A view from the United Nations
August - September 2005
The Big Letdown: UN Summit shortchanges the poor
By Vicente García-Delgado, CIVICUS UN Representative (New York)
”This week at the UN World Summit the leaders of the world sidestepped their responsibility to lead the fight against global poverty. While some progress was made on gender, peace and security, there were no new commitments on debt and aid, and things have actually slipped backwards on trade.”
--Global Call to Action against Poverty, Statement, 16 September, 2005.
“We would give this summit a 5 out of ten for rhetoric, and 2 out of ten for action… We have heard too many commitments expressed over the years. Bitter experience requires us to be skeptical of the validity of the rhetoric.”
--Kumi Naidoo, Chair, Global Call to Action against Poverty.
Are there any excuses for the appalling lack of leadership, vision or wisdom and the resulting watered-down Summit Declaration, at best a mere regurgitation of commitments long adhered to, some of which, like the now infamous 0.7% ODA, dates back to 1969?
What could possibly be the reason for the reluctance, if not outright obstructionism from the most powerful UN Member State - i.e. the attempt by the US to expunge the Millennium Development Goals from the Summit Document and to do so at the eleventh hour?
Is it not in the best national interest of all nations, rich and poor alike, to promote world stability? Can there be stability while hundreds of millions of people etch out an undignified life in extreme poverty? What is going on inside the supposedly educated and reasonable minds of political leaders who, being in a position to lead a global effort to eliminate poverty, choose not to do so or, worse yet, choose to block progress toward that goal? I am not even talking about a sense of justice, solidarity or compassion here. I am talking about raw national interest. Does anyone believe that the wealthiest nations are better off in a world where two billion desperate people try to escape the dark trap of poverty?
What took place at the UN during the few weeks leading to the Summit was a disgrace - an ugly diplomatic spectacle where a large majority of Member States saw their carefully drafted outcome document blown up before their eyes, and where the entire process of delicate inter-governmental negotiations was held hostage to a small minority pulling in opposite directions.
After juggling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which are literally a life or death matter for hundreds of millions of people living in extreme poverty, we have now landed up with an insipid declaration that is long on generalities and short on actions.
Sadly, the opportunity to make real progress at the World Summit has been wasted. Once again, we have solemn declarations restating previous commitments and unfulfilled promises. “Help is on its way” is the message.
The world is in the hands of inept leaders who, at best, are incapable of anticipating the potentially dire results of their failure to lead. At worst, they are responsible for maintaining a status quo that perpetuates injustice through a system that kills 50,000 human beings every day.
There is still no sense of urgency among the main procrastinating leaders of our world. Yet leaders who continue to refuse to embrace the interests of the Commons and to make them their own, are failing to protect both the Commons and their own citizens. Indeed, failure to tackle promptly and effectively the major challenges that confront us– with poverty at the top of the list - will lead us all, sooner or later, into situations where orderly debate and collective corrective action may no longer be an option.
There is no sense of vision, nor any sense of proportion. The financial effort required of developed countries to attain the MDGs and to thus take a first, albeit timid, step toward poverty eradication, is relatively small. A world that spends $900 billion annually on armament, or $200 billion in Iraq, should not have much trouble finding $60 billion to help the poorest nations help themselves out of the poverty trap and onto the ladder of development.
Other measures are well within reach, such as dismantling agricultural subsidies and opening northern markets. These measures require no cash; neither does debt cancellation. Creative formulas for innovative forms of financing abound. Considering that achieving the MDGs could save 50,000 human lives a day, the effort required of the developed world does not seem excessive. In the face of eventual costs, if minimal measures such as the MDGs go unimplemented, the investment on development is an absolute bargain.
In the pushing and shoving of the race to the bottom, there is no wisdom either, let alone any sense of morality or solidarity. There is no sense that eradication of poverty is a matter of JUSTICE - not a charity or an expression of benevolent largesse. It is written as such in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted 60 years ago. Nelson Mandela put it in the simplest terms: “Poverty is man-made” and “poverty is akin to slavery”.
The immense suffering experienced in our world today is as unnecessary as it is unjust. The poor (whether located in the South or in the North) are not asking for a hand-out; they demand only what is rightly theirs - the right to live a productive life in dignity, free of want and free of fear.
By blocking global efforts to bring about the basic conditions that would allow poor nations and poor communities to pull themselves out of the poverty trap, the UN Member States who held the World Summit hostage, have shown an appalling lack of urgency, responsibility and vision, and a profoundly sad failing of wisdom. Worse yet, they have missed a unique opportunity to make good on their past promises and to take concrete, measurable steps toward achieving the MDGs.
Meanwhile, in contrast with the lack of responsibility displayed by a handful of small-minded leaders, 15 million people around the world organised, prepared and took effective action with a deep sense of responsibility, ethics and morality. They called for action on poverty. They demanded justice for the poor; and their actions have not been in vain. Without their participation and activism, the results of this Summit might have been much, much worse (notably, the pressure exercised by a broad coalition of US Christian leaders on their government might have saved the MDGs from disappearing into thin air.) People of good-will the world over must now renew their commitment and redouble their efforts in the struggle for global justice. Business as usual is no longer an option. At the WTO meeting in Hong Kong next December, they will again demand justice. Will our world leaders finally listen?
In solidarity,
Vicente García-Delgado, CIVICUS´ UN Representative
Please send your comments to CIVICUSUN@aol.com
Below you will find all previous columns:
• The World Summit : UN Reform will mean little unless poverty eradication tops the agenda
• Millions roar but the G8 whispers - Let the Millennium+5 Summit make up the difference
• “Global Justice - Northern citizens have a special responsibility to make it happen”
• Letting the United Nations be all that it can
• “Appointment with History: The world looks up to John Bolton to help achieve the MDGs”
• “We are rolling!: Civil society’s call for poverty eradication impacts the World Economic Forum and the Group of Seven”
• No more excuses!: The Tsunami must not be allowed to wash away the Millennium Development Goals
• A Call To Action 2005: Global Civil Society mobilizes to demand an end to poverty and the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals
• TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: Should civil society and the Global Compact live under the same UN roof?
• The UN Global Compact: A big red herring disguised in UN blue?
• Happening now: A global revolution of consciousness
• Lasting security for all: Shifting from state security to security of the people
• The UN – Permanently relevant or temporarily relevant?
