Obama wants developing countries to help themselves
|
COMMENTS 
US President Barack Obama has warned that the world will miss ambitious anti-poverty goals if it does not change its approach to aid and development. Speaking at a UN summit, he described development as a strategic issue for all and called upon developing nations to seize their “moment of responsibility”
United States (US) President Barack Obama has said that developing nations will have to help themselves and not completely depend on aid from the developed world, which itself is struggling with a financial crisis.
“To developing countries, this must be your moment of responsibility as well. We want you to prosper and succeed -- it’s in your interest, and it’s in our interest,” Obama said at the end of a three-day United Nations summit called to rejuvenate eight development targets set at the 2000 millennium summit, aiming to be reached by 2015.
“We want to help you realise your aspirations. But there is no substitute for your leadership. Only you and your people can make the tough choices that will unleash the dynamism of your country. Only you can make the sustainable investments that improve the health and wellbeing of your people.”
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Acknowledging that the developed world was struggling with its own financial crisis, Obama appealed to the people of rich countries not to turn their backs on the poorer countries even in these difficult times.
“In our global economy, progress in even the poorest countries can advance the prosperity and security of people far beyond their borders, including my fellow Americans,” he said. “When a child dies from a preventable disease, it shocks our conscience.”
Announcing the “US Global Development Policy”, which would look at development differently, the US President said that aid did not mean development. “Development is helping nations to actually develop -- moving from poverty to prosperity. And we need more than just aid to unleash that change.”
“We’re changing how we view the ultimate goal of development… our focus on assistance has saved lives in the short term, but it hasn’t always improved those societies over the long term,” he added.
Obama also pointed out that millions of people relying on food assistance for decades is not development, but dependence. “It’s a cycle we need to break,” he said. “Instead of just managing poverty, we have to offer nations and peoples a path out of poverty.”
Meanwhile, India has called upon rich nations to urgently fulfil their commitment to provide more funds, transfer technology and undertake capacity-building in developing countries to spur international development.
“The lack of progress on building a robust global partnership needs to be urgently addressed,” Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said while addressing the special UN General Assembly session on the Millennium Development Goals.
Noting that “unmet financial commitments by developed country partners have widened the financing for development gap,” Krishna called upon them to fulfil the long-made 0.7% of Gross National Income commitment. “Equally urgent is the need to transfer technology and undertake capacity-building in developing countries.”
“The quantum leap in South-South cooperation has significantly complemented global resources targeted at the development agenda, but it cannot be a substitute for North-South cooperation,” he said.
Citing Mahatma Gandhi’s conviction that “a small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history,” Krishna said: “In the final march towards the attainment of the MDGs, let us be inspired by the belief of Mahatma Gandhi in the limitless potential of human achievement.”
“No government in any civilised society can ignore the basic needs of people. The goal of the development process must be to include every last member of our society in that process.”
Source: Press Trust of India, September 23, 2010
The Economic Times, September 23, 2010
The Hindu, September 23, 2010