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                                                      SOC/COP/P/10
                                                     10 March 1995



               WORLD SUMMIT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES    
                       GENERAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

   Convenes Tomorrow and Sunday to Hear Addresses by Heads of State    
And Government and To Adopt Summit Declaration and Programme of Action



   Great strides in science and technology amidst widespread human suffering 
call into question current development models, speakers told the World 
Summit for Social Development this afternoon as it concluded its general 
exchange of views.

   In an interdependent world, humanity's achievements and its tribulations 
must be the common concern of all, participants stated.  Armed conflicts, 
which negated social development, must be resolved as a matter of priority, 
and post-conflict peace-building must receive international support.  
Economic embargoes were also cited as an obstacle to social development.

   Emphasis was placed on the importance of policies to support the family -- 
the smallest unit of society -- as it transmitted values to future 
generations that were essential to social cohesion.  The need to fully 
integrate immigrants into host societies while preserving cultural 
diversity was also highlighted.

   Statements in the concluding exchange of views -- today focusing on social 
integration and the implementation and follow-up of the Summit's decisions 
-- were made by the Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the 
United Kingdom; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola; the Minister 
for Foreign Affairs of Cuba; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon; 
the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and the 
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Argentina.

   In addition, the Summit heard statements by the Minister for Regional 
Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs of Fiji; the Director-General of the 
Department of International    Organizations of Thailand; the Minister for 
Social Affairs of Egypt; the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Welfare 
of Hungary; the Political Counsellor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
Iraq; the Minister for Planning of Mauritania; the Minister for Trade and 
Industry of Saint Lucia; the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs of 
Morocco; the First Deputy Minister and Minister for Labour and Social 
Affairs of Georgia; the Minister for the Advancement of Women and Social 
Action of the Central African Republic; and the Secretary of the Social 
Development Department of Libya.  The Governor of Macau also spoke.

   The following representatives of intergovernmental organizations took part 
in the discussion:  the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (OECD); the President of the Inter-American 
Development Bank; the Representative of the Council of Europe; the 
Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; the Secretary-
General of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 
Societies; and representative of the World Meteorological Organization 
(WMO).

   In addition, representatives of the following non-governmental 
organizations spoke:  the Business Association for the World Social Summit; 
the Copenhagen Alternative Declaration;  the Representative of the Cousteau 
Society; the Non-governmental Organizations' Development Caucus; the Non-
governmental Organizations' Latin American Caucus; the Non-governmental 
Organizations' Rights of the Child Caucus; Eurostep; and the Center of 
Concern.

   Also this afternoon, the Summit approved the report of its Credentials 
Committee.  According to the report, credentials were accepted from a total 
of 186 States as well as the European Commission.

   The plenary of the World Summit for Social Development will convene again 
at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, 11 March, at the level of Heads of State and 
Government.



   General Exchange of Views

   MAKOTO TANIGUCHI, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (OECD):  Social problems are part of the 
landscape of developed and developing countries.  Many of the OECD member 
countries face problems linked to increasing unemployment, poverty, 
exclusion and immigration.  In developing countries, there are serious 
social problems principally related to poverty.  The principal tasks of the 
OECD are to pursue economic and social progress, strengthen the 
multilateral trading system and promote global development.  In order to 
tackle the range of problems ahead, all countries must be capable of making 
rapid and continuous structural adjustments.

   The OECD, in 1989, adopted a set of strategies aimed at breaking the 
vicious circle of underdevelopment linked to high population growth, 
poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and environmental degradation.  These 
strategies integrate the objectives of promoting sustainable growth, 
enabling broader participation in production, and ensuring environmental 
and demographic sustainability.  Progress is only possible when the 
political framework is conducive to public policies aimed at general social 
welfare rather than the narrow interests of the elite; at fostering 
enterprise and self-help efforts; and at raising the status of women.

   OLIVIER GISCARD D'ESTAING, President of the Business Association for the 
World Summit:  It is important to promote both free trade policies and 
human needs such as housing, health and education.  New attitudes and 
mechanisms will be required to combat poverty.  Entrepreneurs, who are true 
innovators, can initiate new approaches.  Citizens must mobilize their 
efforts, working together with local, national and international groups.  A 
spirit of mutual confidence must prevail.  Entrepreneurs can serve as 
partners in tackling social problems at all levels.

