In just over one hundred years, the world's population has grown from 1.5 billion
to over 6 billion people who will have to fully depend on energy sources that are
still to be researched and developed.
Poverty continues to expand, while HIV/AIDS has established itself as a major
threat to socio-economic development. International terrorism, transnational
organized crime, drug trafficking, the illicit trafficking of small arms and light
weapons have threatened to undermine the authority and legitimacy of the State
and national governments. Lands are eroded and soil loses fertility; the climate
is changing; the air, drinking water and the sea are increasingly contaminated.
Never before in our history has the world been subject to such constant and farreaching
threats. The revolution in technology and the access to instant
communication worldwide have made the world more interconnected. It has
drastically altered the political equation, thereby obliging us to re-examine our
economic and political systems, our national institutions, and the way we
respond. The global challenges facing countries, rich or poor, large or small,
developed and developing, have direct impact on democracy and development
everywhere on this Planet.
The Impact of Globalization
Globalization, and the increasing interdependence that it engenders, requires
effective systems of governance that focus primarily on four key elements:
• the democratization of international economic decision-making;
• the integrated consideration of trade, finance and developmental issues
by international institutions;
• the reform of the international financial architecture; and
• the establishment of a strong mechanism for surveillance and regulation.
Globalization has resulted in the expansion of economic, political and social
linkages across the world. It has triggered far-reaching and significant changes in
the global community. It has manifested itself as a process of growing inequality
and social disparity in the world.
In its assessment of Globalization, the World Commission on the Social
Dimension of Globalization is of the view that "the current process of
globalization has generated unbalanced outcomes both between and within
countries. Wealth is being created but too many countries and people are not
sharing in its benefits. They also have little or no voice in shaping the process".
In summary, globalization has not met the aspirations of people for decent jobs
and a better future for their children.
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Jamaica therefore supports the view that deepening democracy and promoting
development, while strengthening the capacity of developing countries to benefit
from the rapid pace of globalization, remain key challenges which must be
overcome by the international community.
Increasingly, there is the view emerging that the problems identified are not only
due to globalization but also to deficiencies in its governance. Therein lies the
need for better global governance and management of the process to bring
about greater equilibrium in its benefits. The expectation that there can be
democracy within domestic borders while autocracy rules in the global
community is a political oxymoron.
CARICOM's Response To Globalization
As the Caribbean contemplated its response to globalization, the Leaders in the
Region decided to transform CARICOM from an essentially free trade and
functional co-operation Grouping into a Single Market and Economy.
The Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) will assist Member States to
achieve their national objectives of expansion of trade and effective economic
relations with other countries, sustained economic development, and aligned to
this, improved standards of living and work for the people of the Region.
We are accordingly committed to the Charter of Civil Society for the CARICOM
Community which requires Member States to adopt and implement all
appropriate measures to ensure governance which is just, open and accountable.
Millennium Development Goals
Today, an unprecedented consensus is emerging on what we mean by
development. At the Millennium Summit General Assembly in September 2000,
world leaders committed to the Millennium Declaration, outlining a common
vision of peace and security. One of the MDGs is the "global partnership for
development", which is based on "mutual responsibility and accountabilitydeveloping
countries must strengthen governance, combat corruption, promote
private sector-led growth and maximize domestic resources to fund national
development strategies, while developed countries must support these efforts
through increased development assistance, a new development-oriented trade
round and wider and deeper debt relief."
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This was reaffirmed in 2002 at the International Conference on Financing for
Development at Monterey, Mexico, and the World Summit on Sustainable
Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Declaration calls on each developing country with extreme poverty to adopt
and begin to implement a national development strategy to meet the MDGs
targets, taking into account the following:
• gender equality
• the environment
• rural development
• urban development
• health systems
• education
Polices and strategies for attaining these Goals (MDGs), and other internationally
agreed development goals, must uphold the principles of good governance at
both the national and international levels. They must also take account of the
fact that there is no single model for development and that developing countries
need the policy space to select their own options in development policy.
