NEED TO CLOSE GAP BETWEEN DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES STRESSED AS ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES DEBATE ON 1995 WORLD SOCIAL SUMMIT OUTCOME

Press Release
GA/9801

NEED TO CLOSE GAP BETWEEN DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES STRESSED AS ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES DEBATE ON 1995 WORLD SOCIAL SUMMIT OUTCOME

Speakers stressed the need to close the gap between the developed and developing countries this afternoon as the General Assembly concluded its debate on implementation of the outcome of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development and the related special Assembly session held this summer in Geneva.

In today's world, everything was globalized -- except wealth and economic and social development, Cuba’s representative said during the discussion. Doubt about the real possibilities of social development had become a trend among developing countries. The disparities between developing and industrialized countries and between high-income and disadvantaged groups in every corner of the earth had become wider.

His country had successfully implemented social development policies and strategies on the basis of a more just and equitable distribution of its resources, and had been able to attain outstanding results related to the Copenhagen outcome long before the holding of the Summit, he continued, stressing that Cuba was willing to share its experience. The world was unlikely to move forward into an era of social justice for all if cooperation and solidarity were not fostered.

The representative of the United States said that globalization was a fact, not a policy option. It could bring tremendous benefits to developing countries, but not all developing countries had been able to take advantage of those benefits to the same degree. Due to historic patterns of discrimination, some vulnerable groups, including women, did not have equal access to those benefits. Every nation needed to pursue sound policies such as promoting education, private sector development, and the free flow of information to help all their citizens, including women, take advantage of the opportunities of economic globalization.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique noted that, since 1995, progress had been made in areas such as literacy, life expectancy, school enrollment, access to basic services, infant mortality rates, gender equality, and allocation of domestic resources for social development. However, even though relative poverty might have declined, the absolute numbers of people living in poverty globally had continued to grow. The adoption and implementation of effective measures for promoting social development and reducing poverty required a multidimensional approach by all national and international actors.

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9801 46th Meeting (PM) 31 October 2000

The cancellation of external debt of the heavily indebted poor countries was one of the most important measures that must be taken, he said. Fostering debt relief was crucial to ensuring sustainable development, taking into account that savings resulting from such relief could be utilized in the improvement of social sectors.

India’s representative said that the experience of countries that had done the best in the globalized economy showed that investment in social capital paid off. Both to promote globalization and to ward off its adverse effects, social development was an absolute and urgent necessity. That had been so clearly established that it was astonishing that the sector should be the most neglected in international cooperation.

The representatives of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Japan, Colombia, Senegal, Republic of Korea, Peru, Ukraine, China, Brazil, Malaysia, Guyana, Botswana, Syria, Tunisia, Norway, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Russian Federation, Mexico, United Republic of Tanzania, Indonesia, Nigeria (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Poland, Benin and Nepal also spoke, as did the Permanent Observers of Palestine, the Holy See and Switzerland.

The representative of Israel exercised his right of reply, as did the observer for Palestine and the representative of Syria.

The Assembly will meet again tomorrow, Wednesday, 1 November, at 10 a.m. to consider causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa and admission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to membership of the United Nations.

General Assembly Plenary - 2 - Press Release GA/9801 46th Meeting (PM) 31 October 2000

Assembly Work Programme

The fifty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its consideration of “Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the special session of the General Assembly in this regard: report of the Secretary-General” (document A/55/344).

(For more background information, see Press Release GA/9800 of 31 October.)

MOHAMMAD J. SAMHAN (United Arab Emirates) said that it had been five years since the World Summit on Social Development, but despite the interest shown there to the struggle against poverty, new measures must be taken to support social development. Many of the world’s people were deprived of food and potable water, and were subject to disease, illiteracy, violence and natural disasters. Efforts to date fell markedly short of dealing with those challenges. But the World Summit had made heads of State and government more aware of the nature of development problems. The United Arab Emirates therefore called for political will to implement regional and international initiatives and to relieve the debt burden, which would make it possible to take advantage of globalization and attract foreign investment. The international community needed innovative ways to finance development, which required a pooling of energies. In the United Arab Emirates, he continued, efforts were being made to rehabilitate the disabled and the elderly. The interests of his State, however, were not confined to the United Arab Emirates. They encompassed other areas. His country had helped to build schools and hospitals and provided loans to developing countries, and had organized and hosted conferences and seminars on those various areas.

AHMED ABOULGHEIT (Egypt) said that the political commitment to eradicate poverty was affirmed at the special session last June. There had been pledges to exert every effort to achieve social justice and improve the conditions of mankind. The social aspect of development could not be ignored; greater efforts in the field of social development were required. In that connection, he welcomed the fact that countries supported the obligations announced at the Copenhagen Summit, particularly the establishment of national plans and strategies for uprooting poverty, social investment funds and increasing the budget dedicated to the social sector.

There was no doubt that poverty was the greatest obstacle to developing countries in their struggle to enhance social development. More support was needed from the international environment through training, labour opportunities, and technical assistance. That was not only the responsibility of national Government, but also an international responsibility. States played a pivotal role in social development, but a conducive international environment was also needed.

Egypt was committed to exerting every necessary effort to provide a conducive economic, political and social environment to encourage social development. The Government had begun to draw up a new social contract. There was a new development model whereby more than 30 per cent of the budget was dedicated to the social sector, over and above what the 20/20 initiative asked for. The model was based on a continued increase in development aid, the spread of social consciousness, democratic institutions and increased attention to human rights and basic freedoms.

ANAND G. GEETE (India) said that the contagion effect of the financial meltdown in the mid-1990s made it clear that no country or group of countries could insulate themselves from the travails of others. It also showed that, while the first symptoms of a crisis became apparent in the financial or economic sectors, the most devastating effects were on the social fabric and on political stability. Equally, the experience of those countries that had done the best in the globalized economy showed that investment in social capital paid off. Both to promote globalization and to ward off its adverse effects, social development was an absolute and urgent necessity. That had been so clearly established that it was astonishing that the sector should be the most neglected in international cooperation.

The World Bank had argued with some emphasis that the actions of the developed countries and multilateral organizations would be crucial for success. Some of the policies that the developed world had followed were self-defeating. On health for example, the World Health Organization (WHO) had again reminded the international community that only 10 per cent of the $60 billion spent each year on medical research went into new cures for the diseases that afflicted 90 per cent of the world’s population. Over 1200 new medicines were patented between 1975 and the turn of the century, but only 13 were for tropical diseases. Those examples illustrated the collapse of a political will to work together to implement the commitments that the international community freely undertook in Copenhagen.

