| "Anti-poverty" efforts! Wow! Think of the money flow! Think of the opportunities for UN graft! Think of LBJ's Great Society applied world-wide... |
 WASHINGTON: UN chief Kofi Annan called on Saturday on wealthy nations and the developing world to join forces to defeat poverty, a mission that he said requires not just aid but security and market access. Addressing a joint meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Annan said developed countries must stump up much more cash to make their aid budgets reach a UN target of 0.7 percent of gross domestic product. Rich countries must also show more commitment to a successful conclusion of talks at the World Trade Organisation, including duty-free access for exports from the least developed nations "as a crucial first step", he said.
A comprehensive response to the special needs of Africa, including the fight against AIDS, and new ways to fight climate change must also feed into a special UN summit in September devoted to development issues. But the developing world for its part must improve governance, and use increased aid flows properly, to ensure grinding poverty is eased, Annan said according to the published text of his remarks. "By the same token, developing countries are more likely to support those vital security and human rights objectives if they see that donor countries are willing to make a greater effort for development, and to give them a stronger voice in global economic governance," he said. Annan said that this year represented a "unique opportunity" to get back on track towards the UN's so-called Millennium Development Goals.
| I'm still stuck trying to figure why it's our responsibility to make things all better in countries that have screwed themselves up so magnificently. They can't even use the "colonialism" argument anymore; Bob took care of that in Zim, where the standard of living has been declining faster than we can track it. |
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