The importance of generating additional resources for development to contribute
to the achievement of the MDGs as well as other development goals is of great
importance. In particular, we endorse efforts underway concerning the
identification of new and alternative sources of funding to be channelled to
developing countries in a stable, transparent and predictable manner.
The attainment of these Goals will require the sustained commitment of the
world community to address some of the global challenges.
Trade and Development
Trade rules consistently work against products from developing countries, such
as agriculture and textiles. They fail to restrain protectionism as practised by
some developed countries. On average, industrial country tariffs on imports from
developing countries are four times those on imports from other industrialized
countries. On the other hand, industrial countries provide about one billion
dollars a day in domestic agricultural subsidies - more than six times what they
spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA) for developing countries.
This reflects the concern that less powerful people and States are losing out
because of how global security and economic affairs are managed. A great deal
more needs to be done to ensure greater benefits for developing countries in
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trade, improving market access and the terms of trade, especially for the poorest
and least developed countries.
A number of major donor countries are way behind in meeting the goals set for
overseas development assistance (0.7% of gross national income). Only the
Scandinavian countries have either reached or are near to reaching the goal; the
US, a major donor country at 0.3%, is one of the lowest.
Development assistance is now being conditioned by a number of donor
countries on a recipient country's commitment to democracy in what is often
referred to as "liberal democracy" which entails a free-market economy. Indeed,
certain donor states are now using aid as an aggressive foreign policy/national
security tool.
The DOHA Round of trade negotiations is yet to fulfill its development promise. I
strongly support the recommendation in the Secretary General's recent Report;
In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights For All
that Least Developed Countries should be granted duty free and quota-free
access for all exports as well as the need for the acceleration of debt relief to a
sustainable limit that will allow a country to achieve the MDGs without an
increase in debt ratios.
The promotion of sustainable development in a manner which addresses the
concerns of small states, including agreements on special and differential
treatment in the context of global trade negotiations, remains critical.
Reform of the Multilateral System
There is widespread dissatisfaction with the present decision-making systems in
the Bretton Woods Institutions, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the
United Nations.
The ongoing aebate in the international community has risen with intensity over
the past year on the crucial issue of the reform of the UN and its main organs.
This debate has been focused on- the need for enhancing the capacity of the
world organization to respond more efficiently and more effectively in addressing
the current global challenges relating to development and security. These remain
matters on which urgent consensus has to be forged. For developing countries
in particular, our critical concern is to ensure that the reform process promotes
and safeguards the UN's role in economic cooperation and sustainable
development.
The extent to which countries like Jamaica gain from the reform process will
depend largely on an effective review process at the national and regional levels
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in the main areas of interest in the_Report of the Panel appointed by the
Secretary General. It will also depend on the attainment of consensus positions
on the issues within the regional groups and alliances in the United Nations.
It is clear from Jamaica's perspective that aspects of the Panel's
recommendations would be beneficial to us. This is especially in view of other
proposed measures to increase and to direct funding for development
cooperation in security-driven areas where developing states have limited
capacities and financial resources. There are some critical areas the Panel's
recommendations which have not met the expectations of the developing world
but we accept that we should not make the desire for perfection impede long
overdue advances.
Membership of the Security Council is based on the situation in the period after
the Second World War. It fails to take into proper account the present realities.
Expansion of the membership and reform of the decision-making procedures
have now become more urgent and imperative. The Jury is yet to return a
verdict on whether the Permanent Membership should be expanded, and if so,
how the new additions would be chosen and how the veto power would be
exercised.
The multilateral system also has to accommodate demands from developing
countries for a larger role in decision-making and from civil society for a greater
voice and for greater transparency. Reform of the UN Economic and Social
Council, is a clear requirement to make it more democratic, transparent,
accountable, effective and coherent in the framework for globalisation.
In contemplating any reform of the international financial architecture, the
Bretton Woods Institutions should also be required to establish a more equitable
system of voting rights, giving increased representation to developing countries.
