DEVELOPMENT: Third World Says U.N. Fails With Answers to Crisis

By Thalif Deen Reprint | | Print |

Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 23 1994 (IPS) - A broad mix of developing nations from Africa, Asia and Latin America is criticising the United Nations for its failure to find answers to the development crisis in their countries.

Ambassador Razali Ismail of Malaysia told delegates that developing nations were getting tired of the “lip service” that is paid to the cause of development.

He said there was an increasing perception among a vast majority of U.N. member-states that the world body was too preoccupied with politico-security issues.

“We cannot ignore the prevalent view among developing countries that the United Nations’ large-scale foray into peacekeeping has been at the expense of development, both in terms of attention and resources,” he told the General Assembly.

The 184-member Assembly Monday began a two-day debate on a 19- page report, ‘Agenda for Development’, authored by U.N. Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

The second in a series, the report outlines economic problems facing developing nations and suggests remedies. But several developing countries complain that it does not come to grips with the ongoing development crisis.

India’s former Foreign Minister I.K. Gujral told the Assembly the report falls short of Third World expectations.

“It does not make any concrete proposals in the areas of financing, technology, trade, official development assistance (ODA), debt etc. which would take the current dialogue and agreements one step or several steps forward in the context of international cooperation,” he said.

“It is time now, therefore, for the inter-governmental political process to take over and place the firm imprint of its political will and commitment on a far-reaching and visionary ‘Agenda for Development.’ ” he added.

Ambassador Victor Flores Olea of Mexico told the Assembly the United Nations must go beyond the idea that development is just the granting of assistance.