World has taken globalization for granted - Indian PM
Statement by Indian Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh at the General Debate of the 66th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2011
Mr. President,
“We meet at this session of the United Nations General Assembly at a
time of great uncertainty and profound change.
“Till a few years ago the world had taken for granted the benefits of
globalization and global interdependence. Today we are being called upon
to cope with the negative dimensions of those very phenomena. Economic,
social and political events in different parts of the world have
coalesced together and their adverse impact is now being felt across
countries and continents.
“The world economy is in trouble. The shoots of recovery which were
visible after the economic and financial crisis of 2008 have yet to
blossom. In many respects the crisis has deepened even further.
People’s struggle
“The traditional engines of the global economy such as the United
States, Europe and Japan, which are also the sources of global economic
and financial stability, are faced with continued economic slowdown.
Recessionary trends in these countries are affecting confidence in world
financial and capital markets.
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Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh addressing the 66th Session of the United Nations
General Assembly. AFP |
“These developments are bound to have a negative impact on developing
countries which also have to bear the additional burden of inflationary
pressures.
“Declining global demand and availability of capital, increasing
barriers to free trade and mounting debt pose a threat to the
international monetary and financial system. Questions are being asked
about the efficacy of the Bretton Woods institutions.
“There has been unprecedented social and political upheaval in West
Asia, the Gulf and North Africa. People of these regions are demanding
the right to shape their own future. Energy and food prices are once
again spiralling and introducing fresh instability, especially for
developing countries.
International accountability
“The Palestinian question still remains unresolved and a source of
great instability and violence. India is steadfast in its support for
the Palestinian people’s struggle for a sovereign, independent, viable
and united state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, living
within secure and recognizable borders side by side and at peace with
Israel. We look forward to welcoming Palestine as an equal member of the
United Nations.
“Terrorism continues to rear its ugly head and take a grievous toll
of innocent lives. New threats to international security have emerged.
At a time when the world needs more international commerce, the
sea-lanes of communication across the Indian Ocean are under siege. Acts
of piracy are being carried out with impunity from lands that are beyond
the writ of any functioning state or international accountability.
“Iniquitous growth, inadequate job and education opportunities and
denial of basic human freedoms are leading to growing radicalization of
the youth, intolerance and extremism.
“We have no choice but to meet these challenges. “We will succeed if
we adopt a cooperative rather than a confrontationist approach.
“We will succeed if we embrace once again the principles on which the
United Nations was founded - internationalism and multilateralism. More
importantly, we will succeed if our efforts have legitimacy and are
pursued not just within the framework of law but also the spirit of the
law. The observance of the rule of law is as important in international
affairs as it is within countries. Societies cannot be reordered from
outside through military force. People in all countries have the right
to choose their own destiny and decide their own future.
Global governance
“The international community has a role to play in assisting in the
processes of transition and institution building, but the idea that
prescriptions have to be imposed from outside is fraught with danger.
Actions taken under the authority of the United Nations must respect the
unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of individual
states.
“Correspondingly, governments are duty bound to their citizens to
create conditions that enable them to freely determine their pathways to
development. This is the essence of democracy and fundamental human
freedoms.
“There are many other things that we can do. We must address the
issue of the deficit in global governance.
“We need a stronger and more effective United Nations. We need a
United Nations that is sensitive to the aspirations of everyone - rich
or poor, big or small. For this the United Nations and its principal
organs, the General Assembly and the Security Council, must be
revitalized and reformed. “The reform and expansion of the Security
Council are essential if it is to reflect contemporary reality. Such an
outcome will enhance the Council’s credibility and effectiveness in
dealing with global issues. Early reform of the Security Council must be
pursued with renewed vigour and urgently enacted.
“We should not allow the global economic slowdown to become a trigger
for building walls around ourselves through protectionism or erecting
barriers to movement of people, services and capital. Effective ways and
means must be deployed to promote coordination of macro economic
policies of major economies. The reform of governance systems of
international financial institutions ought to be pursued with speed and
efficiency.