The decline in international development cooperation was not just reflected in the continuous fall in ODA. The developed world should be willing to address fundamental structural matters such as protectionism, the choking of developing country exports, regulatory mechanisms to control short-term capital movements, transparency in the functioning of the international financial institutions (including transnational commercial banks), the progressive removal of their agricultural subsidies and increased access to technological innovations, and, particularly in the health sector, balancing intellectual property rights with the needs of patients in developing countries.

HIDEAKI KOBAYASHI (Japan) called on the international community to strengthen its efforts to make the world a place where every member could enjoy a life free of fear and hunger, a message that was delivered at the historic Millennium Summit. His Government considered it timely and useful that this year’s theme was “achieving social development for all in a globalizing world”. Further, the Political Declaration adopted at the special session emphasized that no one was to be excluded from the benefits of globalization and global economic development, thus furthering the human-centred approach to development.

Japan stressed the importance of taking concrete steps to implement measures addressing newly emerging issues -- such as promoting corporate social responsibility, providing developing countries with information technology support, and achieving a reduction in the number of HIV/AIDS-infected young people in the most affected African countries by 25 per cent by 2005. He referred to the initiatives adopted at the Group of Eight Okinawa Summit of advanced industrial States in July, particularly the cooperative package in the field of information technology amounting to $15 billion to support developing countries in that field, as well as measures in the field of infectious and parasitic disease, with an allocation target of $3 billion over the next five years.

Continuing, he said his country called on the major actors, namely the United Nations, Member States, international organizations and civil society, to engage in effective follow-up by strengthening coordination and sharing experiences. Japan was pleased that the next session of the Commission for Social Development would focus on volunteerism in the promotion of social development. His Government would continue to do its utmost to contribute to the promotion of social development, so that every individual member of society would be free from fear and want.

ALFONSO VALDIVIESO (Colombia), speaking on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean members of the Rio Group, said the Group remained firmly convinced that without poverty eradication, full employment and social integration, the world could not have lasting peace, security or due respect for all human rights. The twenty-fourth special session of the Assembly had been a forum where innovative actions and initiatives were proposed to speed up the implementation of the agreements undertaken in Copenhagen.

The countries of his Group reaffirmed the decision of their governments to pursue economic and social policies that placed people at the centre of their concerns and would lead to sustainable development. They also had a commitment to apply effective and transparent forms of government, subject to citizen oversight. During the meeting of heads of State and government of the Rio Group in Cartagena, Colombia, in June last year, his group had argued for an increase in international trade flows and rejected the protectionist measures of the industrialized countries, particularly in the agricultural sector. It was necessary to ensure access to external markets and to insist on the elimination of subsidies established by the developed countries. It had also appealed for a just and lasting solution to the growing problem of external debt, with particular emphasis on the highly indebted countries of the region.

He said universal access to basic education and a substantial improvement in its quality had been stressed. Both elements were the fundamental basis for productive human development and for the exercise of democracy. Strengthening occupational training and apprenticeship programmes in the use of the new scientific and technological instruments was important. That task, together with the creation of opportunities for productive employment, would be the basis for greater social and cultural participation by young people.

IBRA DEGUENE KA (Senegal), said that the World Summit had been an opportunity to have a critical appraisal of the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration. The final document entitled “further initiatives”, reaffirmed the central role of national governments in bringing about social development, but it also highlighted the responsibility of the international community with regard to market access, debt crisis management, and an increase in official development assistance (ODA). Poverty eradication, employment and social integration were basic strategic initiatives for governments, and needed to be implemented in order to achieve the goal of halving the number of people living in poverty by 2015. Priority should be given to education in order to obtain the objectives adopted at the World Education Forum in April. Today 130 million children had no access to primary education. Eight hundred eighty million adults were illiterate, gender-based discrimination was still rife in educational systems. It was important for the international community to launch a world initiative to mobilize the necessary resources to provide effective support. It was important to provide more external resources for education and to provide a more effective coordination of donor initiatives.

If the international community wanted to achieve the goal of education for all, it must strive for an increase in ODA and proceed to debt-relief. That reasonable objective could certainly be attained. The means and the resources were there; all that was needed was the will to realize them. Health care should be made affordable, and a coordinated campaign should be fought against AIDS in Africa and elsewhere. An enormous social mobilization programme was under way in Senegal to tackle some of the aforementioned problems. His Government was actively striving to redefine its national anti-poverty strategy by stressing capacity building and the promotion of empowerment. It had also organized a National Health Conference, which was an opportunity for all to outline major reforms expected from the national health system.

HIPOLITO ZOZIMO PATRICIO (Mozambique) said he was encouraged to note that there had been progress in some areas since 1995, such as literacy, life expectancy, school enrollment, access to basic services, infant mortality rates, incremental movement toward gender equality, as well as in the allocation of domestic resources for social development. However, even though relative poverty might have declined, the absolute numbers of people living in poverty globally had continued to grow. The adoption and implementation of effective measures for promoting social development and reducing poverty required a multidimensional approach by all national and international actors.

The cancellation of external debt of the heavily indebted poor countries was one of the most important measures that must be taken. The debt burden continued to be a significant impediment to development. Fostering debt relief was crucial to ensuring sustainable development, taking into account that savings resulting from such relief could be utilized in the improvement of social sectors. The problem of poverty was a global one, in which Mozambique was no exception. The incidence of absolute poverty in Mozambique was 69.4 per cent, indicating that more than two thirds of the population was living below the poverty line.

In spite of the efforts towards social development, the problem of poverty was still far from being solved. The Five-Year Plan of Action for 2000-2004 had been approved and would focus on maintaining macro-economic stability and rapid sustainable economic growth, the allocation of resources to poverty reduction through a medium-term budget policy, and guaranteed institutional coordination and partnership between the Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), religious organizations and the private sector on poverty reduction initiatives.

