Natural resources are degraded and consumed without restraint, and are in danger of exhaustion. Water and air are polluted and populations suffer from water-borne diseases. Deforestation and desertification proceed apace. Economic colonization by the multinationals is thus taking the place of the old colonialism. The multinationals make money, certainly, but they will never come up with policies to protect the environment or create an environment that can sustain all citizens.
Globalization works against recognition of the specific needs of development.
For this reason, the countries of the global South must form regional groupings and regional markets. The establishment of regional markets is crucial for economic development and can serve as a springboard for competitiveness. Staggering under the burden of debt and hoodwinked by the deceptive debt relief programs of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the African countries have lost their voice. These are key questions. Our greatest need in today's world is for mechanisms that can bring us together to share our political understanding and our vision.