The Caribbean is comprised if small developing countries firmly committed to the
principle of multilateralism and to the primacy of the rule of law in the ordering
of international relations. This applies with equal force to the global trading
system. We regard a rules-based multilateral trading system that is fair and
balanced, as indispensable for the survival of small developing nations.
Vulnerability of Small States/Environmental Challenges
It is patently clear that the planet faces global challenges as a result of our
failure to protect the environment and to safeguard the interests of future
generations.
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The inextricable link between the environment and development must be the
guiding principle of assured survival of the human race and a sustainable quality
of life for all.
In 1992 in Rio de Janiero at the Earth Summit, the basis was set for a new era of
international cooperation to reduce global environmental degradation.
Issues that require urgent international attention include:
■ Ensuring environmental sustainability ( environmental
degradation)
■ Mitigating climate change
■ Response to natural disasters
■ Mechanisms for dealing with infectious diseases.
In our part of the world, these challenges have taken on grave new proportions
in the wake of the spate of devastating hurricanes which afflicted the Caribbean
in 2004.
At the Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States held in Barbados in 1994, a number of countries, including Jamaica,
agreed to the Barbados Programme of Action to address the special challenges
faced by Small Island Developing States in implementing sustainable
development.
In 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, governments agreed
to undertake a comprehensive review of how we were progressing in our
implementation. This was done in Mauritius in January 2005.
Jamaica's commitment to sustainable development and implementation over the
last ten years can clearly be seen in the many initiatives being undertaken, even
as we grapple with limited resources. Local and national institutions have been
established, legislation and regulations enacted, and partnerships formed with
civil society.
Development Agenda
The most immediate challenge for developing countries is to elaborate their own
platform or agenda for a collective set of goals and objectives in order to attain a
place in the world economy on fair terms that are conducive to their future
development.
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Our success in addressing these challenges and improving the quality and
process of global governance will have a positive impact on realizing the
prospects for real development and strengthening democracy in our countries
and societies across the globe.
The upcoming Second South Summit of the Group of 77 and China will afford
developing countries the opportunity to advance the development agenda which
takes into account the interest and concerns of developing countries.
As Chairman of the G77 and China, I will endeavour to work with my colleague
Heads of State and Government to advance South-South cooperation, and at the
same time to bridge the North-South divide. Some of the countries of the South,
including Jamaica, have already put forward a number of ideas in the areas of
Energy and Biotechnology which we hope to discuss further at the Summit.
There is a widely held view that developing countries, individually and
collectively, are today in a difficult and challenging situation. This situation has
been aggravated by the process of growing inequality and social disparity in the
world, both between North and South, and between the rich and the poor within
countries.
For real growth and development to take place, Societies must be rooted in the
rule of law, reinforced by abiding respect for the rights and liberties of citizens,
including freedom of the media and access to information.
While recognizing that economic growth may indeed be possible without the
simultaneous advancement of democracy, it is equally clear that real
development, which must create tangible conditions for the realization of human
needs, human security and human prosperity, cannot be sustained without the
attendant democratic underpinnings. It is because of these deeply held beliefs
that we have established, as an overarching strategy for development, the
deepening of the democratic process and the building of a more "inclusionary"
society.
CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen, even as we eloquently articulate the need for democracy
and sustainable development, success in achieving these objectives will continue
to elude us unless and until we accept the oneness of the human family and the
interconnectedness of the nations of "the earth, our home." We must
understand and respect the rights of every human being; we must respect
cultural diversity; we must understand and respect the need for gender equality;
for racial, ethnic, national and religious harmony. We must be willing to sacrifice
for the common good.
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The words of Ralph Bunche, the great humanitarian for whom this centre of
learning is named when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize still ring true today:
"May there be freedom, equality and brotherhood among all men. May there be
morality in the relations among nations. May there be, in our time, at long last, a
world at peace in which we, the people, may for once begin to make full use of
the great good that is in us. "
I thank you.
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