and should play a more prominent role in tackling our major global challenges.   In the short term, the EU should illustrate its dedication to the MDG's by introducing new, concrete commitments in selected areas. This could - and should - include: eliminate trade-distorting policies and changing our agricultural subsidies.   We should agree on new targets for levels of aid, increase the effectiveness of aid and secure more long-term funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. We need to assume our crisis management responsibilities and fulfil our commitments to the Kyoto protocol.   * * *   Friends,   Dag Hammarskjöld, the person we are commemorating this year, played a significant role in redirecting the work of the UN so that it would focus more on the problems of developing countries.   He had a strong personal commitment to the economic and social progress of the less developed countries. He considered the reduction of the gaps between the rich and the poor world as the major challenge of the time.   I - unfortunately - believe that we still have long way to go before we can say we see the end of the work that he began.   I would like to finish as I started, by citing Dag Hammarskjöld:   "Solidarity is a key word / The health and strength of a community depend on every citizen's feeling of solidarity with the other citizens, and on his willingness, in the name of solidarity, to shoulder his part of the burdens and responsibilities. The same is of course true of humanity as a whole."   Thank you.

[2005-02-09]