   VICTORIA CORPUS, speaking on behalf of the non-governmental organizations 
signing the Copenhagen Alternative Declaration:  Over 600 non-governmental 
organizations have signed the Copenhagen Alternative Declaration, which 
attempts to focus attention on the need to address the causes of social 
problems.  A source of these problems is the system in which there is an 
over-consuming minority and an impoverished majority.  Political will is 
needed to confront the situation.  The Alternative Declaration is a tool to 
advance the debate on social development and to consolidate the forces of 
social movements.  Non-governmental organizations are committed to 
continuing their efforts to empower people and place them at the centre of 
development.

   BARONESS CHALKER OF WALLASEY, Minister of State for Foreign and 
Commonwealth Affairs and Minister for Overseas Development of the United 
Kingdom:  The draft declaration for the Summit sets out overall goals, 
while the draft programme of action offers signposts towards their 
achievement.  Neither can specify the best route for any individual country 
to follow.  However, some elements of the declaration are of fundamental 
importance.  Fair treatment of citizens regardless of race or background, 
parliamentary democracy and good government are essential for a healthy 
society.

   RATU JO NACOLA, Minister for Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs 
of Fiji:  The size and geography of Fiji make its social development 
challenges more difficult.  These problems tend to be forgotten and glossed 
over.  Fiji urges the developed countries to meet their commitments of 
devoting 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP) to official 
development assistance (ODA).  Social development programmes will only be 
effective if there is economic growth.  More attention must be given to the 
vulnerability of the developing small island States to changes in the 
international trade environment.  Fiji hopes for the early delivery of 
financial and technical resources for social development efforts outlined 
in the Summit's draft documents.  Fiji will do its share to give life to 
the programme of action.

   Free trade is the key to global prosperity, which opens the door to higher 
social standards.   That is why the United Kingdom strongly opposes 
attempts to restrict trade in order to punish countries whose social 
standards fall below the levels of the developed world.  Countries which 
have a bad record on human rights will have their aid reviewed, but cutting 
off markets is not the way to improve the situation.  The route to 
prosperity is open access to markets; any form of social clause or trade 
sanctions will raise costs and deny such access.

ASDA JAYANAMA, Director-General of the Department of International 
Organizations of Thailand:  Social integration can be viewed as the 
ultimate goal for poverty alleviation and productive employment.  Thailand 
is deeply committed to achieving a society for all, with the inclusion of 
all marginalized groups, particularly the poor, women, persons with 
disabilities, and minority groups.  In achieving such a society, social 
progress and economic development are two sides of the same coin.

   No nation can ignore its youth, which is a human resource for sustainable 
development.  Thailand's long-term development plan for 1982-2002 covers 
the health, educational and intellectual aspects of child rearing.  
Thailand has strenuously applied legal sanctions against child labour and 
illicit traffic of children for prostitution.  Curing these social ailments 
requires education, public awareness and the strengthening of family and 
community institutions.

   AMAL OSMAN, Minister for Social Affairs of Egypt:  Efforts are needed to 
narrow the gap between economic growth rates of the North and the South.  A 
new international social contract is needed.  Egypt is committed to dealing 
with the challenges of the times and providing a secure and decent life for 
its people.                  
   Priority is accorded to education, health and food security.  Priority is 
also given to the family, which is the basic unit of society.

   Egypt's experience demonstrates that national efforts aimed at achieving 
development require external support.  A new vision for international 
cooperation, based on partnership and interdependence, is a prerequisite 
for international peace and security.  Follow-up to the Conference should 
be entrusted to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.  The 
Commission for Social Development can play a leading role in that effort.  
There is no need to create new structures to monitor implementation of the 
decisions to be taken by the Summit.

   VENANCIO DE MOURA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola:  The social and 
economic situation of Africa is deeply disturbing, and deserves the 
particular attention of the international community.  The Summit should 
lead to a greater understanding of the common position on human and social 
development adopted at the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in 
1994.  If profound changes are not made in international economic 
relations, developing countries will be unable to achieve their goals.  
These countries will benefit greatly from free access to markets in 
developed countries, an increase in public aid, and the forgiveness of 
public debt.

