January 27, 2003
Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the World Social Forum, delivered today by Mr. Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, in Porto Alegre, Brazil:
It gives me great pleasure to send my greetings to this forum. You meet against a backdrop of great anxiety -– about the possibility of war in Iraq, about nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula, about escalating violence in the Middle East, and about the possibility of new terror attacks. Indeed, the Security Council is currently facing one of the greatest tests in its history and at this very moment is meeting in New York to hear reports from United Nations arms inspectors about their progress in Iraq. I share your anxiety about all of these crises, and want to assure you of my determination to continue doing my utmost to address them in accordance with the tenets of international law and the principles set out in the United Nations Charter.
But you have also gathered out of profound concern about a plethora of other issues that are at the heart of the world's search for security, prosperity and peace. The plight of the world's poorest people and weakest countries; the merciless spread of AIDS; the relentless despoliation of the environment; the unequal distribution of globalization's benefits; the trade barriers and subsidies that deny developing countries a fair chance to compete in the global economy or make it harder for some to meet their public health crises -- these phenomena and threats have an equal claim on the world's conscience, resources and will. Yet like you, I am worried that they will be neglected, will fall victim to short attention spans or narrow notions of national interest, or simply have a hard time staying in the international spotlight when so much else is, and may be, happening in the weeks and months ahead.
That would be a tragedy, not least because today we are better positioned than ever before to tackle these problems. World conferences and summits of recent years have won from States commitments at the highest political level to open markets to developing-country products, speed debt relief, increase aid, protect the environment, and place development at the centre of policy-making. Moreover, we have more than pledges, promises and lengthy plans of action. On the key question of economic and social development, we also have a common framework to guide us: the Millennium Development Goals. Ranging from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education -- all by the target date of 2015 -- they represent a set of simple but powerful objectives that every man and woman in the street, from New York to Nairobi to New Delhi, can easily support and understand. Ambitious as they might seem, they are not just wishful thinking. On the contrary, they are fully achievable, even in the short time scale that has been set.
Governments must act to push the Millenium Development Goals forward. All the main arms of the United Nations system will come together to do everything we can to help. But neither we, nor governments, acting on our own, will succeed without your involvement -– you, the dynamic forces arrayed here in Porto Alegre. I see three main ways you can contribute.
First, you can hold your governments to their promises. Progress will be monitored through a set of reports being produced through a collaborative effort of governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other partners. That offers a platform for you to air your views, to praise governments where they are keeping pace, or to criticize when commitment seems to lag or priorities seem amiss.
Second, even as you hold governments to account, I would hope that you also work in partnership with them, and also forge alliances with each other, with United Nations agencies and, yes, with the private sector. NGOs and businesses both have vital contributions to make, but must move beyond reflexive, counter-productive mindsets of mutual disdain and demonization.
Third, you can enrich the debate on the direction of our international system. Some of you have strong opinions about globalization. We can all agree that many people and many countries have hardly benefited from globalization, or not benefited at all. But the question is not whether we want globalization; rather, it is what kind of globalization we want. Our goal must be to make globalization an inclusive, equitable process. Your advocacy will continue to play a vital part in the effort to shape it so that it offers opportunities not just for a fortunate few, but for all people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
At times it seems as if the international system will be forever held hostage by power and undermined by greed. But there are also moments when opportunities present themselves. Such a moment exists today. Now is the time when we must redouble our efforts to build up a system of rules and law, a system that is open and fair, a system that will not tolerate poverty or injustice, a system that responds to the real needs of real people. That makes it vital for us in the United Nations and you in civil society to continue our constructive engagement. I attach the highest importance to that relationship, and to our common quest for a peaceful, safe and just world. In that spirit, I offer you my best wishes for a successful forum.
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More Speeches by the Secretary-General on the role of NGOs
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