UN General Assembly
1992

contract between Africa and its international partners, merits the support of the international community. I cannot disregard the fact that the impressive changes we have mentioned have taken place against a background of rising levels of poverty among vast sectors of the world's population. Redefining international cooperation for development must consequently be the new priority of the multilateral programme. It is thus essential to define a broader approach to this cooperation, one which pays particular attention to the developing countries in general, and to the least developed countries in particular, with a view to achieving sustainable development. The adoption of the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 and the other agreements reached at the historic Rio Conference demonstrates that the international community is prepared to work in partnership for the protection of the environment and the introduction of a development taking into account the economic equilibrium of all. The "Spirit of Rio" has engendered great hopes for the one billion human beings living in extreme deprivation. Now everything depends on the follow-up and implementation of the programmes agreed.