I wish to echo the call by the President of Nigeria for the return of illicit money sent out by corrupt leaders, and request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to launch an initiative in this regard. Developing countries need relief in their external debt burden. They need finance to pursue development and technology transfers to improve the skills of their manpower. Talking of trade, restrictions abound on market access for goods and services in areas where developing countries have a comparative advantage. Agriculture exports from South run up against a wall of subsidies.
Textiles are subject to quotas and other protectionist measures.
The movement of labour is severely circumscribed. Technology gap between the developed and the developing countries is one of the major causes of the income disparities between North and South. The gap is likely to increase if the developed countries continue to impede access to technology and if our countries fail to take measures aimed at improving our educational and technological base as a group. Finally, the international decision making process either excludes the developing countries entirely or marginalizes them. The developing world must be given its due role in shaping international economic policies and the international financial structure.