열린장관실

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

On behalf of the Korean Government, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all of you for participating in the Consultation. This Consultation is a crucial stepping stone for the GGGI to be reborn as a full-fledged international organization devoted to the dissemination and implementation of green growth.

(The Activities of the GGGI)
Since its inception in June 2010, the GGGI has constantly been expanding the scope of its activities. Notably, the GGGI has pursued tailored green growth country programs, designed to meet the specific needs of each developing country. The country programs implemented across Asia, Africa and South America have indeed been well received.

Furthermore, the GGGI is cooperating with other international agencies in the pursuit of green growth. The GGGI, the OECD, the World Bank and the UNEP launched the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) in January this year to disseminate best practices on green growth and help countries to design and implement relevant policies.

(Korean Government’s Commitments to the GGGI's Conversion)
For the realization of the full potential of the GGGI, the Korean Government strongly supports the development of the GGGI into an international organization. Today’s Consultation is an important part of the efforts to achieve this goal.
Since its launch, the GGGI has continued to pursue the goal of becoming an international organization, thereby enabling it to play a central role in the international community in effectively disseminating and implementing green growth. The GGGI's activities and contributions over the last two years have clearly shown that it has now reached a stage at which it is ready to be developed into an international organization.

As an international organization, the GGGI will be able to better serve developing and emerging countries with more stable funding and efficient management. It will also be useful in offering world-class services and building local capacity for the implementation of green growth strategies by providing an international knowledge-sharing, evidence-based learning and policy innovation platform.

(The Next Steps )
I would now like to turn to the next steps we need to take to enhance the role of the GGGI as a shared international asset. On the matter of specific timeline, we are currently planning to have the Draft Establishment Agreement signed by the ministers in the presence of the heads of states representing about a dozen founding members on the occasion of the Rio+20 Summit in June. Our aim is to officially launch the new GGGI in the margins of the Pre-COP 18 Ministerial at the end of October this year in Seoul.

The Korean Government envisions the new GGGI as a multi- stakeholder, hybrid international organization that accords approximately equal weight to developed and developing countries and non-state actors in the organization’s core governance body and decision making process. We have incorporated such elements into the Draft Establishment Agreement.
Furthermore, the GGGI will also continue to seek ODA-eligibility status next year so that it can effectively help developing countries shift onto a path towards a more green growth strategy.

(Concluding remarks)
Distinguished Guests,

I sincerely hope that the Consultation will provide valuable opportunities for an in-depth exchange of views and that the countries participating in the Consultatiion will all join the GGGI as founding members.

As a Native American proverb says, "we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." Let us keep reminding ourselves that we live on a planet with finite resources and that future generations are equally entitled to what we have today.

In closing, I would like to invite you to join me in a toast to fruitful results from our common efforts and to the realization of our shared mission. Thank you.  End.