UN General Assembly
1979

188. While my Government is aware of the external factors which need changing or improvement so that development can be more speedily promoted, we are fully conscious of the heavy responsibility of third- world countries for their own development. The Somali Government and people are committed to a policy of national self-reliance carried out within a strong framework of regional co-operation. We believe that co-operation between developing countries in technical and other fields is an essential component of the new world economic order and that one of the most important goals of this co-operation must be increased food production, both for national self-sufficiency and for money-earning exports. 189. My Government fully supports the joint OAU- ECA development strategy for Africa, and we attach particular importance to the proposal for an African common market. We are glad that in the formulation of the African development strategy prominence is being given to the view that African peoples must evolve patterns of development that can borrow from other societies without alienating us from our indigenous cultural heritage.