PATTERNS OF DOMINATION AND DEPENDENCE SHOULD NOT BE PERPETUATED, PRESIDENT MANDELA TELLS UNCTAD IX
Press Release
TAD/1820
PATTERNS OF DOMINATION AND DEPENDENCE SHOULD NOT BE PERPETUATED, PRESIDENT MANDELA TELLS UNCTAD IX
19960429 Conference Poses Challenge to Promote Growth in Globalizing International Economy, Secretary-General Says at Inaugural Session(Received from a UN Information Officer.)
MIDRAND, South Africa, 27 April -- "We have a shared responsibility to roll back the harsh effects of past policies, and we owe it to future generations not to perpetuate patterns of domination and dependence, of pessimism and crude self-interest", President Nelson Mandela of South Africa said at the inaugural ceremony of the ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD IX), which commenced its work this morning.
"Our mission, therefore, must be shaped by the real needs of those whom history had marginalized", he said. The UNCTAD had to forge a new position in the world economy, so that it could accomplish in the twenty-first century objectives for which it was established. Despite immense economic and technological gains, the world at the end of the twentieth century was no more secure for most of its inhabitants. Greater market access and free or fair trade held no promise for those countries producing few goods and services with which to trade and with no market power to pursue their interests.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said that UNCTAD IX challenged the international community to "promote growth and sustainable development in a globalizing and liberalizing international economy". The Conference had pioneered the concept of interdependence, and while the world had changed, UNCTAD's basic mission remained -- to ensure that international trade was a force for the durable development of all peoples and nations.
The UNCTAD, a valuable tool, stood ready to assist the international community to deal with the economic and commercial consequences of the global economy, he said. It must be a forum where countries could formulate, express and share their views on development issues; a provider of technological assistance to the most disadvantaged countries so they could become part of the international order; and the "conscience" and advocate of the developing
and most disadvantaged countries. The "UNCTAD is certainly an irreplaceable -- and I do mean irreplaceable -- forum of the global community", he said.
Preceding the statements, President Mandela was led into the plenary hall by two young women "praise singers" in traditional dress. The President was accompanied by King Hussein of Jordan; President José Maria Figueres of Costa Rica; President Benjamin Mkapa of the United Republic of Tanzania; and President Jean-Pascal Delamuraz of Switzerland.
Following the entrance of the heads of State, the hall filled with a rainbow of South African children who sang several songs, including the national anthem. Some of the children sang in sign language. A traditional Zulu dance of celebration was performed by a troupe of child-dancers.
The Conference will meet again in plenary at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, 30 April, to begin its general debate. This afternoon's inaugural session was followed by a round table of heads of State and a round table of heads of agencies.
Statement by President Mandela
NELSON MANDELA, President of South Africa, said it was a privilege to host those who played such a vital role in South Africa's liberation. Liberation had brought the opportunity to address apartheid's legacy of poverty and inequality and to build a framework for the promotion of sustained growth and balanced development, particularly in southern Africa. Issues of trade and development had a particular significance for Africa. Despite immense economic and technological gains, in reality the world at the end of the twentieth century was no more secure for most of its inhabitants. Poverty and need continued to blight their lives in a world radically changed from that in which the UNCTAD first defined the particular needs of developing countries.
Those changes brought great opportunities but also challenges and problems, he said. Greater market access and free or fair trade held no promise whatsoever for those countries producing few goods and services with which to trade and with no market power to pursue their interests. Inequities were further compounded by lack of access to instruments that were available to other countries when they were in similar positions. "Our mission, therefore, must be shaped by the real needs of those whom history has marginalized", he said. The UNCTAD had to forge for itself a new position in the world economy, so that it was equipped to accomplish in the twenty-first century objectives for which it was established. Central to that new position must be a "partnership for development".
With regard to the partnership, he said that the changes in economic and trading groups which had taken place demanded more flexible arrangements than
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a simple relation of developed to developing nation. Also, development could not be the responsibility of only governments. Success required government to join hands with civil society. And, all those partners needed to recognize the potential contribution of the private sector to the development process, whether in infrastructure, technological change or human resource development.
"We have a shared responsibility to roll back the harsh effects of past policies. And we owe it to future generations not to perpetuate patterns of domination and dependence, of pessimism and crude self-interest", he said. Peace and development were indivisible and, without relief of poverty, democracy and human rights would for many be only a formality and always remain in jeopardy.
Statement by Secretary-General
BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI, United Nations Secretary-General, said he was deeply moved to be welcomed to UNCTAD IX by President Mandela. It proved that South Africa had taken giant steps on the path of democracy, equality and national reconciliation. Just as South Africa had waged a long struggle for social justice, UNCTAD too had been engaged in such a struggle. The agenda of the Conference challenged the international community to "promote growth and sustainable development in a globalizing and liberalizing international economy".
The UNCTAD had pioneered the concept of interdependence, he said. Its mission was as relevant as it ever had been; the world had changed but UNCTAD's basic mission had not. It was charged with ensuring that international trade was a force for the durable development of all peoples and nations. It remained a valuable tool at the disposal of the international community and stood ready to assist that community to come to terms with the economic and commercial consequences of the global economy. The rules of the new era of international trade relations still required much work and clarification.
The UNCTAD must be a place of consensus, a forum where countries could formulate, express and share their views on development issues, he said. Its role was to emphasize the development dimension of the interrelated areas of money, finance, investment, technology and trade and to participate in the integrated approach to each of those areas. It must also provide technical assistance to the most disadvantaged countries and offer them a way to become part of the international order. It must continue to be the "conscience" and advocate of the developing and most disadvantaged countries. In the past, some people considered UNCTAD's proposals to be unrealistic, but today one could see the changes that UNCTAD had wrought and how it had adapted to the reality of the world and the market economy.
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He stressed that global development could not be reduced to economic growth alone for there were social, political, cultural and psychological dimensions. "Now more than ever, there is a need for the continued existence of a body which, as part of the United Nations system, is tuned into all these dimensions", he said. The real situation of all the economic actors must be taken into account. The UNCTAD, the largest intergovernmental assembly with a mandate to promote development through trade, was making an essential contribution to the achievement of the democratization of international economic relations. The "UNCTAD is certainly an irreplaceable -- and I do mean irreplaceable -- forum of the global community", he said. Now more than ever, it was an essential organ of United Nations action in the field of trade, development, equity and social justice for all peoples and all nations.
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