UN General Assembly
1968

126. Compared with its other achievements, the record of the United Nations in the economic and social fields seems impressive, though still very short of expectation. For the moment at least, the Organization has the institutional arrangements and establishments necessary to give impetus to the development of the underdeveloped world. But these institutions and organs lack the tools and, often, the political will and support on the part of the industrialized countries to enable them to perform their tasks as stated in Chapter IX of our Charter, which are to promote conditions of economic and social progress and development. As we approach the closing days of the first United Nations Development Decade and are on the point of launching the second decennial period of international co-operation for development, it is the view of my delegation that we must mow take stock of our past achievements. The industrialized countries, during the current Development Decade, have registered unprecedented rates of growth, while the developing countries, on whose behalf and for whose benefit the first Development Decade programme was launched, are still hopelessly in conditions of poverty and hardship. It is mot too to stress that it is essential that we lay the foundations of the coming Development Decade in a manner that will do full justice to the developing countries.