SUH DAE-WON (Republic of Korea), said that in order to fulfil the three core goals established at Copenhagen, the international community must address some of the basic challenges facing the world. The first challenge was globalization. The benefits of globalization were double-edged, and the responsibility lay with the international community to ensure that globalization became an opportunity rather than a challenge, and that its benefits were equitably distributed. Secondly, there were more and more armed conflicts and humanitarian crises erupting in different parts of the world, threatening even the basic development of countries. Organized crime and drug abuse were other visible obstacles that had persisted despite the work of the international community. It was the view of his delegation that those obstacles should be addressed through active and coordinated measures, along with enhanced technical assistance programmes. Furthermore, it had become clear to everyone during the special session that HIV/AIDS had emerged as the most devastating epidemic of our times, and that firm international cooperation was urgently needed in order to address the issue, which threatened the security of many countries.

Those challenges, he continued, were too formidable for individual countries to deal with alone. While the prime responsibility for social development lay with nations themselves, and while each State should make an effort to create a stable, efficient, fair socio-economic domestic system, the importance of sharing best practices and lessons learned among nations could not be overemphasized. The Republic of Korea had introduced a series of measures to foster the economic and social development of its people. The 1997 financial crisis, while striking a major blow to a large segment of Korean society, was a timely opportunity to review structural flaws in the economy and society. The private sector in Korea was playing an important role in social development, such as contributing to a rapid recovery from the recession and building a stronger legal structural foundation for social safety nets.

JORGE VALDEZ (Peru) said that in Copenhagen the international community had assumed the challenge of fighting poverty, creating productive employment and strengthening the social framework. One substantive result was the gestation of a universal conscience with regard to the multiple effects that poverty had on human development. In that context, he emphasized the decisive importance of overcoming poverty for the full enjoyment and exercise of the human rights of children, adolescents, youths and men and women of the planet. The basic responsibility for the elimination of poverty fell upon governments.

He said there were no rigid strategies, formulae or measures that were easily applicable to the elimination of poverty. It was an objective affecting all the expressions of human development. Cultural, ethnic and historical identities, as well as political and economic stability, were important in determining viable policies and measures. A head-on fight against poverty also demanded the existence of solid institutions, adequate and sustained financial resources, specific programmes that identified specific regions and areas of poverty, and the unshakable political will of governments.

In May 1999, work began on evaluating the implementation of the Copenhagen commitments and 13 months were needed to achieve a consensus document in Geneva last June. Foreign debt, the mechanisms to control the flow of capital, together with the need for good governance and labour rights all appeared once more. The subject of financial resources and the decline of ODA also reflected rigid positions. They would undoubtedly be discussed during negotiations on the issue of financing for development, but, strictly speaking, the item remained unresolved.

VALERI KUCHYNSKI (Ukraine) said that in Copenhagen, for the first time, the international community had focused on making material improvements in important but often neglected areas of social concern, such as poverty, employment, diseases, illiteracy, and the condition of the poorest. But despite the efforts of the international community, there had been little change in the world situation. Globalization and the opportunities for growth had not solved the disparities that existed among and within countries. In spite of the new knowledge and the technological revolution, hunger, diseases and poverty had not been eradicated. How could those goals be reached? Social security for all could be provided at its best in democratic States with a market economy, and in a civil society where human rights and freedoms were respected and each individual could actively shape and influence her or his life.

Only collective efforts could ensure better living with greater dignity for all human beings. At the same time, every State must realize its crucial role in advancing people-centred sustainable development through the eradication of poverty, the enhancement of productive employment, universal and equal access to basic social services and social protection, and support for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Poverty eradication remained at the centre of the national policy agenda in Ukraine. A new programme on prevention of poverty had been adopted, including the provision of citizens’ constitutional rights through a system of national minimal standards, motivation of work efficacy, entrepreneurial and business activities, increase of minimum wages and improvement of the social security system.

Ukraine spared no effort in pursuing the policy of development. However, despite all efforts, the nation faced considerable hardships in its pursuit of social development. The formation of a democratic society on the principles of the socially oriented market was, unfortunately, not an easy task. That situation had been aggravated by the negative consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe and the repatriation of victims of Stalinist repressions, particularly Crimean Tatars, and their social integration.

BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA (Cuba) said that doubt about the real possibilities of social development had become a trend among developing countries. The disparities between developing and industrialized countries and between high-income and disadvantaged groups in every corner of the earth had become wider. All that was taking place in the context of neo-liberal globalization. In today's world, everything was globalized -- except wealth and economic and social development. It was needless to embark upon new commitments different from those undertaken five years ago.

How would mankind overcome the horrible situation of the Third World if the Copenhagen commitments were not met, he asked? Those who were wealthier must play their part in meeting their commitments undertaken in Copenhagen, and must not evade such responsibility. How could the Copenhagen outcomes be

brought forward if ODA continued to fall and structural adjustment programmes and recipes continued to be imposed, ignoring the social priorities?

His country had successfully implemented social development policies and strategies on the basis of a more just and equitable distribution of its resources, and had been able to attain outstanding results related to the Copenhagen commitment long before the holding of the Summit, he said. The prioritized allocation of resources by his Government to social activities and its commitment to improve the population’s welfare had been a key factor in reaching social indicators better than those reached by many countries with more resources and a higher stage of development. Cuba was willing to share its experience. The world was unlikely to move forward into an era of social justice for all if cooperation and solidarity were not fostered. He mentioned that over 26,000 Cuban health professionals had served in the Third World.

SHEN GUOFANG (China), said that poverty eradication was the first and foremost task of social development. It was indisputably the responsibility of all governments and of peoples themselves to strive to eradicate poverty and promote development. However, the international community must also offer support. Developed countries should proceed from the common good of all humanity and provide -- without any political conditions attached -- financial and technological assistance to developing countries, thus keeping the latter to achieve their development goals at an earlier date.

Education was a basic condition for social development. The qualities of a country’s citizens and their education level would determine the quality and pace of its social development. Better health for people also constituted an important component of social development. Like all developing countries, China had a long and difficult way to go in the field of social development. To accelerate economic growth, improve people’s livelihood, eradicate poverty, increase input for education so as to enhance the calibre of its people, and to provide better medical and health care were the arduous tasks facing the Chinese Government. China was willing to work together with all the other countries of the world to “achieve social development for all in a globalizing world”.

