During the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, several important contributions were made to strengthen the capacity of the world community to address the major global issues which confront us. Significant institutional reforms were proposed to strengthen multilateral cooperation so that we could conquer ills which have plagued us over many generations. Discussions on reform were launched but enthusiasm was lacking and inertia triumphed. Reform was subverted into a crusade for downsizing and retrenchment. This leaves a yawning gap in the institutions of global governance, that we must quickly fill.
Poverty remains the single greatest challenge facing mankind.
We must seize this unique moment to forge global partnerships for decisive action against poverty. We live in a fool's paradise to think that the status quo can be indefinitely maintained. The challenges, indeed, are multiplying. The poor have neither the time nor the interest to discuss the theories of economic globalisation. Even as they experience its harsh realities, the globalized media, with a vastly extended reach, now enable the poor to see how the rich actually live.