UN General Assembly
1989

This has made more apparent and shocking the paradox of the economic situation prevailing in third world countries - and particularly in Africa - which is characterized by a deep and infrastructural crisis. The world previously faced a serious threat from the cold war and the confrontation between the blocs, which could have brought about the nuclear extermination of the whole human race. Even if we have escaped this nightmare with the relaxation of tension between East and West, there remains another threat resulting from the widening economic gap between North and South the conflict between rich and poor. Industrialized countries are beginning to understand that this problem should be treated as a global problem affecting all mankind. In fact the international division of labour gives raw material producers little reason for hope in their development efforts, which are paralysed by the accumulation of external debt.