GELSON FONSECA (Brazil), said that the commitments made at Copenhagen were still current and had been reaffirmed three months ago in Geneva. Although 5 years was a short time to evaluate the progress that had been made, it could at least be said that international reality had greatly changed since the World Summit. Since that time, the international community had witnessed the explosion of globalization. Furthermore, the international context and environment continued to be plagued by such problems as protectionism, foreign debt, and the reduction in international ODA. An assessment of the outcome of the World Summit confirmed that diagnosis. At the same time, the Summit’s best achievement was the reaffirmation of the wish to implement the decisions of the Copenhagen Summit. The challenges that the international community faced were enormous. They included eradicating poverty, fostering social integration and encouraging full and active employment. It was necessary for all governments, particularly those of the developed countries to intensify international cooperative efforts. If the international community were to concert its efforts it would be able to achieve the objectives outlined at Copenhagen for a more fair, equitable and democratic world.

MOHAMMAD KAMAL YAN YAHAYA (Malaysia) noted that despite the deep political differences between Member States on international issues such as human rights, governance and globalization, the special session of the Assembly had managed to achieve a range of agreements and produce a comprehensive Outcome Document. It included a global campaign against poverty, implementation of debt-relief arrangements, and ensuring access to social services even during times of financial crisis.

The eradication of poverty must be addressed in a multi-pronged manner. Both the public and private sector must be galvanized to achieve growth with equity. The reality was that the need for decent standards of living, food, housing, literacy, health and employment had not yet been adequately met. The surest way to eliminate global poverty was to promote sustainable and equitable growth worldwide. The developed countries must fulfil their commitment to ensure that 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) was channelled to meet the development needs of developing countries.

He was concerned that social violence against minorities, women and children continued unabated all over the world. The scourge of drugs, transnational crime and deadly diseases did not stop at borders and was spreading rapidly. Those were challenges that were beyond the capacity of any one State to counter on its own. He urged developed countries to continue to help developing countries to undertake their social programmes. A country’s economic progress should not be negated by social problems. In a globalized world, it was now recognized that a diverse range of actors was needed in the development process, and he welcomed the partnership established by the United Nations, the private sector and civil society in the Global Compact. The global plans of action, however, could only succeed if States honoured their commitment to concerted localization of global aspirations.

SONIA FELICITY ELLIOTT (Guyana) spoke on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on issues she said were of concern to both developing and developed countries. Social exclusion and employment were serious issues in a globalizing economy. In addition, high debt servicing bills in developing countries hindered social development. Poverty eradication and full employment were part of CARICOM’s programme. The Community tried to provide for all in its social net.

In evaluating implementation of the Copenhagen goals, it was clear that the results were uneven. Poverty existed where there was weak infrastructure. According to a 1995 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, the developed world had 86 per cent of the world’s wealth. Guyana believed that the international community must resolve such issues to reduce uncertainty in the life of all peoples.

The CARICOM was pleased by the support some donor countries had given, especially increases of ODA, financial assistance to heavily indebted poor countries, support for the institutional regulatory system, and funding for United Nations system programmes. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) proposals for social development should be considered. If negligible or zero growth occurred in developing countries, that proved there was no social development.

Good governance must not be confined to the national level, she continued. It was clear that the early and full implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration would result in progress in the developing countries.

LEUTLWETSE MMUALEFE (Botswana), speaking for the Southern African Development community (SADC), concurred with the report of the Secretary-General that the system-wide participation of the United Nations, NGOs and a broad range of civil society organizations had led to the success of the Assembly’s special session. Although advancing social development was first and foremost, the responsibility of national governments, fostering smart partnerships with non- governmental actors, was a critical and necessary measure.

He said a large majority of African countries had not been able to participate in the global economy and as a result had experienced only 2.8 per cent growth in 1999. There was a need to come to a concrete agreement on a model of globalization which would be inclusive, leading not only to enhanced trade and financial flows, but also to an improvement in the standards and quality of life of citizens. Unfortunately, that ideal could not be realized without concerted efforts on the part of governments and multilateral institutions, in terms of strengthening national capacities to take advantage of the opportunities of globalization.

AIDS was a major human tragedy and development challenge, with serious socio-economic implications for all sectors of communities and societies. Southern Africa was worst-affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which would destroy the very core of the future of the region if it went unchecked. The international community needed to be fully engaged in the fight against it, because it had no boundaries. He said external debt servicing continued to divert valuable resources from social development, thereby perpetuating poverty. He noted that the debt profile of SADC countries revealed that debt due to multilateral institutions continued to pose a heavy burden on their economies.

AHMAD AL-HARIRI (Syria) said that five years had elapsed since Copenhagen, where aspirations for a better future had been expressed and governments had committed themselves to ensuring that their citizens were free from poverty, want and fear. Some of the commitments were to be shouldered by national governments and others were to be shouldered by the international community. Yet ODA had recently dropped to unprecedented levels. The impact of globalization had spread insecurity and marginalized developing countries. Furthermore, the terms of international trade had worsened.

Syria had embarked on comprehensive development programmes, intended to increase human freedoms. Much had been achieved in the development of resources. The agricultural and industrial sectors had been modernized and the Government was subsidizing basic foodstuffs, sometimes carried out in cooperation with NGOs with a view to providing social services to the poor and vulnerable. The Government had also focused much attention on equal employment opportunities. Without any discrimination, both men and women had equal access to employment.

The Israeli foreign occupation was a great impediment to the social integration and development of Syria. Half a million people were displaced as a result of the occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights. The negative social and economic effects of the occupation must not be underestimated. He urged the Assembly to pressure Israel to accept the relevant United Nations resolutions. Only a total withdrawal could ensure peace and security and provide an enabling environment for sustainable development.

SAID BEN MUSTAFA (Tunisia) said that the assessment and the monitoring of the World Summit presented an opportunity to affirm the declaration and the plan of action. One of these obligations was the creation of a suitable national and international environment in order to promote sustainable development. Tunisia believed that globalization had some negative aspects that might lead to further imbalances in international relations. In his opinion the international community must deal firmly with the negative aspects of globalization.

In the field of social development, Tunisia had tried to achieve and implement the recommendations of international conferences. His country had established parallels between economic and social dimensions while protecting human rights. His country promoted protection for all members of society, without any marginlization, as well as the intensification of care and social security for the weaker parts of society, promoting the rights of women and the child, promoting solidarity between the various generations and the protection of the environment. The deteriorating situation in least developed countries was worrying and had to be reversed. The President of Tunisia had proposed the setting up of a Solidarity Fund, and Tunisia was trying to gather consensus on this humanitarian initiative.

