UN General Assembly
1980

32. When developing countries take similar steps and band together to increase export earnings, they are criticized for taking measures contrary to the common good. What then, I ask, is the justice in this situation? Must we confront each other by adversary strategies of this kind? 33. The case of official development assistance is equally as clear. It is surely in the interests of the developed world to provide the poor countries with the concessionary aid that can help to restructure their economies. For as they grow in strength, their imports will grow with resultant benefits to the developed economies. But the sad fact is that at the present time, when concessionary finance is most needed, there is talk in the developed world of holding back inflation and the need to cut down public expenditure. 34. I hope that official development assistance will not be an area that has to bear these cuts. If the cut has to fall on public expenditure in the developed world, we make the plea that it may fall gently on overseas aid.