PRESS BRIEFING BY UNDP ADMINISTRATOR AND NEWLY APPOINTED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNDP ADMINISTRATOR AND NEWLY APPOINTED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

It was possible to put mass poverty into the dustbin of history within the lifetimes of today's children, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), James Gustave Speth, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this morning upon the appointment of actor Danny Glover as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador.

That message of tremendous hope delivered to the world by Mr. Glover could raise it to the top of the agenda, Mr. Speth said. He was very happy to have a man, who had entertained, amused and instructed, join in fighting poverty, the greatest human tragedy of all. As Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Glover would help build a worldwide organization to strengthen the campaign against poverty. His ability to draw crowds would serve to draw attention to UNDP's message of hope.

Mr. Glover was a person of credibility and commitment, who was capable of making a tremendous contribution to the eradication of poverty, Mr. Speth said. [He drew attention to the actor's artistic achievements, described in the press packet made available to correspondents at the briefing.] Less was known about Mr. Glover's lifelong commitments to human rights and social causes, but his work in poverty projects in California added credibility to his voice for the world's poor and disadvantaged. One of his first assignments might be a trip to Africa where, through the work of the UNDP, he would witness the death of despair and the birth of hope.

Mr. Glover recalled his recent viewing of a television episode called "As You Like It". It contained a film segment of Martin Luther King, Jr. in a small Alabama church talking to a woman who was raising her family on $8 a week. He saw in Mr. King's face an enormous commitment, following the long journey of the civil rights movement in America. In his heart, he began re-committing himself to some of those ideals. He wanted to reach out to those people who had been disenfranchised, and who did not have proper health or nutrition or housing -- to lend his voice to their voice. The UNDP provided him with that opportunity. With its service in 174 countries, participating in UNDP's efforts was an enormous challenge, but one which he was ready to embrace. He hoped that during his work with the UNDP, he would have the same look on his face that Martin Luther King had on his.

A correspondent asked how Mr. Glover would approach the "audience" of a small village in Asia or Africa or Latin America where the villagers did not know the actor. Mr. Glover said that he believed his presence meant that he cared. Just being from another place would be an expression of his concern.

Why did he choose the UNDP and how did it evolve? another correspondent asked. Mr. Glover said that the last time he visited the United Nations was

on 17 October, proclaimed as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by the General Assembly. His work for the eradication of poverty had been ongoing, and he considered himself to be an "internationalist". His first thoughts when he studied economics in San Francisco State College in the late 1960's were to work in Tanzania because the events in that country had moved him. There seemed to be some sort of link between the path his life had taken and the opportunity to come forward to embrace the programmes and ideals of the UNDP.

Replying to a question about how he felt as an American and as an internationalist about his own Government's lack of support for the United Nations, he said he was appalled and disappointed. At times, he was angered that the United States had not supported the United Nations and used its influence properly to help that world Organization fulfil its potential.

Asked how he intended to juggle his own workload and his new functions as Goodwill Ambassador, he said when there was a will there was a way, adding that he would be on many "red-eye" flights from California to New York. The two jobs were intertwined -- he was the artist that he was because of the world he created around him. It was uplifting to see programmes that assisted people in redefining and reforming their lives. If that did not motivate him to get up in the morning, why get up at all?

Another correspondent asked Mr. Speth about the delay in progress made towards "accelerating" UNDP's work in Haiti, as requested by the Secretary- General in his October 1997 report to the Security Council. Mr. Speth said he would provide the correspondent with a full report of the extensive UNDP programmes in Haiti. It was a large programme that was strongly oriented towards poverty alleviation. It might also have a micro-credit component -- particularly geared to small grants to women and poverty-stricken families -- which the UNDP was pursuing in some 40 to 50 countries. The collaboration of the United Nations system in Haiti was "very strong", although that country's very serious problems required further attention. The parties that had supported the political transition in Haiti should not ignore the complementary need for a social and economic transition.

Another correspondent asked Mr. Speth to describe UNDP's work in Iraq, and whether it had been affected by the current situation. Mr. Speth said that the UNDP was basically participating in the Security Council arrangement whereby some of the oil money was used for certain humanitarian purposes in Iraq. The programme was at a very early stage, but his office could provide the correspondent with some additional details.

Asked for a reaction to poverty eradication programmes which condoned practices such as the use of sterilizations and abortions to reduce birth rates, Mr. Speth said that the work of the United Nations was decidedly pro-family. It was working around the world in community after community to provide opportunities for family livelihoods, to allow them to keep together,

UNDP Briefing - 3 - 4 March 1998

and to promote the role of women as the centre of family life and sustenance. Although population activities were the domain of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), its programme, which was being implemented under the Cairo Plan of Action, had been agreed by all nations, including the United States. It was believed that the global abortion rate had been reduced as a result of that programme. The overall thrust of UNDP's work on poverty was to empower people with assets like education, health, family livelihoods, credit, access to productive environments, the right kinds of laws and rights, and access to the legal system to enable them to lift themselves out of poverty. There was nothing more pro-family than that approach.

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