OLE PETER KOLBY (Norway) said that the first five-year review of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development was the beginning of the follow-up process. The challenges were tremendous, especially the fact that 1.2 billion people still lived in absolute poverty. Another problem needing action was the disastrous proportions the HIV/AIDS pandemic was reaching, spreading fastest in parts of the world with the fewest resources to deal with it. Many of the gains achieved relative to a significant increase in life expectancy were being eroded by the pandemic. Norway had already decided to double its funding for multilateral AIDS programmes, he pointed out.

His Government agreed with one of the goals expressed during the Special Session in Geneva, and that was the need to reduce the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by half by 2015. Achieving the goals of the Summit and implementing the initiatives identified at the Special Session would require a strong commitment of all relevant actors, mobilization of resources, and effective and efficient institutions working in partnership. Norway urged donor countries to follow up on their agreed United Nations obligations, and if possible, exceed them. His country was determined to go beyond its current ODA level of 0.9 per cent of GNP to a full 1 per cent. In addition, in its budget proposal for 2001, the Norwegian Government had increased ODA by $170 million. Increased ODA was one of the key building blocks in the new development architecture. Debt relief was another major challenge, he added.

The United Nations had a crucial role to play in developing more coherent policy approaches and better coordinating its programme activities. However, fighting poverty, unemployment and social exclusion was the responsibility not only of governments and the international community, but also of the private sector and civil society. Public-private partnerships, such as the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa, had recently been formed. Norway welcomed that initiative, and pledged substantial financial support for similar initiatives. In conclusion, he said, his Government gave high priority to the implementation of the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit, and would continue to work with its partners to ensure the fulfilment of commitments made there.

KIM CHANG GUK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) said the World Summit objectives for social development had not yet been materialized. Indeed some of them had been further diluted by new challenges, such as the negative impact of globalization. The number of poor had increased to 1.4 billion, and social evils continued to exist. Social problems such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and health services, gender issues and ageing were of common concern to both developed and developing countries. Poverty eradication and health problems, on the other hand, were more critical to developing countries.

For the Programme of Action’s successful implementation, each country needed to set out a national strategy for social development, in conformity with its internal reality, and adopt appropriate social policies. Particular attention should be given to education and health care along with poverty eradication and employment, and social policies should be regulated according to levels of economic development. Social development and sustained economic development were interlinked. Globalization should not be imposed on developing countries; an equitable international economic order must be established in favour of those countries.

A peaceful and stable international environment should be created as well. Conflicts and disputes posed a threat to the lives of countless people and negatively impacted on the overall social and economic development, not only of the countries concerned, but also of neighbouring countries and those in the region. To have a proper solution to conflicts was of major importance in creating a favourable international environment for social development.

SHAMSHAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said it was Member States that were the decision-makers in approving United Nations partnerships with other relevant actors. It was true that the historic Millennium Declaration had called for the establishment of partnerships with the private sector with a view to eradicating poverty. However, before embarking on partnerships with the private sector, it was essential to reaffirm the primacy of governments. Governments were the representatives of peoples and States. States were made up of people, and the structure of international relations was built on of the interaction of States. International relations were, in fact, inter-State relations. There was no substitute for the State. The United Nations needed to protect and preserve the State and its primacy, as enshrined in the Charter and in international law.

Pakistan was actively committed to the concept of sustainable development, poverty eradication, human rights and labour standards. The most pragmatic way to achieve those values was maintaining the strength of States. The corporate private sector had a limited purpose and a narrow scope, and was driven by a monolithic culture. Civil society also had a different structure from the State. No organization could claim that it was an equal of the United Nations. The United Nations had the central role in promoting development, and the world must rally around the United Nations in partnership. It was important that the General Assembly decided on the parameters for partnerships. Partners had to shape their activities to promote the objectives of the United Nations, he said.

There had been a number of attempts to bypass some States when building partnerships, however there were valid concerns about the opaque process that had been pursued in the name of the United Nations. Was it an attempt to impose conditionalities? Such question had to be resolved before partnerships were embarked upon.

ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) said that at Geneva 2000, a blueprint for social development had been adopted. However, many areas needed careful consideration. Social development could not happen in isolation. There were globalized economic and trading regimes emerging in areas where marginalization and exclusion persisted. In both Geneva and Copenhagen, pledges were made to provide an enabling environment. Those promises needed to be delivered. It was also important to work effectively towards poverty eradication. Bangladesh’s experience showed that the most effective way of addressing poverty was by enabling the poor to help themselves.

It was crucial to make women matter in social development, he said. The disparity women suffered in terms of involvement in decision-making on social development and on the delivery and reception of services had to be addressed urgently. If more women were involved in decision-making, especially at the local level, it could result in a better balance in policy and resource flows towards social development and gender equality. It was also vital to protect the vulnerable by enhancing social safety nets and involving both the beneficiaries and civil society actors. There had been a notion that States should have a diminished role in social development. That did not imply that States should shrink; on the contrary, strong States could build effective partnerships with community and civil society organizations to facilitate social development.

Without promoting international cooperation that mattered and was genuine, social development goals would remain unfulfilled, he said. Developing countries needed resources and also the knowledge and capacity for their utilization. They therefore needed international cooperation which not only made resources available, but also lessened the information gap, helped build capacity, promoted a fair trading regime, and protected the resource base and generated employment and well-being of the people.

MARY JO B. ARAGON (Philippines) said that in late June this year a special session of the General Assembly had been held, which was dedicated to the review of the commitments made five years previously during the Social Summit. During the special session, it had been agreed, among other things, to halve by 2015 the proportion of the world’s people living in poverty, to narrow the gender gap in primary and secondary education by 2005, and to increase the employment opportunities of women through training and education. The Philippines had made pro-poor strategies an integral part of its development plans, and aimed to reduce poverty by adopting and implementing measures within the overall framework of human capital formation by improving basic social services, expanding micro-credit and empowering the poor.

The Philippines believed that the High-Level Intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development that would be held next year, would be important as it was expected to deliberate on actions that were necessary to contribute to the attainment of the goal of development for all. It was the Government’s hope that the Event would seriously take up the issue of resources, which were needed to carry out plans and actions in addressing poverty and advancing progress and prosperity for all people.

DMITRY KNYAZHINSKIY (Russian Federation) said the special session last June had provided an opportunity to discuss the lessons of the large scale social upheaval of the twenty-first century. The conclusions drawn in Geneva demonstrated that the process of globalization, far from ridding the world of social scourges, had brought with it new risks and problems. The fear of nuclear annihilation had been replaced by the threats of inter-ethnic conflict, drug trafficking, and international terrorism. The fact was that not everyone had access to technology, it remained in the hands of a small number of industrialized States. The architecture of financial, social and economic affairs must be changed.

