Arias Calls For Rich
Countries To Help Poor
Countries and For A
Gradual Disarmament
Costa Rican president,
Oscar Arias, in his
speech at the
International Conference
on Financing for
Development, being held
in Doha, Qatar, asked
rich countries to help
out the poorer countries
to face the shock of the
global financial crisis.
The conference,
organized by the United
Nations, unites
representatives of 71
countries to discuss the
global financial crisis.
The UN General Assembly
resolution 62/187
mandated a follow-up
conference to "assess
progress made, reaffirm
goals and commitments,
share best practices and
lessons learned and
identify obstacles and
constraints encountered,
actions and initiatives
to overcome them and
important measures for
further implementation,
as well as new
challenges and emerging
issues".
"It is not fair that
developing nations are
now facing the
consequences of a crisis
that does not lead, but
it is even more unfair
that what we are doing
without the help of
responsible nations.
Right here in this
summit, we have brought
together all the leaders
of the world to discuss
the issue of financing
for development, under
the commitments made in
Monterrey, yet lacking
in this hall are
representatives of some
of the most powerful
countries the planet, in
charge of providing such
financing. The gap
between poor countries
and rich countries
continue to widen
without mercy, until
they learn to be
partners in good and
bad", Arias said in his
speech.
The conference is
focused on the Monterrey
Consensus, agreed in
Mexico during 2002,
which claimed that more
developed countries meet
the millennium goals,
among which is the
earmark 0.7% of their
Gross Domestic Product,
in nations Developing.
Óscar Arias reaffirmed
the interest of Costa
Rica to reduce military
spending by the big
powers.
"Article 26 of the
Charter of the United
Nations, has so far been
a dead letter in the
vast cemetery of the
intentions of peace in
the world. But in us
lies the opportunity to
revive, giving the
content you dreamed
those before us in this
fight. Ours (Costa Rica)
is a disarmed nation.
But it is not a naive
nation. We did not come
here to press for the
abolition of all armies.
Not even come to press
for the drastic
reduction of world
military spending. But a
gradual reduction is not
only possible but
imperative. Particularly
for developing nations",
Arias said.
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