   Angola has lived through more than 30 years of war and is now among the 
world's 25 poorest countries.  Today, 3.5 million people are homeless, 
70,000 are handicapped and infant mortality has risen sharply.  To deal 
with this situation, the Government has undertaken important reforms as 
part of its social and economic programme.  To carry out this programme, it 
needs the support of the international community and greater understanding 
on the part of its international partners.

   ROBERTO ROBAINA GONZALEZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba: It is only 
through justice, solidarity, dignity and humanity that the salvation of man 
is to be found, but the world today has betrayed those values.  There has 
been a panorama of progress, coupled with great human suffering, which 
raises doubt about the spiritual progress of the species.  The wealthy live 
in fear of poverty, population growth, mass migration, fundamentalism and 
environmental degradation,  but they have not asked why.  "Many of us 
living in poverty are tired of their theories".

   Those in power have glorified the transition from socialism to capitalism 
in Europe and seek to impose their model on all societies.  Free trade, 
which is actually far from free, is their tool, while protectionism is the 
life-saver through which they maximize their gains.  They employ a pseudo-
democratic model which has led to an oligarchy in the political and 
economic sphere.  Globalization carries with it new forms of colonialism.  
Efforts are under way to privatize social security as if it were possible 
to privatize solidarity between people.  Cuba does not isolate itself from 
the interconnected world; it defends the sovereignty of all nations with 
the authority of 35 years of resistance to the criminal blockade used by 
the main Power on the planet to destroy Cuba's social development plans.

   MIHALY KOKENY, Secretary of State, Ministry of Welfare of Hungary:  Hungary 
is currently undergoing the transition to a market economy.  Reforms have 
complex economic and social implications which demand considerable 
sacrifice from the population.  Unemployment, poverty, environmental 
degradation and health problems are on the rise.  Efforts are under way to 
redress these problems, and international support is essential to their 
success.

   Modern patterns for social integration are being developed that will enable 
all citizens to actively participate in public affairs, but the danger of 
social disintegration remains present.  Central and Eastern Europe as a 
whole are undergoing a period of transition, which is marked by a crisis 
that has deep implications for the region's security.  External help and 
assistance will be required by all of the countries of the region if they 
are to successfully complete the transition process.

   VASCO ROCHA VIEIRA, Governor of Macau: Currently a territory under 
Portuguese administration, Macau will come under Chinese sovereignty in 
December 1999.  Macau will preserve a unique status beyond that date, 
working towards a policy of "one country, two systems".  The traditions of 
Western and oriental cultures are being blended.  That blending allows 
Macau to face the challenges of social development in the context of rapid 
change.  Macau offers the international community a pattern for cooperation 
that may be used in other parts of the world.

   FARES BOUEZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon:  The emigration of 
peoples from developing countries to developed ones poses great problems of 
social integration, giving rise to "the state within the state".  There are 
differences of habit, custom, culture, social hierarchy and religion.  
These add to racial, economic, demographic and linguistic differences.  
They constitute the elements of a social explosion if integration, 
interaction and social complementarity are not assured.

   The dismemberment of families and rural communities has led to disarray.  
There has been a growth in crime, vice and the use of drugs.  The 
increasing deviation from natural values reveals a situation of social 
regression.  The essential problem is the widening gap between developing 
and developed countries.  Wealth should be allocated to certain countries 
to narrow that gap.  Lebanon has lived through crises and wars, but is an 
excellent example of co-existence among groups.  There has now been peace 
for three years.  If Israel did not continue to occupy southern Lebanon, 
Lebanon would be able to meet all the challenges facing it.

   IRFAN LJUBIJANKIC, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina: 
 The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is striving to establish a 
democratic and pluralistic society.  The society which it is fighting to 
preserve, and the democratic structure it is working to build, are the 
opposite of the nationalist concept the  "Republika Srpska" represents.  
That so-called state was established within Bosnia and Herzegovina by the 
armed aggression of Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav army in 1992.  The whole 
world was witness to the aggression, yet decided only to appease its 
conscience by sending humanitarian aid.  The current aggression is only a 
taste of what could happen if the international community does not take a 
stand.