The eradication of poverty was the main priority in social and economic development, he said. He regretted that some of the decisions made at the social summit had not been implemented, particularly those relating to the international financial institutions. Governments had a decisive role to play in achieving a better level of justice. His Government had established a long term social development national strategy whose main task would be to assure sustainable economic growth in a situation of political stability and without reducing the living standards of the Russian population.

ENRIQUE GONZALEZ TIBURCIO (Mexico) called upon the Assembly to reaffirm the goals of the World Summit on Social Development that had been reinforced in Geneva. In that light, Mexico wished to support the statement of Colombia made on behalf of the Rio Group.

He said social policies put in practice in the past six years had sought to use concrete methods for implementing the Copenhagen proposals, which was among the highest priorities of his Government. His country believed in the effectiveness of social policy and had set specific goals, such as improving the welfare of Mexican citizens. The Government of Mexico designed programmes and set objectives, in particular the eradication of poverty, which was associated with a favorable economic environment. That was why measures guaranteeing a scenario of stability and growth would ensure equal development and help the fight against poverty and marginalization.

For the year 2000, growing resources had been devoted to social expenditures, which represented more than 61 per cent of his Government’s proposed budget and 9.6 per cent of its GNP. One strategy in anti-poverty programmes in Mexico had been the decentralization of facilities and returning focus to the local level.

He took note of Mexico’s significant investments in education, as evidenced by a graduation rate of 90 per cent in all primary schools. Other statistical measures cited were an increased life expectancy, which now exceeded 75 years for all Mexicans. In addition, the national health system reached 98 per cent of the 100 million people in his country.

The development of a Programme for Education, Health and Food helped 14 million poor people in rural areas, he said. Free tortillas were given to another 6 million. A national fund for social enterprises had been created, providing 638,000 jobs, as well as 5.6 million seasonal jobs and another 3 million jobs for farm workers. Illiteracy had been reduced to 10 per cent and unemployment had been lowered in urban areas. While the size and depth of poverty continued to be a great challenge for all Mexicans, his Government wanted to build a fair society and called on all countries to take more vigorous action to reach the poor.

DAUDI N. MWAKAWAGO (United Republic of Tanzania), said that, due to the introduction of the market economy, the capacity of States to provide social services had been considerably reduced. Even though the State was no longer the sole provider of social services, there was consensus on the need to strengthen public institutions to provide an effective framework to ensure an equitable provision of basic social services for all. Furthermore, for an effective implementation of the goals, each State must have a clear strategy for social development, focusing on capacity building and giving priority to investments in education, health, employment and the provision of other basic social services in order to help the people living in poverty.

Scarcity of resources, weak infrastructure, worsening terms of trade and the debt burden were among the factors undermining poverty eradication efforts in developing countries. Other obstacles to poverty eradication included the lack of access to education, health services and safe drinking water. Mobilizing sufficient domestic resources for poverty eradication continued to be a major problem for his country. Having endorsed the 20/20 initiative, his Government had begun to allocate more budgetary resources to the basic social sectors in order to improve the situation. However, counterpart financing by donors had not been provided on a regular basis and ODA resources had declined.

Progress toward the implementation of the Social Summit goals had been limited due to the debt burden. For a long time, unbearable debt servicing had been draining over 30 per cent of Government revenue. In that regard, his country was relieved to have qualified for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative funding and hoped to use the relief funds for social development. His country, he continued, hosted over 800,000 refugees. The presence of such a large refugee population was a problem for a poor country like Tanzania. This implied that while striving to meet the basic social needs of its people, Tanzania also had to bear the burden of meeting the growing needs of the refugees in many aspects that were not covered by the international community. It was therefore imperative that there be increased and sustained assistance that would not only meet the needs of the refugees, but also the host country.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic had also brought a number of setbacks, including the weakening and depletion of a much-needed human resource base, he said. He asked the international community to support efforts aimed at the prevention of the disease and care for the victims. Support was also needed in helping the Government’s efforts in addressing other dangerous diseases affecting the population, including malaria and tuberculosis.

LARRY CARP (United States) said the Summit had made important gains in reshaping both national and international development policies, institutions, and resources to promote more equitable and people-centred sustainable development. The Summit had highlighted how investments in people, specifically their education and health, were critical to their productivity. It had focused positively on the role of multilateral banks, structural adjustment programmes, and the power of free markets in reducing poverty and promoting social integration. Moreover, it had broken new ground by making a commitment to equality for women and had recognized the need to equalize opportunities so that people with disabilities could contribute to and benefit from full participation in society.

His Government believed that economic policies could not be divorced from the social and political context in which they functioned, he said. In that regard, he pointed to good governance as the critical element of an enabling environment for social development. He cited efforts to raise the living standards of American citizens, and to establish a more equitable social system with attention paid to the concerns of minorities, women, youth, older persons and people with disabilities.

He urged that special attention be given to the valuable role that women played in social development, as well as in conflict prevention and conflict resolution. The United States strongly supported language in the “Copenhagen+5” and “Beijing+5” outcome documents calling for accelerated action and strengthened political commitment to close the gender gap in primary and secondary education by 2005, and to ensure free compulsory and universal primary education for both girls and boys by 2015.

He said that globalization was a fact, not a policy option that could be turned off or reversed, because it was revolutionizing the way the world worked and could bring tremendous benefits to developing countries. However, not all developing countries had been able to take advantage of the benefits of globalization to the same degree. Due to historic patterns of discrimination, some vulnerable groups, including women, did not have equal access to those benefits. Every nation needed to pursue sound policies such as promoting education, private sector development, and the free flow of information to help all their citizens, including women, take advantage of the opportunities of economic globalization.

SUDJADNAN PARNOHADININGRAT (Indonesia) said for the majority of developing countries, globalization’s direct impact on the weakening of the capacity of national governments and local communities to control and manage global influences had become better known during the Assembly’s special session. The rapid developments in information technology and electronic commerce had added a new element to the equation. The Asian economic crisis had clearly demonstrated the speed at which finances flowed from one region of the world to another and the need to adjust to the impact of information and communication technologies on the globalization of financial markets.

