The statement addresses several key issues of particular concern to world business. Indeed, it has already brought unprecedented advances in material welfare to billions of people. Business accepts that it has an indispensable role to play, together with governments, in explaining the benefits and opportunities that flow from a readiness to adapt creatively to the change necessary to embrace the world economy. The fears and misconceptions must be dispelled. Business will work with governments to promote change and support their efforts to establish the good governance necessary to allow all countries to participate in the gains from globalization.
Freedom can only work within rules, and the same holds true for markets.
Global markets require global rules, and a balance between freedom and rules needs to be achieved for the smooth functioning of the market economy and the good management of globalization. The UN, multilateral development agencies, and governments should give special attention to capacity-building in least developed countries, particularly as regards human resources development, physical infrastructure and institutional reform, to assist them to link themselves into the global information society. Business will support these efforts, which offer the best assurance that all countries will be able to participate in and benefit from the global economy. The maintenance of peaceful conditions between and within sovereign states is crucial to enabling the benefits of a global economy to spread to all mankind. The absence of political conflict is a precondition for local entrepreneurship to flourish and also for international business to invest.