   People in the Bosnian town of Bihac, in the heart of Europe, are dying not 
because they can not find work, but because they are besieged.  Regardless 
of the causes of this situation, as long as there are people in Bihac dying 
from lack of food, not a single man of influence can have a clear 
conscience.  Since the international community has failed to prevent the 
genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it now has a moral debt to help restore 
its economy and support its social rehabilitation.

   ABDUL RAHMAN SAAD AL-DERHAM, Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and 
Housing of Qatar:  The world is in a phase of social, political and 
economic transition.  The peoples of the world, particularly those in 
developing countries, hope this Summit will herald a new era in the 
struggle against social scourges.  It is crucial that we narrow the gap 
between developed and developing countries, and embark on a collective 
effort to fulfil the aims of humanity as a whole.  We must end the era of 
hegemony and exploitation and ensure that disputes are settled peacefully.

   Qatar has always used its resources in the best possible way.  It has 
sought to build up a productive industrial base, which is the foundation 
for sustainable development, and to provide social services which reflect 
the interdependence of all sectors of society.  At the international level, 
the many facets of development must also be integrated.

   ENRIQUE V. IGLESIAS, President of the Inter-American Development Bank: 
Latin America has experienced ethnic and regional exclusion and a decade of 
debt, which created "the new poor".  However, the Bank is now optimistic 
about the future as it has witnessed an impatience for the eradication of 
poverty and a growing social awareness.  Latin America can solve its most 
serious problems of poverty and debt, but growth is needed.

   Economic efficiency is as necessary in Latin America as social efficiency. 
 Economic modernization requires clear codes, more savings and investment, 
good governance, better international relations, and the payment of taxes. 
 It also requires more cooperation between private enterprise, labour and 
the state.  However, the market alone cannot meet social needs; social 
investment is also needed.

   RASHID AL-RIFAI, Political Counsellor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Iraq:  Iraq's interest in the Summit stems from its efforts, especially in 
the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement, to achieve a democratic and 
equitable international order for dealing with social matters.  It would 
not be rational to talk about development in Iraq without mentioning the 
subject of economic sanctions.  The sanctions imposed on the country have 
destroyed the basis for social development.

   The international community should carefully study the serious effects of 
economic sanctions and search for a mechanism to deal with them.  Sanctions 
reduce opportunities for progress and stability, which are essential for 
international peace and security.   However, some Western countries have 
objected to the inclusion of an article on sanctions in the draft programme 
of action.  They use the pretext that sanctions are a political matter and 
have no connection with social development.  Such a position results from 
their selfish and illegal political aims.  In recent years, economic 
sanctions have been directed towards third world countries, harming the 
living standards of their people and their economies.  This is contrary to 
the spirit of the United Nations Charter and the humanitarian principles on 
which the Organization was founded.

   GUIDO DI TELLA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Argentina:  While the 
Summit will change the economic and social agendas of most nations, social 
problems will only be solved with the joint and personal attention of Heads 
of State and Government.  Argentina will support joint actions to eradicate 
poverty.  The Rio Group will be holding a meeting in May to address Summit 
follow-up.

   Argentina has undertaken macroeconomic policy to stimulate economic growth 
and support the well-being of its people.  A national plan has been 
developed to support economic growth, while establishing a just and fair 
society.  Regional integration is also a factor of progress which expands 
possibilities for people to participate in the production of wealth.

   Argentina supports the "white helmets" initiative, by which developing 
countries would organize groups of volunteers to work on United Nations 
projects.  The "white helmets" would be able to conduct preventive 
activities to tackle social problems, and they could work to respond to 
emergencies.

   MAGDALINA ROBERT, representative of the Council of Europe:  Since 1989, the
Council has been open to Central and Eastern European countries, which 
require support in their transitional period.  The Council has drafted and 
monitored several European human rights instruments.  Much has been done to 
eradicate poverty and overcome social exclusion.  Programmes designed to 
deal with unemployment have also been implemented.