The issue of the debt burden of developing countries was also prominent on the list of obstacles to follow-up the Summit, and the special session had registered progress on that question, he said. He took note of the valuable contribution being made by regional commissions in support of regional social development initiatives. He supported the notion that the regional commissions continued to meet on a regular basis at a high political level, in order to share experiences and discuss best practices, to review progress made and to identify further initiatives to strengthen implementation, as well as to enhance cooperation within the region.

Without income, without decent employment, the total development package could not be achieved. He therefore endorsed the necessity to promote decent employment opportunities based on the four social pillars: securing fundamental rights at work; ensuring equality between women and men in employment; enhancing coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all; and strengthening tripartism and social dialogue.

With regard to the feminization of poverty, he said his Country welcomed the increased attention given by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to the protection of the human rights of women migrant workers working in the domestic sector, and he appealed for increased ILO technical assistance in that field. He added that he deeply regretted the decline in United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) cooperation assistance for the welfare of women and children in Indonesia for the period of 2001-2005.

ARTHUR C.I. MBANEFO (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that during the Assembly’s special session a number of obstacles had been identified as being responsible for the lack of progress since Copenhagen, including the challenges of globalization and declining levels of ODA. Those challenges were considered to be beyond the capacity of any single country to address. Enhanced international cooperation was imperative if those issues were to be successfully addressed.

For developing countries, reducing the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 and implementing pro-poor growth strategies would require resources that were not readily available. The resource base of those weak economies urgently needed to be improved. There was an urgent need for unhindered and unrestricted market access for exports from developing countries. That was a sure way to enable active participation in the global market, which would enhance growth, create employment and eventually reduce poverty, he said.

External debt was a recurrent theme that required urgent attention, he said. Debt service ratios remained very high, making it virtually impossible to mobilize local resources to propel social renewal and poverty eradication. Debt had become the greatest obstacle in tackling underemployment and unemployment in the countries of his group. Although he welcomed some new initiatives, he believed that the issue of debt had to be approached in a more coherent and comprehensive manner. It would ultimately have to include outright debt cancellation to free the scarce resources which would provide the basis for economic renewal and social advancement.

Education was the key to the technology-driven global economy, he said. It could provide developing countries with the opportunity to overcome the obstacles impeding general social development objectives. It was therefore imperative for developing countries to continue to devote all necessary attention to education, especially basic education. He welcomed the reaffirmation by the special session of “The Framework for Action for Education for All”, adopted at the World Education Forum in Dakar, as well as the call to encourage and assist developing countries in building capacities for secondary and tertiary education and in acquiring technology skills.

PIOTR OGONOWSKI (Poland) said that the documents adopted in Copenhagen and Geneva underlined the importance of cooperation, joint responsibility and international solidarity in solving problems related to social development. They inspired and stimulated social sensitivity but at the same time reflected a concrete commitment on the part of the international community. It had been clearly shown that globalization created new possibilities of economic and social growth -- but at the same time it could also be disruptive to some weaker and underdeveloped economies. A particularly distressing result was that excluded countries and social groups practically did not share the benefits deriving from increased economic and trade cooperation.

The targets identified in Copenhagen helped the Polish Government to make its efforts at poverty reduction, promotion of productive employment and social integration more efficient. In order to attain better and more easily accessible social services, the Polish Government introduced in 1999 four major structural reforms in the sectors of administration, social insurance, healthcare and education. Poverty reduction and overcoming social exclusion were acknowledged as priorities of the Government’s social policy. In that connection, the Government had encouraged civil-society actors such as NGOs, local authorities and the private sector to coordinate efforts in order to increase their efficiency in addressing those challenges.

At the international level, the Government had welcomed the decision of G-8 countries at Cologne in 1999 to enhance the debt-relief initiative with regard to the heavily indebted poor countries. Joining the HIPC initiative to demonstrate solidarity with the poorest countries was a significant effort on Poland’s part, as it would amount to $240 million. For its part, Poland was resolved to continue the elaboration of its social development policy and to expand cooperation with all interested international partners for the full implementation of the Copenhagen commitments.

NICOLE ELISHA (Benin) said that developing countries and industrialized countries needed to implement the commitments that had been made in order to eradicate the root causes of poverty. The different forums on economic development had placed an emphasis on debt alleviation and cancellation. Benin believed that debt alleviation would give some respite to countries that were in difficulty, but it would not by any means solve all their problems. Even if the debt was eradicated today, the debt cycle would start up again tomorrow and the developing countries continue to be held hostage. That was why it was essential to reform the international economic system. It was also necessary to count not just on political will, but on the generosity of the developed countries, as economic and social development needed a large amount of investment.

Benin was following with conviction all the economic reforms necessary for the reduction of poverty, she said. Benin was striving for a development that would take into account the cultural and social values of its people. It was for those reasons that her delegation was launching an appeal to facilitate cooperation between developing countries and their industrialized partners in order to ensure a better future for all people.

SOMAIA S. BARGHOUTI, Observer for Palestine, said the World Social Summit in Copenhagen in 1995 had taken up key issues, particularly the eradication of poverty, unemployment, as well as the promotion of women’s rights. However, developments following Copenhagen showed that the situation in the world community had not improved as expected. In fact, most problems had become worse: poverty had quintupled; unemployment had risen; and foreign occupation, religious strife, and marginalization were seen in many areas of the world.

Her country, occupied Palestine, had been undergoing grave social suffering since 28 September when Israel had begun using deadly weapons against the Palestinian people, she said. The Israeli aggression had led to the deaths of 140 martyrs as well as thousands of injured Palestinians. Israel had decided to wage bloody war because the Palestinian people would not accept occupation and colonial rule, the desecration of religious houses of worship, and the attempt to judaize their religion.

Palestine, she continued, faced a tragic existence because its economic growth was weak, there was no investment in its economy, and because there was too much dependence on the Israeli economy. The Israeli efforts to build a colonial settlement were in violation of various United Nations resolutions. Until the Palestinian National Authority could establish its own independent State, the United Nations must support implementation of its resolutions. She urged more assistance for Palestine in its just struggle. The United Nations must show increased support for the Palestinian people, she concluded.

RENATO R. MARTINO, Permanent Observer for the Holy See, said that the Copenhagen Summit had recognized the interdependence of economic development, social development and environmental protection for the progress of humankind and the integrity of all creation. The targets set out had since been taken up in various contexts within the community of nations to become points of reference for progress in the area of social development. The Copenhagen Summit had recognized the importance of economic development, and in particular the role of dynamic, open and free markets, he said. It also recognized that the market alone was insufficient to adequately harmonize economic and social development. Government was needed to ensure that the markets operated within an appropriate ethical and juridical framework. Governments were needed to foster stability and equity and to create an environment in which initiative and freedom were accompanied by measures of social protection of the weakest.

