United Nations Radio

A call to infuse the development process with a sense of urgency.

General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua (photo) tells the UN's Follow-Up Conference on Financing for Development meeting in Doha, Qatar to review just how much progress has been made since the last conference in Monterrey, Mexico in 2002, that free trade was to be the main force that would eradicate poverty.

But he says the massive agricultural subsidies of the European Union and other developed countries have made this impossible to achieve:

"There is no doubt that the international community has been dragging its feet with regard to compliance with the commitments assumed at Monterrey. Our purpose here in Doha is to expedite these promises and infuse the development process with a sense of urgency in the face of new global challenges. For this reason, it is imperative that the Outcome Document of this conference be as strong and as clear as possible."

Mr. D'Escoto Brockmann laments that foreign direct investment has also failed to significantly reduce poverty.

He also points to the "long-standing commitment to provide 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by wealthy countries as development assistance for the developing world also remains unrealized.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio, Doha.

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