   The Council has long been trying to improve the lot of the most vulnerable 
groups in society.  "But we realize that we cannot just isolate ourselves 
in a 'Fortress of Europe'".  The widening gap between the privileged and 
the poor throughout the world requires attention and action.  The rich 
countries, by their lifestyle, represent the greatest threat to the ecology 
of the planet.  Constant efforts are needed to address unsustainable 
patterns of consumption.  If it is true that poverty can violate human 
dignity, it is also true that wealth that is not shared corrupts the 
dignity of people and nations.

    CHBIH OULD CHEIKH MELAININE, Minister for Planning of Mauritania:  The 
emergency of poverty in Mauritania began with the disruption of its self-
sufficient system in the 1960s.  Economic modernization, which led to the 
settlement of the nomadic population, created social problems.  The nomadic 
population has fallen by 75 per cent and the urban population has grown 
from 9 per cent to 46 per cent.

   The Government has worked to liberalize the economy and create political 
pluralism.  Its new constitution guarantees collective and individual 
rights.  Progress had been made in education, health and job creation. 
However, the debt burden has hindered the Government's ability to pursue 
social development.   The support of the international community is needed, 
including debt reduction.

   CHBIH OULD CHEIKH MELAININE, Minister for Planning of Mauritania:  The 
emergence of poverty in Mauritania began with the disruption of its self-
sufficient system in the 1960s.  Economic modernization, which led to the 
settlement of the nomadic population, created social problems.  The nomadic 
population has fallen by 75 per cent and the urban population has grown 
from 9 per cent to 46 per cent.

   The Government has worked to liberalize the economy and create political 
pluralism.  Its new constitution guarantees collective and individual 
rights.  Progress had been made in education, health and job creation. 
However, the debt burden has hindered the Government's ability to pursue 
social development.  The support of the international community is needed, 
including debt reduction.

   EDWARD INNOCENT, Minister in the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Saint 
Lucia:  Saint Lucia is a small island State with a diminutive population 
and scarce natural and financial resources.  The Government is working to 
enhance the social, economic, cultural, spiritual and moral fabric of 
society.  Its economy has experienced an average annual growth of 6.1 per 
cent during the 1990s.  Development efforts continue in the areas of health 
care, social welfare and education.

   The process of solving social problems must be a two-way effort.  
Governments must set their priorities and organize programmes which reduce 
waste.   International agencies and wealthy nations must do their part; and 
the cancellation of foreign debt should be considered.  Also, trade factors 
must be considered.  The banana industry in some Caribbean states is 
threatened by new trade arrangements and stiff competition.  If this 
industry is destroyed, poverty and marginalization will result.  Such 
scenarios must be attended to.

   AHMED KADRY EBED AL MEGUID, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of 
Arab States:  There is no doubt that peace and social and economic progress 
have been achieved in recent years, but there have been negative social 
trends as well, such as marginalization, poverty and violence.  In a world 
with a widening gap between rich and poor, it is essential to combat 
poverty.  The League promotes solidarity among states of the Arab world to 
the mutual benefit of all.  Arab nations are known for being open to the 
outside world and promoting culture.  They will continue to make a 
contribution to the development of international civilization.

   The international community must change its approach to the relationship 
between the countries of the North and those of the South.  A spirit of 
partnership should prevail.  Peace is a strategic option which must be 
pursued.  Weapons of mass destruction represent a threat to all mankind.  
In the Middle East, they are an obstacle to achieving a just peace.  
Dismantling all weapons of mass destruction is an essential condition to 
security in that region.

   AMINE DEMNATI, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs of Morocco:  The 
general development of a society cannot be achieved through partial, 
sectoral solutions.  It requires systematic and integrated analysis.  Among 
the issues that require the attention of the international community are 
foreign debt, the transfer of technology, and the provision of additional 
resources for social action.  Having implemented economic, financial and 
administrative changes, Morocco still bears the negative effects of 
structural adjustment in mind, particularly with regard to vulnerable 
groups.

   Morocco has strategies for the creation of employment, the supply of 
drinking water to the poor, health care and education.  A public housing 
programme has also been subsidized.  With the assistance of the United 
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, 20 regions have 
been selected for special attention.

