Institute for International Relations

Ivan Simonovic (ed.), 1999, IMO, Zagreb

III. Economic and Social Development

Consistent with the reorientation of policy in Croatia from survival towards development, Croatia’s activity in the social and economic fields has also grown. These areas shall remain a Croatian priority in the long term. Croatia has been a member of the Commissions for Social Development and Population and Development from the beginning of this year, denoting its first participation as a member of any of the ECOSOC functional commissions.

In accord with this orientation, Croatia was active during the general debate on the implementation of the Programme of Action from the Copenhagen Conference on Social Development. In its statements at the High Level Segment of Substantive Session of ECOSOC last year, the High Level Special Meeting on Global Financial Integration and Development, as well as in other ECOSOC fora, the Second Committee and the Plenary of the General Assembly, Croatia advocated the notion of “globalisation with a human face”. Croatia placed special emphasis upon the need to successfully integrate economies in transition into the global economy, the effect of demographic factors upon sustainable development, as well as the issue of financing development. During the vote in the Third Committee on the question of the right to development, where unfortunately consensus was not achieved, Croatia offered its full support for this important right.

Croatia has worked with the Bretton Woods institutions and has been active in the dialogue on the reform of these institutions consistent with the new challenges of globalisation, international capital flows and inadequate real levels of Official Development Assistance. This latter development is being addressed in the newly formed Open Ended Working Group on Financing for Development. Croatia supports an inclusive approach to the important task of this forum.

The Economic and Social Council has undoubtedly gained in significance during recent years given its central position as a forum that is equipped to deal with issues arising from globalisation. Croatia believes that the role of the Council should centre around the comparative advantages it has arising from its functional commissions as well as its coordinative and follow-up dimension in the process of the review of the major international conferences. Aside from its increasing development as a forum for policy dialogue, the Council could go further in promoting a framework for international co-operation and the creation of policy coherence. In this context, Croatia has proposed that the efforts of ECOSOC be concentrated upon identification of areas requiring attention within its mandate, co-ordination, the promotion of an integrated approach and the provision of inputs to international actors on issues related to globalisation through the facilitation of international co-operation.