UN General Assembly
1998

the issue of unemployment remains our greatest challenge. We recognize that, with the global economic situation deteriorating and the gap between the developed and the developing countries widening, the task of creating jobs is becoming more and more difficult. In response to this, we have introduced incentives to attract investment from both internal and external sources, and we have established an investment promotion authority to act as the catalyst for rapid investment growth. Such national initiatives are aimed at creating favourable conditions for our people to gain a decent standard of living and to continue to enjoy the peace and stability with which we have been blessed throughout our history. We have noted with regret that the past 12 months have seen an alarming rise in situations of internal conflict and external aggression among many of the Member States. Furthermore, there are many instances of situations where internal conflicts have spilled over borders, creating the potential for regional instability. The situations in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia, and the heightened tension