   GEORGE WEBER, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red 
Cross and Red Crescent Societies:  The International Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Societies supports the goals of the Summit.  It is already working 
towards these goals and the goals of other United Nations conferences.  The 
Societies seek to join with all interested partners to remove obstacles to 
equality and equity for women, particularly in the areas of literacy, 
income and health.  It will continue to work to assist vulnerable groups 
and to promote peace and reconciliation.  Follow-up to the Summit will 
require an effective partnership and coordination among governments and 
organizations.

   KAKHA SAKANDELIDZE, First Deputy Minister and Minister for Labour and 
Social Affairs of Georgia:  Civilization has achieved great heights in 
areas such as science and technology, but at the same time more than 1 
billion people live in abject poverty.  Obviously, the economic crisis 
affecting countries of the former Soviet bloc was bound to have an impact 
on the social situation there.  People who had previously enjoyed housing, 
education and employment suddenly found themselves living in hunger without 
a roof over their heads.  A feeling of hopelessness ensued.  Aggressive 
separatism and nationalism came to the fore.  Such trends are of concern to 
all countries.

   Georgia has seen its share of separatist violence, which tore at the 
country's social fabric and decimated its economy.  If such trends were to 
take on a global character, the consequences would be extremely serious.  
With adequate international assistance, all countries undergoing the 
transition process will be able to achieve peace and economic integration 
in global markets.  In an era of unprecedented scientific and technological 
progress, it is critical to strive for social development.

    EIRAH GORRE-DALE, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the World 
Meteorological Organization (WMO):  While poverty can be reduced by the 
judicious and sustainable use of resources, it is also a major factor in 
accelerating the rate of environmental degradation.  The level of poverty 
in a country depends to some extent on the way in which its resources and 
environment are used.

   The daily struggle for survival is affected by weather and climate.   Food 
security is achieved through agriculture, which depends on weather factors 
such as rainfall.  Global weather forecasting systems benefit those engaged 
in agriculture, forestry, construction and transportation.  They also 
provide early warnings of natural disasters.  Weather has no political 
boundaries, and extending meteorological and hydrological systems in 
developing countries will benefit the whole world.

   MARIE-NOELLE ANDET KOYARA, Minister for the Advancement of Women and Social 
Action of the Central African Republic:  The Central African Republic 
suffers from the scourges of poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, 
but it does not believe that these phenomena are deemed by fate.  The 
Government is in the process of tackling the problems, despite its 
difficult economic circumstances.  Programmes have focused on the 
advancement of women and strengthening the agricultural sector.  Such 
efforts are essential to the country's food security.

   In addition to women, other disadvantaged groups, such as street children, 
the disabled and pygmies, are the target of special measures designed to 
foster social integration.  The challenges of social development can be met 
through resolute action carried out in a spirit of solidarity.  Eliminating 
the bilateral and multilateral debt of developing countries would be a step 
in that direction.

   PAULA DI PERNA, Cousteau Society:  In a world awash with luxury, it is hard 
to believe that only four developed countries have met the target of 
dedicating 0.7 per cent of GNP to ODA.  All of those countries, except for 
Denmark, are planning to reduce those contributions.  But even if that 
target was met, the goals set at United Nations conferences could still be 
achieved.  Why are commitments being made at the Summit if their 
implementation cannot be assured?

   When even the people in the rich countries feel insecure, generosity fades. 
 Leaders in rich countries must help their people to feel more secure.  Let 
this Summit generate results as though it were acting in the presence of 
the future generations which it claims to protect.  Let this Summit be the 
meeting which truly saves the world.

   IBRAHIEM BEN HASSAN, Secretary of the Social Development Department of 
Libya:  The Summit revolves around the issue of poverty.  This may be 
defined by some as the absence of wealth in the form of money, but culture, 
knowledge and natural resources are also wealth.  Faith in the Almighty is 
the catalyst for the creation of other forms of wealth.  The eradication of 
poverty cannot be achieved on the basis of past experience alone.

   Over the last 20 years, Libya has adopted a series of social and economic 
measures which have brought about a noticeable improvement in the standard 
of living of its people.  It has provided housing, education and welfare 
programmes.  However, the sanctions imposed on Libya by the Security 
Council have impeded those programmes.  The World Summit must tackle the 
negative effects of such measures, especially the air transport boycott.