“The development agenda must be brought firmly back to the centre
stage of the United Nations’ priorities. We need a much more determined
effort to ensure balanced, inclusive and sustainable development for the
benefit of vast sections of humanity. Each of us can contribute to this
task, but we can achieve far more if we act in partnership.
Peaceful co-existence
“In the last few decades India has lifted tens of millions of its
people out of abject poverty. We are in a position to feed our
population better, to educate them better and to widen their economic
choices. But we still have a very long way to go.
“We wish to quicken the pace of India’s transformation in partnership
with the international community. A fast growing India can expand the
boundaries for the global economy. A democratic, plural and secular
India can contribute to tolerance and peaceful co-existence among
nations.
“Developing countries need investment, technology and market access
for their products. They need assistance in the areas of education,
health, women’s empowerment and agriculture.
“During the recently held 4th United Nations - Least Developed
Countries Conference, India has strengthened its partnership with the
LDCs through significantly enhanced lines of credit and assistance in
capacity building.
Terrorist groups
“We have to pay particular attention to Africa. Africa’s richest
resources are not its minerals but its people. We have to empower them
and open the doors for them to human advances in technology, education
and skill development.
“At the second India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa earlier this
year India offered lines of credit worth five billion US dollars and an
additional 700 million US dollars grant assistance for human resource
development, transfer of technology and building new institutions.
“The United Nations should lead efforts in the area of food security.
We need more cooperation in agricultural technologies, water
conservation, land usage and productivity and stability in commodity
prices.
“Developing countries need a peaceful external environment to grow.
“The fight against terrorism must be unrelenting. There cannot be
selective approaches in dealing with terrorist groups or the
infrastructure of terrorism.
Terrorism has to be fought across all fronts.
"In South Asia there are encouraging signs of cooperation in the area
of security, as exemplified in India's cooperation with Bangladesh. Such
cooperation is adding to the security of both our countries.
"The recent assassination of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani in Kabul
is a chilling reminder of the designs of the enemies of peace in
Afghanistan. It is essential that the process of nation building and
reconciliation in that country succeeds. This is vital for ensuring
peace and security in the region.
"India will play its part in helping the people of Afghanistan to
build a better future for themselves, just as we are doing in other
countries in South Asia. We will do so because prosperity and stability
in our region are indivisible.
"We wish to see an open, inclusive and transparent architecture of
regional cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and peaceful settlement
of disputes.
"I call upon the United Nations to evolve a comprehensive and
effective response to the problem of piracy in the Red Sea and off the
coast of Somalia. As a littoral state of the Indian Ocean, India is
ready to work with other countries in this regard. Simultaneously, the
international community should continue with efforts to restore
stability in Somalia.
Humanitarian assistance
"We have joined international efforts to provide humanitarian
assistance to the countries afflicted with severe famine and drought in
the Horn of Africa, specifically Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti.
"Nuclear proliferation continues to remain a threat to international
security. The Action Plan put forward by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for
a Nuclear-Weapon-Free and Non-Violent World provides a concrete road map
for achieving nuclear disarmament in a time-bound, universal,
non-discriminatory, phased and verifiable manner.
"I commend the United Nations for its efforts in focusing world
attention on nuclear safety. Our plans for utilizing nuclear power to
meet our energy needs hinge upon full satisfaction about the safety of
nuclear energy. We have undertaken a thorough review of the safety of
our nuclear plants. We support international efforts under the aegis of
the International Atomic Energy Agency to enhance levels of safety and
security.
"The perspectives that I have outlined to this august assembly are
the ones that have guided our actions in the Security Council since
India became a non-permanent member of the Council in January this year.
"There are still millions living in poverty across the world. Their
plight has worsened, for no fault of theirs, due to the global economic
and financial crisis of the recent years. The actions of governments
around the world are therefore under close scrutiny.
"It is vitally important that through our actions and deeds we renew
people's faith in the charter and objectives of the United Nations. I am
confident we can do this through statesmanship, foresight and collective
efforts.
"India stands ready to play its part in this noble endeavour.
"I thank you."
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