UN General Assembly
2001

Mano River Union Women Peace Network in the three countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — augur well for the proposed Mano River Union summit meeting. Meanwhile, I can assure the Assembly that President Kabbah remains committed to his determination to help restore adherence to the principle of good-neighbourliness in the Union. This should lead to a revitalization of economic cooperation programmes among the three countries. We must admit that conflict and tension in the Union have had a negative impact on the ability of ECOWAS to concentrate on the principal objective for which it was created, namely, economic cooperation and development. We are aware that primary responsibility for alleviating poverty, stimulating economic growth and reducing conflicts and their often disastrous consequences lies in the hands of the developing countries themselves. We are also aware that development requires sound fiscal policies and rational management of both our human and natural resources. 19 However, the international consensus is that sustainable development also requires greater cooperation between developing and developed countries in such areas as trade, debt relief and external