   ROBERT BISSIO, representative of the Development Caucus:  The "Quality 
Benchmark for the Social Summit" was conceived while the Preparatory 
Committee was meeting in August 1994.  It has served as an instrument for 
measuring progress in the preparations for the Summit and has generated 
debate at the national level.

   The documents to be signed at the Summit must meet the standards set in the 
Quality Benchmark.  However, they do not include actions to strengthen the 
human rights framework in relation to social development beyond the Vienna 
Declaration on Human Rights.  They do not adequately deal with the 
consequences of structural adjustment programmes, nor do they consider the 
role of the World Trade Organization (WTO).  No mechanisms have been 
established to have the United Nations examine the impact of the new trade 
regime on social development.  The right to food is recognized, as is the 
need to support efforts to increase food security, but it remains unclear 
how these can be maintained if protectionism is to be avoided.

   ROSA RENCI, representative of the Latin American Caucus:  The world is 
facing a far-reaching global social crisis.  Latin America is a continent 
on which injustice holds sway.  Responsibility falls on the countries 
themselves, but the lack of consistent global macroeconomic policies also 
plays a part.  Existing development models are inadequate.  The notion of 
"development with a human face" does not go far enough.  Equity, peace and 
justice are essential to the new development model which is being sought.  
Rather than just adjusting policies, there must be an adjustment in the 
"soul" of development programmes.

   A wide, integrated capacity for participation must be part of a new 
development model.  "Why not speak of social investment, instead of social 
expenditures?"  States must dedicate more resources to the needier sectors 
of the population.  Militarization increases poverty, marginalization and 
violence.  Military expenditures must be reallocated to social programmes. 
 Obstacles to development in the Latin American region, including the 
blockade against Cuba, must be removed.

   MERCEDES ROMAN, Co-Chairperson of the Rights of the Child Caucus:  While 
the draft declaration and programme of action reaffirm some children's 
rights, some of the worst violations have not been sufficiently addressed. 
 One of them is the situation of children in areas of armed conflict.  How 
can the Summit claim to address social development without a serious 
discussion of armed conflict?  A total ban on the production, sale and use 
of landmines is a moral imperative and should be a Summit goal.  The lack 
of a clear timetable for dealing with child labour is also a problem.

   Unless a new vision for children comes out of the Summit, a whole 
generation will continue to miss out on the right to development.  Unless 
new resources are created and existing ones reallocated, the plan of action 
will remain nothing but words.  Unless radical economic measures are taken, 
a future may develop in which states are powerless to protect people from 
the power of transnational, bankers and money lenders.

    MAX VAN DEN BERG, of Eurostep:  Many of the innovative and far-reaching 
commitments proposed have disappeared from the final Summit documents which 
government leaders will sign.  Although there are not the kind of concrete 
or specific commitments which had been hoped for, the programme of action 
will be a tool for beginning the fight against poverty.  Heads of State and 
Government will be held accountable for the declaration they sign here.  
Eurostep will regard the declaration as a standard for policy setting and 
implementation, both at the national and regional level.

   FRANCISCO VIO GRISSI, representative of the People's Alliance of Social 
Development:  The Summit has made great promises about eradicating poverty, 
promoting full employment and reducing pressures that cause social malaise. 
 Governments have clearly acknowledged the roles of civil society in 
reaching the goals of the Summit, but the roots of the problems which 
brought their representatives to Copenhagen have not been addressed.  Fine 
words have yet to be honoured with decisive action.  Policies must be 
monitored from the point of view of civil society.

   JAMES E. HUG, Executive Director of the Center of Concern:  The serious 
failures of contemporary global markets must be corrected.  As currently 
managed, the market enriches the few, relying on a community infrastructure 
created by vast amounts of unpaid work, mostly done by women.  In order to 
eradicate poverty, it will be necessary to eliminate overconsumption.  
Peaceful social integration will require serious redistribution of the 
world's resources.

   Unfortunately, the Summit has not addressed the immense role played by 
transnational corporations and financial speculation in creating poverty, 
eliminating jobs and contributing to the disintegration of communities.  
"Until we have the political will to create a regulatory framework for 
transnational capital which will ensure that it serves the common good of 
all citizens of the earth, the commitments made here in Copenhagen will 
have negligible chances of success".







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