The Summit also stressed the fact that work played a central role in any programme for social development. The concept of working conditions included the need to ensure adequate measures of social protection, and to protect workers and their families in times of illness, unemployment or from external shocks. The concept of “decent work” had been developed by the ILO in order to focus attention on the human and social dimensions of work, including the aspiration of workers for the good of their families.

A major challenge of the community of nations, and of the various social partners within society, was to identify models of development which created productive employment and which permitted men and women to bring the contribution of their efforts to the good of society through work. Employment policies must focus on jobs which offered an enrichment of the quality of lives of workers and their families. Long-term unemployment and youth unemployment remained a great challenge for social development. He hoped that the United Nations community addressed this issue in a concerted manner in the coming years.

Work was the key to social progress, he said. Access to productive employment was part of the key to establishing truly participative communities, in which adults were able to realize their deepest aspirations for themselves and their families.

JENO C.A. STAEHELIN, Permanent Observer for Switzerland, said that there were two main components to the special session held in Geneva last June. Concerning the organizational aspect, Switzerland had benefited from an exemplary cooperation with the Secretary-General as well as members of delegations. The aim had been to establish a dialogue between all sectors of society on the social dimension of globalization. Negotiations between Member States had sometimes been difficult, particularly when dealing with the big issues of principle. However, the debates had allowed for the integration of civil society in a constructive dialogue, without violent demonstrations, for the duration of Geneva 2000.

The political aspect had consisted of a multilateral initiative of cooperation between international organizations working on the social dimensions of globalization, he said. The aim had been to intensify and encourage a dialogue between the WTO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the ILO and UNCTAD, on one hand, and governments and civil society on the other. Unfortunately, there had been no real consensus, but the importance of dialogue had been highlighted.

It was time to look to the future, he said, and ensure follow-up and implementation of the decisions taken in Copenhagen and Geneva. Switzerland supported the International Forum for Social Development and intended to contribute financially to the project. The objective of the Forum was to discuss specific measures and operational activities required to implement the commitments pledged in Copenhagen and Geneva. Such an institution would allow the cooperation between the United Nations, specialized agencies and civil society. He urged other governments to join the Forum and ensure that it became an efficient mechanism for the implementation of the Commitments made at the two meetings.

RAMBHAKTA PB THAKUR (Nepal) said that in an increasingly globalized world, the gap between rich and poor was widening. There was intensifying competition among a growing number of people over declining resources, rising conflicts, increasing social and economic dislocation of people and environmental degradation. It would be impossible, he said, to promote social integration without promoting education, health and other social investments. Besides, people of all faith and origins should feel included through participating in political systems and people-centred development. Nepal had therefore encouraged multi-party democracy, good governance and human rights as the core values in the national building process.

His delegation was deeply concerned with the declining level of ODA, he continued. In that regard, Nepal appreciated the reaffirmation of commitment by some developed countries during the special session to meet the ODA target of 0.7 per cent of GNP. A large chunk of resources in developing countries was eaten up by debt servicing and repayment, which further weakened the capacity of these countries to invest in development. Nepal welcomed the HIPC Debt Initiative and urged its development partners to widen and deepen the Initiative so that all highly indebted poor countries, particularly the least developed States, could benefit from it.

Developing countries could not embark on sustained growth and sustainable development without access for their products and services to developed country markets, as well as to the technology of the rich countries, he noted. Therefore, his country urged its development partners to provide such access more liberally. The products and services of the least developed countries, because of their special development difficulties, would need duty-free and quota-free access to developed country markets if they were to rise out of poverty and join the global economic mainstream.

Rights of Reply

Mr. SHACHAM (Israel), speaking in right of reply, said he regretted that the debate on an issue of such importance as social development had been used as a platform to level accusations at others. The Palestinian speaker had chosen to politicize the issue, which only served as a distraction from everyone’s developmental goals. Social development entailed the moral obligation to protect the weakest in society.

For years, he said, Palestinian children had been told that Jews were demonic, had been taught to praise the death of the martyr and had been sent to camps where they were taught how to shoot rifles and attack soldiers. This meant that they had been deprived of education. Even worse, Palestinian gunmen would use children as cover and then accuse the Israelis of brutality when they got caught in the crossfire.

He regretted the suffering of the Palestinian people, he said. However, the Palestinian leadership had chosen violence instead of negotiation. The peace process had already had tangible economic benefits for the Palestinians

when the situation had been one of peace and calm. In 1998 the gross domestic product (GDP) had increased by 8 per cent and more than 10,000 Palestinians had worked in Israel in a variety of sectors. Unfortunately, Palestinian violence had undone much of the economic gains. Perhaps this time the Palestinians would learn that violence did not pay. Had the Palestinians been willing to compromise at Camp David, things would be different. Seeing as there was no will for peace, they could hardly blame Israel for their economic predicament.

Ms. BARGHOUTI, Observer for Palestine, in right of reply, said that the Israeli delegation wanted to convince the Assembly that there was a benign occupation in Palestine. There was no such benign occupation. Occupation was a devastating factor both economically and socially. In response to the Israeli delegate’s remark about Palestinian children, she said that it was a fact that all the occupied territories were under siege, and Israeli policies and practices were the main factor preventing Palestinian children from going to school. With regard to the peace process, it was common knowledge that it was the Government of Israel that had stopped the negotiations. Her delegation was committed to peace and would use all its efforts to strive for a successful peace process.

Also in right of reply, Mr. AL-HARIRI (Syria) said that foreign occupation was one of the foremost obstacles to development. The Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights had deprived many of their homes and livelihoods. As for the other statements the Israeli representative had made, all could witness Israel’s actions on the television screen. Israel’s arrogance did not stop and it refused to accept the rule of international law. Commitment to United Nations resolutions was a sine qua non for anyone wishing to sit in this forum.

Mr. SHACHAM (Israel) said it seemed that the natural logic of cause and effect continued to elude the Palestinian speaker. Many speakers had pointed out that conflict had a negative impact on social development. The Palestinian decision to resort to violence would clearly not lead to development. He reminded the Palestinian speaker of the proverb “He who lives in a glass house should perhaps not throw stones.”

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