Statement by H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark, at the United Nations Private Sector Forum

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Excellencies, Your Highnesses, Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for convening this Private Sector Forum. Denmark is truly honoured to be co-sponsoring this event with the President of Senegal.

The presence of such a distinguished group of business leaders, representatives of civil society, private foundations and the UN as well as Heads of State and Government is a reflection of the vital impact that private sector actors have on development.

As Governments, we must acknowledge our role in creating the right frameworks. But to actually spur growth and sustainable economic development, the private sector must be the driving force. In short, private sector-led growth must be at the core of our efforts to achieve the MDG’s.

Without growth, we will not succeed in providing the necessary services. We will not generate sufficient public revenues. And, perhaps most importantly, we will not provide enough jobs. This is a challenge we all face in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Denmark is satisfied that growth and employment is clearly reflected in the outcome of the High Level Meeting. Momentum seems to be building around the growth agenda, including in Africa where I see a great potential.

We must see growth in the context of wider global challenges such as climate change. Rather than regarding this as an obstacle, Denmark sees great potential in the transition to a green economy.

The greening of the economy is already underway. Governments, businesses, research institutions are all engaging. But there is a need to bring all this together. We need to bridge the gap between those that set the international frameworks and those that operate within them.

Next year in Copenhagen, the Danish Government will organize a forum that will bring together policymakers, business, investors and researchers in the field of green growth. The aim is to promote practical new cooperation between these major stakeholders in the development of a global green economy.

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We all agree that partnerships must be an integrated part of everything we do to achieve the MDG’s. With only five years to go, we must focus on results. This has been discussed among donor countries leading up to this summit.

It is my pleasure to be able to announce today that a group of 11 donors - Austria, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Denmark - have signed a Statement in Support of Private Sector Partnerships for Development.

With the statement, we have committed ourselves to working even closer with the private sector and to provide incentives for – and enter into – new partnerships. We recognize the private sector as the key driver of innovation. And we encourage the private sector to commit to a more active role in development. To make strategic use of its competencies. To provide innovative solutions to global challenges. And to promote responsible business practices.

We hope that the statement, which will be made available today, will provide further momentum in our common effort to achieve the MDG’s.

I thank you for your attention. I look forward to a fruitful discussion today.