UN meet to discuss world poverty
A UN conference on how to lift the world’s most destitute countries out of crushing poverty opened today with promises of solidarity from rich nations and proposals to make better use of aid, trade and private investment.
Joining leaders from the poorest countries at the week long meeting in Brussels were UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and French President Jacques Chirac, who decried ‘‘growing inequalities’’ among people and nations as a ‘‘fundamental injustice.’’
Despite decades of global growth and development aid, the number of countries the United Nations calls ‘‘least developed’’ those with per capita income of less than £627 a year and scarce investment in health, nutrition and education has nearly doubled since 1971, from 25 to 49.
More than half of the 630 million people in those countries mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia but also Haiti and some Pacific island nations live on less than a 70p a day.
‘‘It is more and more self-evident that the duty of solidarity has become the political and moral imperative of our time,’’ Chirac said. ‘‘The international community has no right to just write off 600 million human beings.’’
Two previous conferences in 1981 and 1990 ended with wealthier nations pledging to devote 0.7% of gross national product to the least-developed countries. Yet most have reduced their foreign aid budgets over the past decade.
‘‘The last two programmes of action have unfortunately been missed opportunities,’’ said Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh. ‘‘We must not let that happen again.’’
Annan noted that the conference seeks to produce agreement this time not only
on aid targets, but also a ‘‘built-in monitoring system’’ for achieving them.
Impoverished countries at the conference are also looking for access to rich export markets for their goods and a real commitment to debt relief.
Chirac warned that ignoring the poor causes social and environmental problems that affect everyone.
‘‘Poverty and insecurity drive drug production and the proliferation of organized crime and illegal immigration networks,’’ he said. ‘‘The struggle for survival accelerates deterioration of soil, depletion of water resources, deforestation and pillaging of natural resources.’’
He called for increased foreign aid and better coordination, as well as mobilizing the private sector to help. But he also said the recipients need to demonstrate ‘‘responsibility and determination’’ and stressed that democracy, peace, rule of law and market-oriented economies are vital for progress.
‘‘The international community cannot assist corrupt, oppressive and predatory regimes,’’ Chirac said.
