UN General Assembly
2000

many challenges and hopes. It brings the hope of seeing a plan for the settlement to the conflict in Western Sahara, thanks to the joint efforts of the OAU and the United Nations, and the hope of finally seeing Israel and its Arab neighbours give peace a chance through a just and lasting settlement to the crisis, taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, as well as the respect for the rights and dignity of all peoples in the region. The question of development remains one of the major challenges of this century, and as such it must remain at the centre of our Organization's concerns. At a time when a portion of the planet has contentedly crossed the threshold of this new millennium and is embarking, under the rubric of globalization, on what is called “the new economy”, a major portion of the world — indeed, the largest portion — continues to live in poverty, suffering the perverse effects of this globalization. With regard to the alarming situation prevailing