Thailand will put sufficiency economy in global spotlight

On behalf of the government and people of Thailand, I am truly honoured to accept the responsibility entrusted to us as chair of the Group of 77 for the year 2016. Allow me to share some thoughts on the priority issues we wish to pursue under our chairmanship.

First and foremost, we will push for the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development.

In line with our theme, we will seek to pursue inclusive development, allowing for the active involvement of all stakeholders. Therefore, we see the need to ensure that the priorities and challenges of the Group’s members are adequately taken into account and comprehensively addressed. 

At the same time, we will need to draw on good practices among our members on how to proceed on the development path. 

For Thailand, we have been implementing a growth and development model inspired by the sufficiency economy philosophy of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Although called a philosophy, the King’s notion of sufficiency economy is more a practice – a model for sustainable development that focuses on transforming the economics of exploitation into the economics of moderation and resilience. 

The idea of sufficiency economy can be applied to all sectors and at all levels, starting with the individual. It can also be used as a means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, because it encourages people to live a sufficient life in accordance with personal capacities and capabilities, it fits in with SDG 12: responsible consumption and production.

When considered in the context of the agricultural sector, sufficiency economy encourages a holistic farm management system that aims to minimise farmers’ vulnerability and promote sustainability, food security, water preservation and biodiversity. This aligns with the SDG 1 on poverty and the SDG 2 on zero hunger.

At the macroeconomic level, practising sufficiency economy in these times of global economic volatility will also help us to cope, boosting our resilience to shocks, both internal and external. 

Thailand has been sharing sufficiency economy as a growth and development model with interested developing countries through various frameworks, including bilateral development projects undertaken by the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, or TICA. We plan to hold a G-77 experts’ meeting to share our experiences in this area as well as pool our “collective wisdom” on approaches to sustainable development.

The second priority issue under Thailand’s G-77 chairmanship will be to further promote South-South Cooperation. We pledge our firm commitment to working closely with all members for the cause of South-South Cooperation because as a means to enhance our individual capacities in tackling common emerging challenges and a strategy for revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development.

Thailand plans to host the High-level Panel of Eminent Personalities of the South in March, to explore how to further strengthen South-South Cooperation.

Furthermore, to add new dimensions to South-South Cooperation, Thailand will organise experts meetings on ICT and on investment to explore ways and means of enhancing cooperation in these areas in order to realise sustainable development. 

Of course, without adequate financial resources, it would be difficult to achieve anything tangible for South-South Cooperation. Thailand is therefore pleased to announce a special contribution of US$520,000 to the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation to support the Group’s economic and technical cooperation activities.

The third priority issue will be to build resilience in response to the impact of climate change and reduce the risks of disasters in an effective and timely manner. Different countries have different capabilities; therefore, it is very important to promote North-South as well as South-South cooperation to help build the capacity of countries that lag behind, keeping in mind the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. 

And last but not least, we will try to further strengthen coordination and collaboration between the different chapters of the Group to ensure that our interests and concerns are comprehensively addressed in a well-coordinated manner. In this connection, Thailand will host the 48th Annual Meeting of the Chairmen of the G-77 Chapters in Bangkok in March to maximise use of in-depth knowledge and expertise from our various chapters.

The greatest strength and bargaining power of our Group lies in our ability to maintain and negotiate as a united front. Thailand will do its utmost to maintain and promote our “unity in diversity” in pursuing vigorously our common cause of sustainable development through the United Nations-led global partnership. And stronger together we shall become.

 

Excerpt of Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai’s statement at the handover ceremony of the chairmanship of the Group of 77.